INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The University of Toledo women's volleyball team improved to 5-1 on the year with two wins on Saturday. The Rockets outlasted Chattanooga in five sets before blasting IUPUI in a three-set sweep to cap a perfect 3-0 weekend at the Hampton Inn Invitational.
 
Toledo's 5-1 start is the best sine 2009, when the team won its first nine matches to start the year.
 
"It was a great team effort this weekend," head coach Jason Oliver said. "Every person that got called on really played with passion and gave it their all for the team. I am excited to get back to Savage Arena and get after it at practice this week. There is a lot to play for and being at home for the first time with this team this year will be special."
 
Junior Olivia Vance was named Tournament MVP, while classmates Rhyenne Filisi and Ryann Jaqua were named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
Toledo trailed 2-1 in the first match before coming back to win the final two sets against Chattanooga, notching its first five-set victory of the season. Trailing 21-20 in the fourth frame, the Rockets scored five of the next six points to win and force a decisive fifth set. UT scored the first four points of the final frame to take control over the Mocs, eventually winning 15-8.
 
Sophomore Taylor Alt and junior Olivia Vance both tallied a team-high 15 kills and junior Rhyenne Filisi was close behind with 14. Junior Ryann Jaqua registered a season-high 31 digs and three other Rockets reached double-figures in that category: junior Sina Uluave and freshman Elaine Redman both recorded 12 digs and Alt added 11. Redman saw most of the action at setter, tallying 32 assists, while sophomore Payton Morman added 17.
 
In the second match of the day, Toledo handled tournament host IUPUI in a three-set sweep. Alt registered a match-high 14 kills and hit .312, while Vance added six kills and five blocks. Junior Liz Beasley and sophomore Abby Erickson notched three and four blocks, respectively.
 
Toledo returns home next weekend for a home tournament and will welcome South Dakota State, Valparaiso, and Youngstown State to Savage Arena.
 
Toledo 3, Chattanooga 2
 
Set 1 (26-24, Chattanooga)
 Toledo led for much of the first set, holding a seven-point advantage at one point at 18-11. The Rockets looked to be in the driver's seat with a 24-19 lead, but Chattanooga scored the next seven points to stun the Rockets and win the first set 26-24.
 
Set 2 (25-19, Toledo)
 The Mocs jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, but the Rockets were able to battle back and tie the score at 11-11 to make things all square. Chattanooga would score the next point to take a 12-11 lead, but that would be its last lead of the set. Toledo went on an 8-1 run to take a 19-13 advantage, a run that was capped by an emphatic kill from Filisi. The Rockets' six-point lead would hold, with the final score ending at 25-19 to tie the match at 1-1.
 
Set 3 (25-18, Chattanooga)
 Chattanooga owned the third set, not trailing at any point en route to a 25-18 win. The Mocs jumped out to a 5-1 lead to kick things off and led by as many as eight, 19-11. Chattanooga's Marcelle Baez-Carlo tallied a pair of kills and three blocks in the third set.
 
Set 4 (25-22, Toledo)
 The fourth set was far and away the closest of the morning, with 18 tie scores and 10 lead changes between the two teams. With the score tied at 21-21, Toledo scored four of the next five points to win 25-22 and force a decisive fifth set. Uluave, Alt, and Filisi provided three straight kills to end the frame.
 
Set 5 (15-8, Toledo) 
The fifth set was never in doubt, as Toledo scored the first four points and didn't trail at any point. With the score at 14-8, Filisi provided the clinching point with a clutch termination to send the Rockets off with their fourth win of the year.
 
Toledo 3, IUPUI 0
 
Set 1 (27-25, Toledo)
 The Jaguars looked to have things under control in the first set, leading for nearly the entire set and putting the Rockets in a set point situation at 24-20. Toledo didn't back down though, scoring the next five points to turn a four-point deficit into a one-point lead. After IUPUI knotted things up at 25-25, a service error gave UT a one-point lead and a solo block from Vance capped an outstanding comeback to give the Midnight Blue and Gold a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
Set 2 (25-22, Toledo) 
Toledo led for much of the second set, but IUPUI lingered long enough to make things interesting late. The Jaguars made it a one-point game at 21-20, 22-21, and 23-22, but couldn't get over the hump to overtake the Rockets. Alt scored the 24^th point and Vance provided the clincher to put Toledo up 2-0.
 
Set 3 (25-17, Toledo)
Toledo finished off the weekend strong with a 25-17 win in the third set, never trailing at any point. The Rockets hit .353, highest hitting percentage of the night, and were led by Alt's five kills. Sophomore Rachel Pierce provided the clinching point with a clutch kill to end Toledo's undefeated weekend.