TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Makayla Knoblauch registered a double-double and Laura Gross led all players with 16 kills but Indiana State was not able to stop a hot Valparaiso squad in a 3-0 loss Friday night at ISU Arena as both teams opened Missouri Valley Conference play.
 
For Knoblauch, it marked her sixth double-double of her freshman year. For Gross, it marked double-digit kills for the 10^th time this season. But the loss ended a three-match win streak over Valparaiso (14-2, 1-0) in the series history.
 
The Sycamores (7-6, 0-1) registered more blocks (9-8) and more digs (73-65) than the Crusaders but hit just .135 in the match. Despite hitting only .174, Valparaiso served up six aces.
 
SET 1 – Valparaiso 27, Indiana State 25

• The back-and-forth set featured 10 ties and four lead changes.
• Four of the ties occurred starting with the 21-21 point and moving forward.
• Indiana State out hit Valparaiso, .269 to .259, in the set.
• Valpo's Sydney Bronner's only two kills came at the 25-25 point, clinching the set for the Crusaders.

SET 2 – Valparaiso 25, Indiana State 20

• Laura Gross put down nine kills in the second set alone.
• Gross was the only Sycamore to hit above .000 in the second frame, hitting .227 (9-4-22).
• Allison Ketcham led Valpo with a .385 hitting percentage in the set (6-1-13).
• Brittany Anderson (1-1) was in on two of Valpo's three blocks in the set.

SET 3 – Valparaiso 25, Indiana State 20

• Valpo jumped out to a 14-4 lead before Indiana State went on a 7-0 run.
• The Sycamores made it as close as a two-point deficit at 19-17.
• ISU tallied five of its nine blocks in the match in the third set.
• Makayla Knoblauch, Melina Tedrow and Jade York all registered seven digs in the set.

NOTABLES

• Indiana State still leads the all-time series, 15-10.
• This marked Valparaiso's first win over Indiana State since 2010.
• Lindsay Allman is now 1-1 in conference openers.
• The Sycamores are now 3-33 all-time in conference openers.
• Laura Gross registered double-digit kills for the 10^th time this season.
• Makayla Knoblauch notched a double-double (35 assists, 10 digs) for sixth time this season.
• Devynn Merriman served up a season and career-high three aces.

NEXT UP

• Indiana State: hosts Loyola Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
• Valparaiso: at Evansville on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. ET

For the latest information on the Sycamore Volleyball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.