Women's Volleyball Erases Two Set Deficit To Close Out Its Season With A Win Over Iowa Wesleyan

ST. LOUIS, Mo.--  The Fontbonne University women's volleyball team erased a two set deficit against Iowa Wesleyan on Wednesday night as they were able to close out its season with a five set (23-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-15, 15-11) win.

The Griffins (11-19; 7-11 SLIAC), finished with 49 kills and a .149 hitting percentage. The team also got it done on the defensive side of the net with 88 digs and 14 block assists.

Kristina Eason earned another double-double with 14 kills and 13 digs. Oliva Tallo also notched a double-double of her own with 12 kills and 11 digs.

Abby Grumich (19) and Megan Schaller (18) combined for 37 of the teams 45 assists, while Schaller led them defensively with 22 digs.

Iowa Wesleyan (3-25; 2-16 SLIAC), closed out with 45 kills but its 29 errors lowered its hitting percentage to .093.

Lida Landre hammered home a team-high 13 kills, while setter Ariel Smale handed out a match-high 39 assists. Defensively, the Tigers totaled 95 digs and Jenna Murphy paced them with 23.

In the first set, the Tigers opened with a 10-7 lead on Allegra Collette's kill. The team maintained that lead at 15-11, until Fontbonne answered with a 4-0 run, capped off by a Tigers attack error which tied it 15-15.

IWU eventually got the lead back at 20-16 on Sydney Ellsworth's kill, however, the Griffins responded with a 6-0 run to take a 21-20 lead and that forced the Tigers to take a timeout.

Out of the break, the two teams went point-for-point but IWU led 24-22 on an Ellsworth service ace. Eason tried to bring FBU back in it with a kill, but Collette's kill secured the 25-23 win.

After both teams met-up at 8-8 in the second, Iowa Wesleyan went on a 6-0 run to gain some breathing room at 14-8.

Fontbonne tried to get back in it at 18-16 on an IWU ball handling error. However, the Tigers closed out the set on a 7-4 run to win the second 25-20.

In the third and needing a win to force a fourth, the Griffins rolled out to a 13-9 lead on Megan McKenzie's kill. Fontbonne stayed in control by expanding its lead out to 21-14 on a block assist from McKenzie and Victoria Curtice.

Iowa Wesleyan cut the lead down to 22-18 on a service ace from Gabby Smith but Fontbonne kept the match going by winning 25-19 on Tallo's kill.

The momentum FBU gained in the third carried over into the fourth after taking an 11-6 lead on Claire Sease's service ace.

They continued its dominance from there at 18-9 on Emma Seiz's kill. The Tigers tried a late rally to make it 20-15, but the Griffins knew the set was there', by finishing out on a 5-0 run to force a fifth and final set.

In the race to the eighth point before the two teams switch sides, the Tigers got there first at 8-6 on Landre's kill. FBU bounced back and took a 10-9 lead on Schaller's service ace.

The Tigers tied it on the next possession but that'd be as close as they'd get with the home team ending the match on a 5-1 run, completing the comeback and securing the 15-11 win.

The Griffins close out its 2017 season 11-19 overall and 7-11 in conference play.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates on the women's volleyball team.