NEW ORLEANS – The Indiana Tech women's volleyball team concluded its weekend in the French Quarter as they split a pair of matches on the final day of the Big Easy Blastoff, falling 3-1 to the University of Mobile but swept Point University to end the invitational at the Convention Center.
 
Havilyn Cummings and Olivia Niekamp were rewarded on their spectacular weekends as they were named to the All-Tournament Team, with the former recording 19 kills and 33 blocks in 15 sets while the latter had 34 kills and 10 blocks in 14 sets.
 
Mobile got off to a 4-0 lead in the first set of the day and eventually pushed their lead to 12-5 following another 4-0 spurt. The Rams kept the Warriors off balance for most of the set as they increased their advantage to 21-13, but Tech rallied back with a 6-2 run to make it a 23-19 game and put the pressure back on, but Mobile held on for the 25-21 win to take a 1-0 lead in the set.
 
The Orange and Black started off the second with a 9-4 run, but a 6-0 spurt from the Rams put them ahead 10-9. Tech came right back with a four quick points and added a 7-0 run to make it a 20-12 lead. The Rams would get just one more point as the Warriors tied the match up at 1-1 with a 25-13 set win.
 
Set three saw the two teams battle to a 10-10 tie, but the Rams sprinted ahead with a 6-2 spurt to regain the advantage. Tech battled back to tie it back up at 17-17 thanks to a pair of kills from Jordan Aylward, but Mobile would surge back ahead and won the third set, 25-22, to go up 2-1.
 
The Warriors began the fourth on a 7-2 run powered by a pair of Aylward blocks that would balloon to 11-5, but the Rams would go on a 5-0 run to knot the set up at 12-12. The two squads would trade points, leads and ties over the next several points before Mobile took a 24-23 advantage. Tech staved off match points twice as the set went into extras, but the Rams eventually took the match with a 28-26 win.
 
Alyward had 12 kills while Cummings and Allison Cole each had nine, with the former adding six blocks. Madison Park dished out 25 assists while Madeline MacDonald had 23 digs.
 
Tech would rally back in their second match of the day, and final of the weekend, with a sweep and made quick work of Point. The Warriors started off the first set with a 6-1 run before going on an 8-0 spurt to make it a 21-11 set, with Cummings recording three of the points during the latter run. The Orange and Black went on to win 25-14 to take a 1-0 lead.
 
After battling to an 8-8 tie in the second, the Warriors surged ahead behind a 6-1 run that saw Cummings record two more blocks to make it a 14-9 game. Tech built its lead up to 19-12 and ended the set on a 5-0 run to win 25-14 and take a commanding 2-0 lead.
 
Madysn Cardinal served up for four straight Tech points to open up the third while two more blocks from Cummings capped a 5-0 spurt to make it a 15-7 game. Leading 17-11, the Orange and Black ended the match on an 8-5 run, including a 5-0 spurt to clinch the set, to give the Warriors a 2-2 weekend.
 
Alyward ended up with 12 kills and four blocks while hitting .375. Niekamp and Madelyn Omo each had nine kills and hit .389 and .533, respectively. Park and Kelsey Schaldenbrand each had 20 assists while MacDonald and Cardinal combined for 30 assists.
 
Tech (6-2) returns to action on Saturday, September 7 as they travel to Madonna University for the Julie Martin Memorial Classic. The Warriors will take on Bethel University and Union College at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, from the Activities Center.