Ace Hunt

GoSycamores.com

DENTON, TEXAS -- Indiana State won the first set against UL-Lafayette and then had to overcome a 2-1 deficit by winning the fourth and fifth sets to take the 3-2 victory on the final day of the North Texas Invitational.

The Sycamores improved to 5-4 on the season while UL-Lafayette dropped to 1-10. Indiana State wrapped up the North Texas Invitational with a 1-2 record. Senior Shannon Murphy was named to the all-tournament team at the conclusion of the event.

Indiana State posted an impressive 25-13 victory in the first set before falling 25-21 and 25-22 to fall behind two sets to one. ISU rallied for a 25-14 victory in the fourth set and then took the match with a 15-13 victory in the fifth.

Kynedi Nalls posted 15 kills while Bree Spangler added 14. Spangler posted a sparkling .406 attack percentage while Rachel Griffin added 39 assists. Shannon Murphy tallied 12 digs and freshman Damadj Johnson had nine blocks.

The Sycamores used an 8-2 run in the first set to transition a 5-5 tie into a 13-7 advantage on a kill by Nalls. A kill by Griffin stretch the Sycamores' lead out to a high of 22-11 and then ISU used a Mackenzie Macek kill and a UL-Lafayette attack error for the 25-13 victory.

The Cajuns roared back with close 25-21 and 25-22 victories in the second and third sets. In the fourth, ISU led by a 12-10 margin before they scored the next five in a row and took a 17-10 advantage on a kill by Nalls. A kill by Cassie Kawa put the Sycamores at set point and then Griffin tallied a service ace for the 25-14 victory and forced a fifth set.

Both teams battled back and forth in the fifth until Nalls and Kawa combined on a block for the 9-5 lead. Three points in a row for the Cajuns drew them within a point, but Nalls stopped the run with a kill and the 10-8 cushion. After a UL-Lafayette run, the Sycamores got a service error from the Cajuns for a 13-12 lead. The match ended on a UL-Lafayette attack errors as the Sycamores took the set 15-13 and won the match 3-2.

Indiana State will travel to Butler on Tuesday, September 13 at 6 p.m. before the home opener on Friday, September 19 against MVC foe Bradley to begin the ISU Classic inside ISU Arena. That match against Bradley begins at 7 p.m. (ET).