CLEVELAND, Ohio – After spending the first five weeks of the 2021 campaign on the road, the Cleveland State volleyball team finally returned to the friendly confines of Woodling Gymnasium, picking up a 3-2 victory over IUPUI in the home opener.

With Tuesday's win, the Vikings are now 3-0 to start Horizon League play, and stand at 5-9 overall this season.

Three Vikings finished the match with double-digit kills, as Peyton Bloomer led the Viking offense with 16 total kills, and London Portis added 14 and Chelsea Penfield tallied 12. As a team, the Vikings hit .243, including a .375 clip from Ainslie McLaughlin (4-1-8).

Abby Miller posted 49 total assists against IUPUI, marking a career-high, while she also tallied 15 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.

Defensively, the Vikings were led by libero Audrey McConihe who finished with 22 digs – her third 20-dig match of the season – while Halayna Kesling and Sarah DeGeorge both tallied seven digs.

As a team, the Vikings posted 13 total blocks, with McLaughlin posting a career-high nine blocks.

During the first set the two teams traded points throughout the first part of the frame, until a 6-0 run from the Vikings gave CSU a 20-14 advantage on an Erica Kostelac kill. The Vikings were then able to control play throughout the remainder of the frame, closing out the set with a Bloomer kill and a London Portis and McLaughlin block for the 25-18 first set victory.

The second set was much tighter, with both teams trading points throughout the frame. After IUPUI was able to gain an 18-16 edge late in the frame, the Vikings responded with an Emma Walker service ace and an IUPUI error to tie the frame at 18-18. The two teams traded leads over the next few points then, until Cleveland State was able to post three of the final four points – all coming on Bloomer kills – to capture the 25-23 second set victory.

Although the Vikings dropped the next two sets, they were able to respond during the fifth and final frame, earning a 15-8 victory to capture the five-set win. Once again, the Vikings were able to distance themselves midway through the frame, earning an 8-4 lead on a pair of Portis kills and another Portis and McLaughlin block. IUPUI was able to earn the next two points, but CSU regained the momentum with three straight points to earn an 11-6 edge on yet another Portis and McLaughlin block.  

Cleveland State then posted four of the final six points, earning the 15-8 victory on a Kostelac solo block and IUPUI error.

Next up for the Vikings will be a 6:00 p.m. contest against Oakland on Friday, October 1 in Woodling Gymnasium.