HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Milwaukee volleyball season came to a close on Friday evening, as the Panthers fell to IU Indy in the Horizon League Championship Quarterfinals, falling in three sets at Truist Arena.
 
Despite a strong opening set in which Milwaukee hit .395, the Panthers were edged 26-24. IU Indy held the Panthers back in the following two sets, earning the sweep with 25-21 and 25-17 set wins.
 
"It was a disappointing loss," said head coach Susie Johnson. "We had been playing so well of late, but we just were unable to put together a complete match from start to finish tonight."
 
Annie Eschenbach led Milwaukee with nine of its 47 kills, while Natalie Schmitz and Ella Schuetz each added eight. Josie Johnson and Milica Tomic were both recorded double-digit assists, with 13 and 11, respectively.
 
Defensively, Kara Erdmann led the way with 13 digs, while Schuetz had 10 and Tomic added nine. Josie Noble contributed with four blocks, including two solo blocks, while Eschenbach recorded two blocks of her own.
 
Milwaukee got off to a strong start in the opening set, recording 17 kills against two errors, while IU Indy hit .308 with 17 kills and five errors. However, the Jaguars' service game and stout defense allowed them to escape with a narrow two-point win.
 
IU Indy finished the match with 55 digs as a team, led Laura Roeder's 18. The Jaguars held a slim 6-5 advantage in blocks, with Morgan Ostrowski, Ninah Miranda, and Grace Purichia each recording two.
 
Milwaukee struggled to get its offense going again in the final two sets, hitting under .100 in each. The Panthers dropped the second set, 25-21, and the third, 25-17.
 
Meanwhile, IU Indy had 31 kills over the final two sets, committing just 11 errors and hitting .256. Jillian Tippmann registered nine of her 12 kills in those two sets, while Ostrowski recorded five of her seven in the same stretch. Miranda also contributed eight of her team-high 13 kills during the final two frames.
 
Purichia ended the match with 37 assists and six.
 
Milwaukee's season concludes with an overall record of 11-17, finishing third in the Horizon League with an 11-7 mark.
 
IU Indy advances into the semifinals and will face top-seeded Northern Kentucky. In the other semifinal, second-seeded Wright State will take on third-seeded Youngstown State, which outlasted Green Bay in five sets earlier in the day.