Oct. 27, 2007
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
For the fifth-consecutive meeting, Creighton (16-8, 10-3 MVC) posted a four-game win over Illinois State (15-9, 7-6 MVC), 3-1 (30-28, 22-30, 30-20, 30-23). Senior middle blocker Kari Staehlin led the Redbirds with a season-high 20 kills and a .475 hitting percentage. Four Bluejays had double-digit kills and they had a .245 hitting percentage as a team.
Freshman outside hitter Mallory Leggett recorded 15 kills in the match. Leggett had a career-high 21 kills against the Bluejays earlier in the season. Junior Erin Lindsey had 47 assists and tied her career-high with 21 digs. Sophomore libero Kasey Mollerus had a game-high 24 digs for the Redbirds.
Creighton built a 7-3 lead to start the first game. The Redbirds battled back to tie the score five times, but didn't take their first lead until junior rightside hitter M.C. Richmond had a kill to put them up, 19-18. They kept the lead until the Bluejays went back on top, 24-23, and held on to win the game, 30-28. Leggett led the Redbirds with six kills.
In game two, ISU jumped ahead early and midway through the match had nine kills and a 15-8 lead. The Redbird lead reached its apex at nine, 21-12, when Creighton went on a run to cut the deficit down to 22-17. The Bluejays wouldn't get any closer as Staehlin had two-straight kills and Leggett closed out the game with her fifth kill. ISU had only two errors in the game and a .356 hitting percentage.
Four kills by Staehlin and three Creighton attack errors helped the Redbirds build an 10-4 lead in game three. The Bluejays answered with a 9-2 run to take their first lead, 13-12. ISU battled back to tie the score five times, but was unable to regain the lead at any point. With the game knotted at 18, Creighton went on a 12-2 run to pick up the win and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
An 8-3 run put the Bluejays ahead 11-7 in game four. After the Redbirds pulled within three, 14-11, Creighton went on a 9-2 run to extend its lead to double-digits, 23-13. ISU tried to stage a comeback with a 4-1 spurt to pull within five, 28-23, but it wasn't enough as the Bluejays had consecutive kills to take the game and the match.
The Redbirds are on the road next weekend to face Northern Iowa on Friday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m.
