MVBALL: IPFW Downs Quincy In Four Sets

CLICK ON VIDEO TAB TO SEE WANE'S COVERAGE.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The IPFW Mastodons rebounded from a Friday night loss with a convincing 3-1 win over the Quincy Hawks by scores of 25-18, 17-25, 25-21, 25-15.

Eddie Rivera finished with a team-high 13 kills on 25 attempts, while Andy Sellan had 10 kills. Rob Samp knocked down seven kills, as Bryan Saunders had six kills on the game. Keegan Robbins dished out 38 assists while serving up a pair of aces, while freshman Luis Bertran had 10 digs.

The Mastodons (4-3, 1-1 MIVA) opened the match by scoring the first three points including a kill and a block from Saunders, and never trailed in the frame. Quincy cut the gap to to at 13-11, before IPFW ran off a 7-2 streak, pushing the advantage to seven, and cruised the rest of the way in the opener, winning the set 25-18.

Quincy jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first set, before the Mastodons ran off the next three points to lead 3-2. IPFW rallied to score two straight to take a 4-3 lead, as the advantage changed hands five times total, and there were eight tie scores, the last at 10-10. With the teams tied at 10, the Hawks scored the next five pointsto lead 15-11, and Quincy never trailed again in a 25-17 second-set win.

IPFW forged ahead to a 10-4 lead early in the third before the Hawks fought back, closing to within one at 19-18. Leading by the slimmest of margins, IPFW went on a 6-3 run to end the set for a 25-21 third-set win.

The Hawks scored the first point of the fourth set, before IPFW answered back with three straight and the 'Dons never trailed again. Quincy got to within four at 11-7, before the 'Dons ran off a 9-2 streak to lead by 11 at 20-11. Quincy fought back to within seven at 21-14, but the IPFW margin was too much to overcome in a 25-15 fourth-set win.

IPFW out-blocked Quincy 7-to-6, as three players - Rivera, Samp, and Ramon Burgos each had three block assists in the win. IPFW hit .273 in the match, on 48 kills, 18 errors, and 110 attempts.

The Mastodons don't return to action for nearly two weeks, when the team travels to Ball State on February 13 and Ohio State on February 15.