Grkovic, Williams Have Career Nights At The Net in Four-Set Setback At Indiana

Friday, October 28

Bloomington, Ind.

7:00 PM (ET)

Rutgers University

7-16,1-10Big Ten

Indiana

13-10,6-5Big Ten

Rutgers

Indiana

Bekah Williams & Kristina Grkovic on the block against Northwestern at Jersey Mike's Arena

Photo by: Rich Graessle

Grkovic, Williams Have Career Nights At The Net in Four-Set Setback At Indiana

Oct 28 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score - Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Rutgers volleyball came back for a third set win on Friday night against Indiana, but the Hoosiers continued its current win streak taking the match 25-13, 25-17, 25-27, 25-14 at Wilkinson Hall.

STANDOUT STATS

Rutgers collected 14 total blocks (3 solo, 22 assisted) as both junior Kristina Grkovic and freshman Bekah Williams had career nights at the net. Grkovic totaled career-high 10 rejections behind a career-best three solos and seven assisted blocks. Williams also swatted away a career-high four opponent attacks.
It was the second in three games the Scarlet Knights reached double-digit blocks having posted 10 blocks in a 3-1 setback to Northwestern last week. RU's 14 blocks were also the most by the squad since totaling 19 in a 3-2 victory over Michigan State back on Sept. 25.
Williams also paced the attack with a team-high six kills. It marked the third time this season she led the Scarlet Knights in kills.
Senior Alyssa Nayar registered her fourth double-double of the season and 20^th of her career behind 19 assists and 10 digs.

KEY MOMENTS

SET 1 (13-25) | The Hoosiers never trailed in the opening frame, scoring the match's first five points and going out to a 20-9 lead. The Scarlet Knights collected seven points off Indiana errors.
SET 2 (17-25) | Indiana hit .407 in the second set en route to a 2-0 lead. Rutgers used a 5-1 run to trail by only two points at the midway point. Grkovic added a kill and an ace during the burst while the run was capped by a swing from Taylor Humphrey that had RU down 13-11. Both squads traded points and then the Hoosiers captured four straight and maintained at least a four-point edge the remainder of the way.
SET 3 (27-25) | It was a 7-7 tie when Rutgers broke away with five consecutive points that included a pair of blocks from the hands of Grkovic. While the Hoosiers responded with a 5-1 run to narrow its deficit to a point, Rutgers climbed out to a 17-13 edge. A 6-1 outpouring by Hoosiers allowed the hosts to take the lead, 19-18. The Scarlet Knights punched back with four unanswered points that included a kill by Bekah Williams, a solo block by Grkovic and an ace served up by Lexi Visintine. Grkovic and Williams would then team up at the net for a rejection that put RU ahead 22-19. Indiana would continue to keep the set close going on a 5-2 run to knot the score at 23-23. The set would be tied again at 24 and 25 all. RU's first set point was thwarted by a kill by the Hoosier's Morgan Geddes while a service error by the Scarlet Knights kept Indiana in the frame. Rutgers, however, closed out the set on a Vernon kill and a block by the graduate student. RU totaled eight blocks in the win, including six stops by Grkovic. Bekah Williams, meanwhile, led the attack with four kills.
SET 4 (14-25) | The Hoosiers kept their win streak alive bouncing back in the fourth set opening with a 7-2 lead. After hitting -.067 in its third set setback to the Scarlet Knights, IU rebounded to swing .393 in the final stanza.

KNIGHT NOTES

Kristina Grkovic's three solo blocks moved her into eighth place on the rally-era career leads list with 19 solo blocks during her three seasons "On The Banks". She needs four more solo blocks to move into a tie for sixth with Rachel Andreassian (2012-14) and former teammate Shealyn McNamara (2020-21).
The trio of solo rejections also moved Grkovic into the rally-era season leaders top 10. Grkovic now has 12 solo blocks on the year which lands her sixth on the list. She needs one more block to move into a three-way tie for fourth with Hannah Curtis (2011) and current teammate Megan Vernon.

UP NEXT

The Rutgers volleyball team returns home for its lone game of the 2022 season at the College Ave Gym on Sunday, Oct. 30 against Illinois at 1 p.m.
Admission is free to the match at the College Ave Gym.
Parking is free with registration.
Trick or Treat with the Scarlet Knights as fans coming to the College Ave Gym to cheer on Rutgers against Illinois wearing a Halloween costume can pick up free candy from the marketing table.

Follow Rutgers women's volleyball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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