Sipe earns honor

KOKOMO — IU Southeast’s volleyball team dropped a five-set thriller to No. 1 seed IU Kokomo in the semifinals of the River States Conference Championship on Nov. 10. The Cougars defeated the Grenadiers 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 19-25, 15-11.

The Grenadiers (26-8) jumped out to an early lead with a 25-23 win in the first set. IUS committed just one attack error in the first set which helped it overcome an early deficit and complete the comeback.

The Cougars (33-4) got their offense rolling in the second and third sets.

In the fourth set, IUS limited the attack errors after recording 20 combined in the second and third sets and tied the match with a 25-19 win.

In the deciding fifth set, the Grenadiers trailed 7-3 but rallied to tie it at 11. IU Kokomo, however, answered the IUS run by recording the final four points to win the match.

Sophomore setter Hannah Sipe, a Seymour native, had 28 assists for the Grenadeirs.

The loss ended the most successful volleyball season for the Grenadiers since 2005, when IUS finished 33-8 and made a national tournament appearance.

During the tourney the 2018 All-River States Conference teams were announced.  Sipe mad the RSC second team.