Red Wolves - IU East

WINONA LAKE - Indiana University East volleyball coach Charlie Brown turned to the bench before the start of the Red Wolves' match Friday against Indiana University Southeast and said, "This should be interesting."

Indeed it was.

IU East picked up the program's first win against IU Southeast with a 25-20, 25-21, 24-26, 28-26 victory to conclude the opening day of the Grace College Ramada Plaza Tournament.

"To beat an IU Southeast team is a phenomenal thing for us," Brown said.

Both teams fought off a pair of game points in the taut fourth game before IU East converted its third match point on freshman setter Lauren Crump's tip-kill.

"We wanted to prove something," said Crump (Indianapolis/Scecina High School). "We wanted history.

"It was fun to play together and have everybody on that same level where we all want it, and we're fighting and cheering and connecting and throwing down balls and getting points."

The Red Wolves got lots of points during a big surge midway through Game 1. The run turned an early deficit into a 20-11 lead.

IU East made another big run midway through Game 2, building a 21-12 lead. The Red Wolves held on to win the game and take the 2-0 lead.

IU East would take a 23-22 lead in the third game as junior Kristen Mahoney (Pendleton, Ind.) came up with a tough underhand kill and a timely block. IU Southeast (1-1) responded with four of the next five points to send the match to a fourth game.

The Red Wolves seemed to take control of the fourth game with a four-point run that resulted in a 19-15 lead. The Grenadiers responded with one last surge and nearly took the match to a fifth game, but IU East pulled together to claim the last three points and the match.

"Our girls showed some inexperience at times, but they held together when it counted," Brown said. "The girls played with a ton of heart."

Courtney Flory (New Paris, Ohio/National Trail High School) had 14 kills and Breezy Strete (Troy, Ohio/Troy) added 13 for IU East. Flory put away most of her kills in the last two games. Strete did much of her damage in Game 1 and Game 2.

Madison Qualkenbush (New Castle, Ind./New Castle High School) had 17 digs. Brandie Sanders (Indianapolis/Pike High School) had a strong all-around stat line with 12 digs and eight kills. Crump distributed 40 assists.

"(IU Southeast) had that nostalgia where they had always beaten IU East, but we turned that today," Brown said. "But we've got to face this team two more times, so we've got to get better because they know how to play us now."

IU East goes for the tournament title today with matches against Cedarville University (10 a.m.) and Huntington College (noon). Monitor www.iue.edu/athletics for updates.