Oct. 17, 2008
Final Stats
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Erin Lindsey became just the second player in school history to tally more than 5,000 career set-assists and also topped the century mark in career services aces, but the Illinois State volleyball team fell in four sets to Indiana State, (24-26, 25-20, 26-24, 30-28) at ISU Arena in Terre Haute, Ind., Friday night.
Lindsey, a senior from Eureka, Mo., joined Marisa Brickley (1995-98) as the only players in Redbird history to reach the set-assist mark with an assist to MC Richmond early in the first set. Lindsey notched service ace No. 100 in the fourth game, but it wasn't enough to keep Indiana State (8-13, 2-7 MVC) from snapping a six-match losing skid to the Redbirds (10-10, 4-5 MVC).
Lindsey finished with 43 set-assists and three service aces in the match, while Peggy Riessen led Illinois State with 20 kills followed by Mallory Leggett with 18. Indiana State was led by Jodilynn Stoker (25 kills) and Kristin Hunt (20), who combined for 45 kills, and led the Sycamores' .301 team hitting mark. Indiana State's Whitney Fromm notched 55 set-assists in the match.
"The story tonight for Indiana State was definitely the success of Stoker and Hunt," said head coach Melissa Myers. "They kept setting those players, and they really executed. All four of the games were very close. You have to give Indiana State all of the credit. They had a little bit more tonight than we did. They have played a lot of teams very tough this season; it isn't exclusive to just us. They took Drake to five games, and forced five match points on Missouri State before they pulled it out.
"Indiana State had nothing to lose in this match, and they played like it. They played very scrappy defense, and did a great job with their block. They are a team that is on the rise in this conference, and they will continue to play well and challenge the top teams in this league."
In the opening set, the Redbirds staved off an Indiana State set point with back-to-back kills by Leggett and won the frame on an attack error by Sara Agnich, 26-24. The Redbirds used a 7-1 run in the middle of the set to erase an early deficit. Illinois State hit .333 as a team in the first set and were led by Leggett, who tallied six kills at a .600 clip.
In the second set, Illinois State used an 11-3 run to build a 12-6 lead, but the Sycamores rallied with an 8-2 run to tie the match at 14. Indiana State then outscored the Redbirds down the stretch and took advantage of a couple of late Redbird errors to take the second set 25-20. The win snapped a 19-set winning streak by Illinois State over the Sycamores.
Indiana State posted its highest hitting percentage of the match in the third set and outlasted the Redbirds, 26-24, while hitting .444. Illinois State led by four at 12-8 and forced an Indiana State timeout, and the Sycamores responded with a 6-2 run to tie the score, 14-14. Both teams traded points back and forth but Indiana State got consecutive points from Kristin Hunt with the score tied at 24 to seal the set.
In the fourth set, both teams combined to face seven set points but back-to-back kills by Stoker gave the game and the match to Indiana State. The win marked the first win by the Sycamores over Illinois State since a 3-2 (30-25, 25-30, 30-27, 29-31, 16-14) Indiana State win on Oct. 29, 2004.
The Redbirds continue their four-match road trip and face non-conference foe SIU-Edwardsville Saturday at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Ill.
