Oct. 27, 2007
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Senior middle blocker Kari Staehlin spearheaded Illinois State's most efficient offensive performance of the season with a match-high 17 kills, as the Redbirds used dominating runs in all three games to post their first sweep (30-20, 30-14, 30-22) of an opponent since blanking rival Bradley Oct. 5. ISU hit a season-best .353 in the match, broke a two-match losing skid, and picked up its 15th win of the season. Dating back to the 1996 campaign, ISU has now won 23-consecutive decisions against the Bulldogs.
With the win, Illinois State improves to 15-8 on the season, with a 7-5 Missouri Valley Conference mark. Drake drops to 6-17 and 3-9.
Staehlin's match-high 17 kills keyed a Redbird offense that also included 15 kills from sophomore outside hitter Peggy Riessen. Junior setter Erin Lindsey had 47 set assists to anchor the offensive performance, and sophomore libero Kasey Mollerus tallied a team-best 14 digs defensively.
ISU ended game one on a 9-1 run to earn a convincing 30-20 victory. After stringing together a 7-4 run, the Redbirds jumped out to an 11-8 lead, and forced Drake into its first timeout. ISU's lead grew to as many as seven (15-8), but Drake answered with a 6-1 spurt to pull within two, 16-14, and Redbird head coach Sharon Dingman countered with her first timeout. Both teams traded points over the ensuing 10 possessions, before the Redbirds extended their advantage to 24-20 after a 3-1 run; Staehlin and Richmond each had a kill in the stretch. After a Drake timeout, Illinois State answered with a dominating 6-0 run to seal the 30-20 win. Freshman outside hitter Mallory Leggett served-out all six points, including a game-winning ace. Staehlin had seven kills in the frame to lead ISU.
Illinois State coasted to a 30-14 win in game two, its largest margin of victory in a single-game this season. Leggett's dominating serving continued in the early stages. She stepped behind the service line with her team clinging to a 3-2 edge, and served-out seven-consecutive points, helping the Redbirds build a 10-3 lead. Leggett had an ace and a kill in the spurt, and Peggy Riessen added two putaways. ISU built a double-digit advantage (20-10) 18 points later after going on a 7-2 spree. Staehlin had three more kills in the stretch. The Redbirds finished the game on a 7-1 run behind the serving of Riessen. Reserve outside hitter Katie Culbertson ended the stanza with a cross-court kill.
The Redbirds carried the momentum over to the early stages of game three, claiming an 11-3 lead. ISU built the lead to nine points (15-6) before Drake mounted a comeback, going on an 8-2 run to bring the score to 17-14, ISU. Two kills by junior right side hitter M.C. Richmond and a kill from freshman middle blocker Hailey Kelley late in the game captured the 30-22 game three win and the match sweep for the Redbirds.
Illinois State wraps up its two-match homestand Saturday when it takes on Creighton at 7 p.m. at Redbird Arena.
