Aug. 25, 2006
Final Stats
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - M.C. Richmond and Kari Staehlin combined for 26 kills and Erin Lindsey contributed 47 set assists, but Illinois State's comeback rally was cut short by host Illinois in the first-round of the State Farm Illini Classic in front of 3,129 fans at Huff Hall Friday evening. The Illini claimed the first two games of the match, and held off an ISU surge in game three to claim the 3-1 win.
Illinois improves to 1-0 on the season, and Illinois State starts out the 2006 campaign 0-1.
Illinois' Vicki Brown paced the Illini with 16 kills while hitting .281. Kayani Turner added 17 Illinois kills.
"I thought it was a great environment to be in, it's great how the community embraces this rivalry," said Redbird head coach Sharon Dingman. "There were a couple things we didn't have answers for. Vicki Brown was incredible tonight. What a turnaround she has made from a year ago."
The Redbirds began the match with two freshmen on the floor, as Peggy Riessen earned the start at middle blocker, and Kasey Mollerus collected the opposing outside hitter starting nod. Lindley McDavid, Lindsey, Kelly Waterstraat and Richmond rounded out the ISU starting lineup.
The Redbirds came out firing in the early stages of game one, building leads of 6-3 and 10-8. But Illinois went on a 7-3 run, and claimed a 15-13 advantage, forcing ISU head coach Sharon Dingman into her first timeout. Kayani Turner led the way for the Illini in the stretch, collecting four kills. Richmond was the early leader for Illinois State with three kills.
The `Birds tied the game at 19-19 after back-to-back kills by Manoela Vieira DaCunha, but Illinois countered with three consecutive points to claim a 22-19 lead. ISU never got closer than two points the rest of the first stanza, as the Fighting Illini coasted to the 30-26 win. The Redbirds had six service errors in the game. Dingman's substitution pattern included bringing Kari Staehlin in for Mollerus on five occasions.
Staehlin and Mollerus both started game two, as Mollerus took over the libero duties. With Amy Palash serving six consecutive points, the Illini jumped out to a 7-1 lead in game two. The Redbirds pulled within four at 15-11, but Illinois claimed six of the next nine points to take a commanding 21-14 lead, and force Illinois State into its second timeout. ISU claimed the first point out of the timeout, but the Fighting Illini pulled away, clinching nine of the next 15 points to claim the 30-20 win and two-game lead in the best of five.
The Redbirds jumped out to the early advantage in game three, claiming an 11-8 advantage off three consecutive points with DaCunha tallying back-to-back aces. Illinois was forced into its first timeout of the match. The lead was extended to 14-9 four points later as Staehlin tallied two consecutive kills. The Illini forced Dingman into her first timeout of the game seven plays later, as Illinois State committed three consecutive errors, and the lead was cut to 16-13. Illinois' ensuing 10-6 run gave them a 24-22 lead, but the `Birds charged back with six consecutive points to reclaim the two-point edge, 27-25. Illinois State head coach Don Hardin took another timeout.
The Fighting Illini responded with three of the next four points, and tied the game at 28-28 with a kill by Vicki Brown. Dingman called her final timeout, and the Redbirds answered with back-to-back kills by Lindsey and McDavid to clinch the 30-28 win.
"We started serving a lot better in game three, and you saw Kari Staehlin really show up," said Dingman. "She's been really limited in practice due to two sore ankles, so it was great to see her play well. This team is not just going to let you beat us. You're going to have to play pretty hard and pretty well to beat us."
In the ensuing fourth game, both teams battled in the early stages before the Redbirds strung together five straight points to jump out to a 10-6 lead. The Illini tied the game at 14-14 on a kill by Turner. After extending the lead to 16-14, ISU was forced into a timeout. The Fighting Illini kept the surge going out of the break, extending their lead to 19-14. The `Birds cut the lead to 19-16, but Illinois prevented a decisive fifth game by claiming 11 of the next 21 points to coast to the 30-24 win.
"I think we're a really good team when we are playing within the system," said Richmond. "There were signs of us playing our game tonight, but it will definitely get better as the season goes on. Illinois was also a great serving team, one of the best we will see all season. When we get into the conference schedule, we will be much more acclimated with our system."
All four of Illinois State's freshmen played in the match, which Staehlin acknowledged was a credit to the group's work ethic in the preseason.
"The freshmen played spectacular, I'm really proud of that group," said Staehlin. "They were obviously very nervous, as all of us were being it was our first match. They are really figuring out how they fit into our team, and executed very well."
In the tournament's afternoon match, Winthrop fought back from a two-game deficit to upend UW-Milwaukee, 3-2. The Redbirds will be in action twice Saturday, beginning with an 11 a.m. match against the Panthers. At 5 p.m., Illinois State will wrap up action in the State Farm Illini Classic by playing Winthrop.
