KOKOMO, Ind. - The 15th-ranked IU Kokomo volleyball team faced a tough test Friday night against a well-coached Saint Xavier squad, earning a 3-1 victory in what served as both their final non-conference and final home match of the regular season.

FAST FACTS

• LOCATION: Student Activities & Events Center | Kokomo, IN 
• UPDATED RECORDS: Saint Xavier University (Ill.) - 14-9, IU Kokomo - 25-5
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: Saint Xavier University (Ill.) - N/A, IU Kokomo - #15

THE RUNDOWN 

• In a battle of the Cougars, IU Kokomo raced out to an early 4-1 lead in the opening set and forced a Saint Xavier timeout after extending the margin to 13-7 midway through. IU Kokomo maintained control the rest of the way, cruising to a 25-14 win in the opener.
• Set two turned into a back-and-forth battle that ultimately went Saint Xavier's way, as they fought off a set point and rattled off three straight points to claim a 26-24 victory.
• IU Kokomo flipped the script in the third set. Leading 11-6, the host Cougars closed on a commanding 14-3 run to capture the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• Saint Xavier came out strong in the fourth set, racing to an early 5-0 lead and looking poised to force a decisive fifth. However, 13th-year head coach Heather Hayes's squad battled back to seize their first lead at 11-10, though Bob Heersema's SXU Cougars continued to fight tooth and nail.
• Trailing 21-17, IU Kokomo mounted a pivotal 5-0 run to grab a one-point lead late in the fourth set. After Saint Xavier saved the first match point, a clutch kill from Lexi Broyles followed by an Alexa Miedema service ace sealed the deal, giving the 15th-ranked Cougars a hard-fought 3-1 victory over a resilient Saint Xavier team.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Three Cougars recorded double-digit kills in the four-set victory, led by Mya Grigsby's 16. Grigsby also tallied 20 digs to notch a double-double performance. Sophomore libero Avery Littrell also finished with 20 digs.
• Mia Niekamp and Lexi Broyles followed with 15 kills each, with Broyles posting an impressive .556 hitting percentage on just 27 attempts.
• Allison Richman paced the setters with 28 assists, while Macy Chafin contributed 15.

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Match: 11/7 @ IU Southeast - 7:00 PM ET
• Next Home Match: 11/11 RSC Quarterfinals vs TBD

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.