Aug. 26, 2006
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois State played its most consistent offensive game of the young season and M.C. Richmond had a career-high 18 kills, but for the second straight day, four-time Big South champion Winthrop overcame a two-game deficit, and used a five-game resilient effort to defeat the energized Redbirds (24-30, 25-30, 30-28, 30-21, 15-13) in the finale of the State Farm Illini Classic at Huff Hall Saturday night. The Eagles came back from a 2-0 hole to upend Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the first round Friday afternoon.
Winthrop improves to 2-1 on the season, while the Redbirds drop to 0-3 heading into Tuesday night's home opener against intrastate rival Northern Illinois.
"Winthrop's postseason experience really came into play late in this match," said Illinois state head coach Sharon Dingman. "I told our team that before the match; they have the experience that we just don't have. We'll get that experience, it is just going to take time."
Dingman made an offensive adjustment from Saturday's earlier match, and went to a starting lineup that featured three middle blockers. Middles Kristin Dziubla, M.C. Richmond and Kari Staehlin gave the `Birds a starting line with three players over 5-foot, 11-inches. Peggy Riessen, setter Erin Lindsey and libero Kelly Waterstraat rounded out the starting Redbird six.
"I think we had the right lineup on the floor tonight," Dingman added. "I don't know how much more we can ask Peggy Riessen [13 kills] to do. She just got fatigued out there. We need to get more out of our bench than we did tonight."
The Redbirds found their offensive rhythm early in the match, and jumped out to a 7-2 lead after Staehlin collected her second kill of game one. The point was part of five straight for the `Birds with freshman Peggy Riessen handling the serving duties. ISU eventually built a six-point lead, 14-8, and forced Winthrop into their first timeout.
Illinois State kept the pressure on out of the timeout, and stretched their lead to 19-11, paced by the serving of Lindley McDavid. Both teams traded points over the next ten possessions, before Winthrop strung together four straight to pull back within 24-18. After a kill by Tori Grafeman four plays later, the Eagles cut the lead to four (26-22). But the Redbirds clinched the game by claiming seven of the ensuing nine points. Dziubla capped off the game with her first kill of the match to secure the 30-24 win. Richmond and Staehlin each collected five kills in the game, while Winthrop got three kills from each Emily Heckl, Emily Stockman and Taryn Surbaugh. The Redbirds also had four blocks in the game.
Game two featured 13 ties and six lead changes. Winthrop jumped out to a 3-0 advantage, but it was short-lived as the Redbirds tied the game at 5-5 seven possessions later. Neither team led by more than two points until Winthrop was forced into a timeout trailing 27-24. Illinois State clinched the 30-25 game two win on two straight blocks, with Dziubla assisting on both. Riessen had five kills in the game for the Redbirds, while Richmond and Staehlin tallied four and five, respectively. ISU was hitting a tournament-best .265 at the end of two games.
Game three was also tightly contested, but Winthrop got back in the match by owning the final 20 possessions. Trailing 22-19, the Eagles went on a quick 3-0 run to tie the game at 22-22, and trailed just one more time in the game following the ensuing point. After a Shannon Sitzmann ace, Winthrop went up 25-23, and used three kills down the stretch to claim the 30-28 victory. Riessen continued to be the offensive catalyst for the Redbirds in the game, collecting six more kills in the stanza.
The Eagles carried game three's momentum over into the fourth frame, claiming the early 3-0 edge. But the Redbirds claimed three of the ensuing four points, and pulled within 4-3 after a kill by Staehlin. Winthrop kept the pressure on, and boasted an 11-6 lead 10 possessions later when Kelly Kirkwood and Surbaugh assisted on a block, the third consecutive Eagle point. Dingman called timeout.
The Redbirds would get no closer than three points for the remainder of the game. Following an ISU net violation and a Stockman kill, Winthrop extended their lead to 24-16. The Eagles forced the decisive fifth game 11 possessions later, when Heckl's killed propelled Winthrop to the 30-21 win.
With the momentum strongly on their side, the Eagles jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the beginning stages of game five, forcing the Redbirds into a timeout. Illinois State won two of the ensuing four points before the side switch, but the Eagles carried an 8-4 lead into the second half of the game. Winthrop extended its advantage to 12-6 six possessions later, but the `Birds countered with a 6-0 run to trim the lead to 12-11 and force the Eagles into a timeout. Winthrop responded out of the break by claiming three of the next four points, and claimed the 15-13 win.
