Savannah Knowles had 15 kills and 16 digs to lead Illinois State, but Saint Louis got 32 kills from Tatyana Menshikova in a 24-30, 30-23, 23-30, 30-28, 15-11 non-conference volleyball match Tuesday at the Bauman-Eberhardt Center.
The Redbirds, 5-6, played a five-game match against Saint Louis for the second straight year, but had a different result in 2005. This time, Saint Louis jumped ahead 5-1 and led by as many as 12-6 before Kari Staehlin scored an ace during a 5-1 ISU spurt that cut the lead to 13-11.
The Billikens, 7-9, got 21 kills from Angela Powers and 25 digs from Erin McClanahan, who also had four service aces. Ashley Grubb had 18 digs to lead the Redbirds, who got balanced hitting including 18 kills for Emily Kabbes, 17 for Staehlin and 12 for Laura Doornbos.
"We got to game five and couldn't get a kill," said Redbird coach Sharon Dingman.
Staehlin had not played or practiced for a week because of a toe injury, but played the whole way. ISU went without Manoela Vieira DaCuhna who injured her back in Monday's practice and Kristin Dziubla, who turned an ankle during pre-game practice.
Menshikova had 11 kills in game one, but the Redbird balance featured Mary Catherine Richmond, Kabbes and Laura Doornbos with four each, Erin Lindsey, Knowles and Staehlin had two each as Illinois State out-hit the Bills .421 to .255.
St. Louis took a 3-0 lead to start game two and held that until Illinois State put three points together to take 17-16 lead. But the Bills bounced back with a 4-0 run, then a 5-0 spurt to take a 26-19 lead. The `Birds could recover, surrendering .548 hitting by SLU.
Knowles sparked the Redbirds offensively and defensively in game three. She had eight kills and seven digs in game three, hitting .500 with those eight kills on 16 swings without an error. Knowles' kill gave ISU a 19-18 lead. Erin Lindsey served three more points and ISU went on a 7-2 run to take a 25-20 lead. Knowles had three of her kills in the final six Redbird points.
The hitting percentages calmed down in game four, but it got down to cases at the end. ISU was out of rotation and gave back a point which would have gotten the `Birds a 25-24 lead. Then, with ISU tied at 27-27 and 28-28, they fell victim to net violations and the Billikins forced a fifth game.
"At the end of game four, we made a coaching mistake with a substitution, then we had two net violations and that was the difference," said Dingman. "We just have to come out of this and play well on the road in conference.'
The Redbirds continue their road schedule, but return to Missouri Valley Conference play with matchkes Friday at Southern Illinois and Saturday at Evansville.
