The Valpo volleyball team closed out its final day at its second early-season tournament with a split, as the Beacons defeated Niagara, 3-1 (26-24, 25-21, 20-25, 25-15), before falling to host Eastern Michigan, 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 25-20).
 
How It Happened – Niagara

• Niagara led by eight points passing the midway point of set one, but the Beacons fought their way back and eventually tied the opener up at 22-22. Valpo actually had the first set point at 24-23, but after a Niagara point, back-to-back kills from Ava Helming (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) and Lilly Merk (Terre Haute, Ind./Terre Haute South Vigo) gave the Beacons the opening frame.
• The second set was closely contested as well approaching the late stages, before a 7-3 Valpo spurt turned a 17-16 edge into a 24-19 lead for set point — Jordyn Gove (Amarillo, Texas/Randall) picked up four kills during that stretch. On their third set point chance, Merk came through with a kill to give the Beacons a 2-0 lead in the match.
• Niagara scored the first five points of the third set and led start-to-finish to extend the match.
• Valpo hit .400 in the fourth set to close out the match, using a 6-1 mid-set run to push a 9-8 lead to 15-9 as it eventually put away the Purple Eagles.

 
How It Happened – EMU

• A four-point spurt took a 15-14 EMU lead and made it 19-14 Eagles, and Valpo got no closer than three points in the opening set.
• Consecutive kills from Gove, Helming and Merk gave the Beacons a 22-19 edge in the second set, and while EMU closed back to within one point twice, another Helming kill and a Mara Thomas (Bogart, Ga./Athens Academy) evened the match at one set apiece.
• Valpo looked poised to steal the third set as a four-point run late flipped the frame on its head and gave the Beacons a 23-22 lead, but EMU turned the tables with three in a row to close the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• The fourth set was all EMU early on, as the Eagles led 15-4. Valpo kept its foot on the pedal and came back with 15 of the next 19 points to tie the set at 19-all, but EMU ended the match on a 6-1 run to close it out.

 
Inside the Matches

• Valpo out-killed Niagara in the first match of the day, 62-50, and while the Beacons trailed EMU in the second match by just 56-55 in the kills department, they committed 34 attack errors — 17 of which were Eagle blocks.
• Merk paced Valpo in the win over Niagara with 12 kills to tie her career high on .333 hitting and added five blocks as well.
• Sam Warren (Kentland, Ind./South Newton) set a career best with six rejections in the win over the Purple Eagles and followed with 10 kills against EMU.
• Gove matched her career high in both of Friday's matches with 14 digs in both contests. The sophomore posted 11 kills against Niagara for a double-double.
• Kadence Brumitt (Niles, Mich./Brandywine) notched 10 kills in the win over Niagara and then registered a season-best 11 kills against EMU.
• Helming posted a Valpo season-high 15 kills in the tournament finale.
• Thomas recorded double-doubles in both of Friday's matches, finishing with 28 assists and 16 digs versus Niagara and 20 assists and 18 digs against EMU.
• Addy Kois (Osceola, Ind./Penn) dished out 27 assists in the win over Niagara and followed with 23 assists and 13 digs versus EMU.
• Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) led the Beacons in digs in both matches, tallying 17 in the win over Niagara and 25 against EMU. With 2,199 career digs, Hickey is now just 50 away from fourth in program history in the category.
• Jessica Pickett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) had a team-best five blocks against EMU, while Mia Liberti (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute) had three service aces, helping spur key runs late in the final two sets.

 
Next Up
Valpo (4-2) faces a Power Four challenge on Tuesday as the Beacons make the trip to Evanston, Ill. to face off against Northwestern. First serve is slated for 7 p.m., and the match can be seen live on BTN+.