Sept. 16, 2005
Final Stats
Wichita, Kan. -
Manoela DaCunha came off the bench for a career-high 15 kills for Illinois State, and Laura Doornbos and Kari Staehlin had 16 each, but Wichita State scored points in the right places to take a 26-30, 30-26, 30-26, 35-33 at Koch Arena in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams.
The Shockers, 7-2, 1-0 extended their regular-season Valley win streak to eight, coming forward from the 2004 season. The 2-hour match featured plenty of momentum changes and tight scores at the end of each game.
The Redbirds, 4-4, 0-1, stormed back from a nine-point deficit to win game one. The `Birds had leads in all three succeeding games, but Wichita State, the defending Valley champions and preseason favorite, made the plays at the ends of games that counted. Cori Meyer led the Shockers with 17 kills.
Illinois State fell behind 16-7 in game one after having just two kills and seven hitting errors in that period. Manoela DaCunha came off the bench to spark the Redbird rally. She had five kills, including two during a 6-0 Redbird run served by Mary Catherine Richmond, as Illinois State took a 23-22 lead. The teams traded points until a Doornbos/Emily Kabbes block gave the Redbirds a 26-24 lead. Two kills by Kabbes, one by Doornbos and DaCunha's last kill of the game gave the Redbirds their biggest comeback win of the year. Ashley Grubb's 11 digs helped ISU's comeback.
In game two, another Richmond service stand helped the `Birds make a 5-0 run to take a 14-10 lead, but they couldn't hold that lead as their passing skills deserted them during a 14-6 Shocker spurt. Trailing 27-22, the `Birds made a run behind two Doornbos kills, getting within 28-26, but Wichita held on for the win.
Wichita State used a 7-0 run in game three to take a 15-9 lead. Two of Doonrbos' three service aces in that game helped ISU get back within 20-18, but that's as close as the Redbirds could get.
Game four was a classic. WSU led 13-5 when the Redbirds got going with an Erin Lindsey-Kari Staehlin block. That began a 16-6 Redbird run that put ISU ahead 21-19. The score was tied at every point from 21 to 33 as the teams traded scores which included several long rallies. Savannah Knowles had five kills during that run to help the `Birds stay in it, but back-to-back Angela Jakubov kills finished the match for WSU.
Redbird coach Sharon Dingman applauded the effort, but not the result.
"We played hard, but we cannot feel satisfied," said Dingman. "We are good in places but we were reaching for balls when we shouldn't have been, we passed balls we should have hit and some balls fell to the floor that shouldn't have. We have been so close, but there are reasons we aren't able to finish some of our games."
Shocker coach Chris Lamb thought Illinois State's digging frustrated his team. The `Birds had a 78-66 dig advantage led by Grubb's 19 and Kelly Waterstraat's career-high 15 digs.
"Illinois State's digging made a difference for them," said Lamb. "We're a high hitting percentage team and we kept looking over at what we thought would be kills and they were digging them. I like the freshman setter (Erin Lindsey). She's going to be a good one.
The Redbirds continue their Valley opening road trip with a Saturday match at Missouri State before coming home Friday to meet Drake in an 8 p.m. match at Redbird Arena.
