Oct. 5, 2007
Box Score
PEORIA, Ill. - Sophomore outside hitter Peggy Riessen and senior middle blocker Kari Staehlin combined for 29 kills to lead Illinois State to its first Missouri Valley Conference three-game sweep (30-20, 30-27 and 30-20)of the season, over rival Bradley in the Redbirds' final match at Robertson Field House Friday night. Illinois State never trailed in the match.
Illinois State won its second-straight match, and improved to 12-6 overall, with a 4-3 Valley mark. BU dropped to 1-16 and 0-6.
Riessen (14 kills) and Staehlin (15) were the lone Redbirds with double-figure kills; Erin Lindsey had 43 set assists to lead an impressive .279 team hitting percentage, and Kasey Mollerus had 17 digs to lead the defensive effort.
"Regardless if Bradley was 1-15 or 15-1 coming into this match, we played some really good volleyball tonight," said head coach Sharon Dingman. "We talked this week about how well we were going to have to serve tonight to win, and we really did that. Our players were really hitting the serving zones all night, and I thought we served very aggressively.
"Our offense was tremendous tonight. Erin (Lindsey) did a great job controlling Bradley's defense, and setting up her hitters."
Illinois State never trailed in game one, jumping out to an early 6-1 lead and coasting to a 30-20 victory. After the Braves trimmed the lead to 11-9, the Redbirds went on a 5-1 spurt to take a commanding 16-10 advantage and force Bradley into its first timeout. ISU pulled away behind the serving strength of Katie Seyller, who recorded two service aces in the stanza. With the `Birds leading 20-15, Seyller led ISU to three consecutive points and a decisive 23-15 lead. The Redbirds finished the frame on a 7-4 run, capped off by two kills by Riessen in the final five possessions. Riessen ended the stanza with a game-high six kills, leading ISU's efficient .419 hitting effort.
ISU kept the momentum on its side in the early stages of game two, jumping out to a 9-3 advantage. Mallory Leggett, Staehlin and Riessen started out the game with three-consecutive kills. The Redbirds built their lead to as large eight points (17-9) before Bradley forced ISU into its first timeout of the match after recording a 7-4 spurt and cutting the advantage to three, 20-17. Illinois State answered with a 3-1 spurt to take a five-point lead (23-18), and led by at least three points for the ensuing 13 possessions before BU pulled within 28-26. But Leggett and Staehlin provided two kills in the final three points to push ISU to the 30-27 win.
The `Birds forced Bradley into its first timeout after jumping out to a 10-5 lead in game three. Riessen and M.C. Richmond each had two kills in the stretch. ISU kept the pressure on, extending its advantage to 17-8 ten possessions later, as Bradley took its final timeout. Bradley never got any closer than six points for the remainder of the game, as the Redbirds coasted to the 30-20 win. Richmond provided the game-winning point with a kill down the line.
Illinois State will return home Saturday to face Northern Iowa. First serve from Redbird Arena is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
