BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Rutgers volleyball won back-to-back sets for the first time in league play this season but were unable to overcome the last surge by Indiana falling to the Hoosiers in five on Sunday at Wilkinson Hall.

The Scarlet Knights fell 3-2 (20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 20-25, 13-15) in the series finale with the Hoosiers.
 

STANDOUT STATS

• Three Scarlet Knights finished in double-figure kills, four registered double-figure digs, while two members of the squad captured double-doubles.
• Fifth-year senior Beka Kojadinovic led RU with 15 kills to go along with 15 digs, while classmate Kamila Cieslik added 11 kills and a team-high 16 digs. Redshirt senior Shealyn McNamara also added 13 kills and swung .435 on the afternoon.
• Inna Balyko logged 46 assists, the most by the First Team All-Big Ten setter this season in conference play.
• Rutgers racked up 12 blocks led by a career-high-tying eight from graduate student Megan Vernon.
• Joining Cieslik and Kojadinovic in double-figure digs were sophomore Madyson Chitty with 13 and senior Anastasiia Maksimova with 11.

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KEY MOMENTS

• Set 1 (20-25) | Rutgers trailed 7-2 to start but battled back for force four ties. One of five Kojadinovic kills knotted the score up at 18-18 before the Hoosiers collected four-straight and ended the frame outscoring RU, 7-2 for the 1-0 lead.
• Set 2 (25-21) | The Scarlet Knights rebounded using an early 4-0 run capped by a Kamila Cieslik swing to go out in front 7-5. While RU never gave up the lead, Indiana managed to tie the score six times. Tied at 12-12, kills by Anastasiia Makismova and Megan Vernon along with a rejection by Vernon and Inna Balyko put Rutgers in front for good. Another 4-0 burst, including back-to-back kills from Kojadinovic, gave the Scarlet Knights a 20-15 edge and Indiana would pull no closer than three down the stretch.
• Set 3 (25-23) | RU made it back-to-back sets for the first time in Big Ten play this season hitting .433 for the frame. Rutgers committed no errors on its 30 swings led by four kills from the hands of Shealyn McNamara and Cieslik. While the Hoosiers established a 10-5 advantage to start, the Scarlet Knights chipped away. Outscoring the hosts 8-2, Rutgers took its first lead of the set at 13-12 off a Cieslik attack. Indiana reclaimed the lead but was never in front by more than two points. The 10th and final tie of the set was a 23-23 when Rutgers closed with a McNamara kill and Vernon and Balyko teaming up at the next.
• Set 4 (20-25) | Indiana countered by taking the largest lead of the afternoon in the fourth frame to force a fifth and deciding set. Tied at 5-5, the Hoosiers scored four unanswered en-route to establishing a 15-8 lead. Rutgers closed the gap to within three off a service error trailing 20-17, but Indiana pushed back with four straight open back up the margin.
• Set 5 (13-15) | Rutgers was in control early and was leading 13-9 when Indiana changed the momentum. The host Hoosiers closed the game six consecutive points to thwart the Scarlet Knight victory.

HIGHLIGHTS

 

UP NEXT

• The Scarlet Knights are back home next week to host Illinois on BTN on Friday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. and Maryland on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m.
• Fans at Friday's contest with the Fighting Illini have a chance to enter a raffle to win a personal training start up package from Rutgers Recreation & Fitness or Apple AirPods.
• Admission to all Rutgers volleyball games is free.
• All fans must register for parking - Click here to register your vehicle.
• Fans can enter with bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and approximately 12″ x 6″ x 12″, or one-gallon clear plastic bags or similar, and small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand, can be taken into athletic venues. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection.

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