Besides momentum heading into the 2004 State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Tournament, Illinois State has other goals within its grasp as the Redbirds conclude the regular season with a Friday match against Creighton and a Saturday engagement with Drake. Both begin at 7 p.m. at Redbird Arena.
The Redbirds, 19-8 overall, 11-5 in the Missouri Valley, already are the only team in Valley history to earn a bid in every State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament since it began in 1982 and are the only team in the Valley to have a winning league record every season since round-robin play began in 1983.
Two wins this weekend would enable the Birds to join Northern Iowa as the only two teams in 22 years of league round-robin play to reach 250 wins. Illinois State is 248-65 (.792). The Panthers are 272-42 (.866). Only SMS (232-81, .741) is over .500 among the other teams currently or previously in the league. The league started round-robin play with a single round-robin in 1983 and a double round-robin in 1993.
One more win would give the Redbirds 20 victories in a season for the 24th time in 32 seasons of recorded volleyball history. The weekend also is a send-off for seniors Kelly Rikli, Paige White and Amber Rogers, who will be honored after Saturdays match.
Rikli, a starter since late in her freshman year, is No. 3 in career set assists at Illinois State with 4,173. She needs 36 to move into second place ahead of Stacey Anderson. The Highlands Ranch, Colo., native has been recognized by several opposing coaches as the leagues top setter this season. She has improved her attack game this season, with the results putting her among the league leaders in hitting percentage.
Unlike Riklis trek from Colorado, only Horton Field House and a couple of parking lots separate Whites high school and Redbird Arena. A Redbird fan growing up, she came to Illinois State, became the programs first libero when the position started in 2002, and, this year, has joined the Redbird top 10 in career digs with 929 heading into the weekend.
Rogers has been a reserve at middle blocker and right-side hitter for four years. This year, she has been a spark off the bench consistently, scoring game point with a kill or a block in seven games. The Muskegon, Mich., high school graduate has become a respected leader among ISU student-athletes for her academic efforts as well as her community service, which included a trip to the Dominican Republic last summer as a volunteer helping Haitian refugees.
The seniors will be on the minds of their teammates and coaches this weekend, but assistant coach Jenny Kabbesjust two years removed from her own Senior Nightknows the players will be focused on Creighton and Drake.
Once you get out on the court, your mindset is on doing what it takes to play against that opponent, said Kabbes. Its about how you are going to win that match. After the match, (the seniors) have to step out of their comfort zone and take the microphone and talk to the crowd. Thats a challenge.
Kabbes, in her seventh season as a Redbird player and coach, thinks the Redbirds are ready for this weekend and for the conference tournament based on ISUs three straight wins over SMS, Evansville and Southern Illinois.
Our past three matches have been some of the best volleyball we have played all year, said Kabbes. We have every reason to have confidence. A lot of what has been going on has happened on our side of the netour digging, our setting, our hitting. We are making things happen, and thats how we want to play.
Creighton, 18-8 overall, 10-6 in the Valley, is one of the most improved teams in the nation. Just two seasons ago, the Bluejays were 3-24. But, with most of the same players from that team and last years 12-18 unit, Kirsten Bernthal Booths Jays have joined the Valley elite. Setter Brittany Coleman, outside hitter Leah Ratzlaff and middle blocker Ashley Williams are three of the key players who have helped Booth turn the program around.
Drake, 3-24, 1-15 in the Valley, is led by a pair of Johnsonsnot relatedin sophomore Eve Johnson and senior Kelley Johnson. Both average above 2.5 kills and 2.5 digs per game. The Bulldogs will be looking for a win this weekend to put a halt to a 14-match losing streak. Drake plays Friday at Indiana State.
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NOTE: Some information has erroneous dates for the volleyball
matches this weekend. The correct ones are:
7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 19 vs. Creighton at Redbird Arena
7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20 vs. Drake at Redbird Arena
