The Tiffin University volleyball team (1-1) opened the season by splitting a pair of hard-fought matches at the University of Indianapolis Invitational. The Dragons defeated Maryville in four sets before falling to the hosts in five sets. 

Match one saw TU defeating Maryville 25-17, 25-17, 25-27, 25-23 to start the season with a win. Set one featured the Dragons coming out of the gates strong by winning the first five points. Taylor Peterson, Kenedi Goon, and Wakaya Wilson recorded one kill each. The Saints answered by taking the next four straight points. However, TU would once again distance themselves throughout the set and after two attack errors from their opponent, Peterson, Katelyn Owens, and Olivia Karhoff helped the green and gold secure the set one victory. 

The Dragons won set two in identical score fashion and led from start to finish. Leading 12-9, TU rallied for six straight points for an 18-9 lead and later closed out the set win by winning the final two points. Trailing 7-5 in set three, the Dragons lost the next seven points and found themselves trailing 14-5. TU chipped away at the deficit and later returned the favor by winning seven straight to get within one, 20-19. TU fought all the way back to take a 23-22 lead but the two teams traded the next four points that saw the Dragons in position to close out the set at 25-24, but were unable to do so as Maryville won the final three points to force a fourth set. 

The two teams traded the first 12 points of set four until Maryville was able to gain a slight advantage. Maryville led the majority of the set, but the Dragons won four straight points to turn a 17-15 deficit into a 19-17 lead and didn't relinquish the lead after that. TU secured the win with a kill by Owens. 

Goon led the way with 15 kills while Wilson and Karhoff each recorded 12 kills. Addison Conti led the team in assists with 31 and Diana Heitkamp recorded 32 digs to lead the way defensively. 

The Dragons fell in a five-set battle to host Indianapolis 15-25, 25-20, 15-25, 25-17, 8-15. Trailing two sets to one and trailing 3-1 early in set four, TU scored 11 straight points to take a 12-3 lead. The hosts kept fighting, but the closest they would get was within five points. A kill by Karhoff set up set points and TU won the set on a service error. 

The start of set five was very tight, but it was the hosts who led from start to finish. Karhoff recorded back-to-back kills to bring the Dragons within two points, 8-6, but the hosts pulled away by winning the next five points and secured the victory on a service ace by Allie Wuestenfeld.

Goon and Karhoff recorded double digit kills with 16 and 10, respectively. Maggie Pavlansky added 16 assists while Heitkamp and Lexi Barber combined for 36 digs. 

The Dragons wrap up opening weekend with two more matches tomorrow in Indianapolis beginning with a 9 a.m. matchup against Indiana (Pa.) and a 3 p.m. match against Daemen (N.Y.).