For the first two games of Saturdays Kelly Meisner Classic showdown with Kentucky, Illinois State coach Sharon Dingman used all 12 of her players, rotated two setters and generally experimented with the Illinois State lineup. After Kentucky won 30-22 and 30-28, the Illinois State coach went back to her regular rotations and saw her team win 30-24 and 30-19 in the final two games at Redbird Arena.
Thats a good reason to have a spring season, said Dingman, who rotated all-conference setter Kelly Rikli and freshman Jenny Graham in the first two games. Jenny needs to play. We have to put her in situations where she can learn on the court and shes doing that.
But an offense which hit just .122 in the first two games got rolling with Rikli serving full time and hit .435 over the final two games thanks to Emily Kabbes 9 kills in 11 swings, plus 6 kills each by Savannah Knowles and Laura Doornbos. The trio accounted for 21 of ISUs 27 kills in those final two games. Kabbes had 17 kills to lead ISU, followed by 13 for Knowles and 10 for Doornbos. Amber Rogers led a solid Redbird blocking effort with four, while Knowles and Rogers had two service aces each.
Our blocking is much better, said Dingman, who saw eight different players with at least one block. A lot of blocking is experience and were a much more experienced team at this point. Weve blocked well all spring.
Danielle Wallace led Kentucky with 21 kills as the Wildcats out-hit ISU .316 to .241 for the day.
The second game was within Illinois States grasp. The Birds led 27-23 after back-to-back Kentucky hitting errors, but a couple of Redbird hitting errors and two overpasses helped the Wildcats close the game with a 7-1 run. ISU turned the tables on Kentucky in game three. ISU led what had been a tight game 23-22 when a Kabbes kill put Ashley Grubb on the service line. Grubbs ace continued a 5-0 run as part of a 7-1 finish. Kabbes had three kills and a block in those seven points.
