Oct. 13, 2007
Final Stats
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Backed by a 14-kill, .700 hitting percentage performance from senior middle blocker Kari Staehlin, the Illinois State volleyball team defeated Indiana State, 3-0 (30-18, 30-24, 30-22), Saturday night at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind. Sophomore middle blocker Katie Seyller also had a strong match for the Redbirds (14-6, 6-3 MVC), recording her second-consecutive double-digit kill effort with 11 kills and a season-best .500 hitting percentage against the Sycamores (3-14, 0-9 MVC).
"I thought that our athleticism and our skill took over the match," said head coach Sharon Dingman. "The people we needed to lead us, Kari, Katie and M.C. (Richmond), were key for us (Saturday)."
The Redbirds jumped out to a 14-6 lead in game one after starting the match on a 7-1 run. Starting her hitting attack early, Staehlin contributed three kills in that stretch. Illinois State's lead extended to double digits, 27-17, 24 possessions later. The Redbirds had five-consecutive points in that stretch with Seyller behind the service line. Junior right side hitter M.C. Richmond sealed game one for the Redbirds with her fourth kill of the game.
Game two was a back-and-forth affair, as the two sides had a combined 24 lead changes or ties. The Redbirds broke a 17-17 tie with a 6-2 run to take a 23-19 lead after a service ace by Seyller. Illinois State extended its lead to 26-20 four points later after Richmond added an ace. Indiana State cut the lead to four, 26-22, but Illinois State finished the frame on a 4-2 spurt, and Seyller capped off a 30-22 Redbird game two win with a kill, her seventh of the match.
Illinois State broke a 6-6 tie in the early stages of game three with a 5-0 run, capped off by Staehlin's dominant serving. Seyller and freshman outside hitter Mallory Leggett each had a kill during the stretch. The Sycamores answered with a 3-0 run to pull within two (11-9), but could draw no closer the remainder of the game. Illinois State led by as many as nine points down the stretch, but three errors by Indiana State over the final seven points allowed the Redbirds to close out the match with a 30-22 game three victory.
Illinois State returns to action Friday when it travels to Springfield, Mo., to face Missouri State at 7:05 p.m.
NOTABLES:
- Freshman outside hitter Jagoda Pstras' three games played tied a season high and were the most she has played since Sept. 11 against then-No. 20 Ohio State at Redbird Arena.
- Staehlin's .700 hitting percentage for the match was the highest by a Redbird this season. Staehlin did not commit a single error in the match.
