NEW ALBANY, Ind. – The IU Southeast volleyball team fell to Rio Grande in five sets (21-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 10-15) on Friday night.
 
IU Southeast took an 8-7 lead early in the first set, but a 5-1 Rio Grande run gave the RedStorm a 12-9 lead. IU Southeast was able to cut the Rio Grande lead to one at 12-11 and at 15-14 but each time the RedStorm answered with a point of their own.
 
Rio Grande took a 19-16 lead, but IU Southeast was able to cut the deficit back to one at 19-18. With the score 22-21, Rio Grande scored the final three points of the set to take the first set 25-21.
 
The second set opened the same as the first. IU Southeast led 8-7 before a 5-1 run gave Rio Grande a 12-9 edge. IU Southeast answered with a 4-0 run to swing the lead back in their favor at 13-12. The teams continued to trade points until the set was tied at 16-16.
 
Rio Grande took an 18-17 lead, but a 5-0 run by IU Southeast gave the Grenadiers a 22-18 advantage. IU Southeast would go on to take the second set 25-20.
 
Rio Grande opened the third set with a 6-2 lead. IU Southeast fought back to cut the RedStorm lead to one at 10-9, but Rio Grande answered with a 6-0 run to extend their edge to 16-9. Rio Grande led by as many as eight points in the third set as the RedStorm would go on to take the set 25-17.
 
IU Southeast led 8-3 early in the fourth set. Trailing 10-5, Rio Grande used a 10-1 run to take a 15-11 edge. With Rio Grande leading 16-12, IU Southeast answered with a 7-1 run to swing the lead back in their favor at 19-17.
 
Rio Grande tied the set at 19-19. The set was tied at 21-21 before another Rio Grande point gave the RedStorm a 22-21 edge, but a 4-0 run gave IU Southeast a 25-22 fourth set win.
 
Rio Grande opened the fifth and deciding set with a 4-0 edge. IU Southeast cut the lead to 6-4, but a 5-1 run gave the RedStorm an 11-5 advantage. A 3-0 run cut the Grenadier deficit to 11-8, but Rio Grande answered with back-to-back points to take a 13-8 lead. IU Southeast once again made it a three-point deficit at 13-10, but Rio Grande took the fifth set 15-10 and the match 3-2.
 
"Gritty performance in a tough road game," IU Southeast head coach Eric Brian said. "We made some good adjustments which helped us extend it to five sets but just not enough to beat a solid team on their home court."
 
Ella Brooks led IU Southeast with 18 kills and 14 digs. Madison Ramsey was second on the team with 10 kills and 5.0 blocks. Carly Mason had 26 assists, 11 digs, and a pair of aces. Gracie Farmer had three aces, and Brianna Bucher added two. Haley Jaster had a team-high 6.0 blocks.  
 
IU Southeast returns to action on Saturday against West Virginia Tech.