Nov. 7, 2008
Final Stats
DES MOINES, Iowa - Peggy Riessen led Illinois State with 15 kills in a return to her home state and Erin Lindsey contributed an impressive all-around effort to help the Redbirds earn their 25th-consecutive win over the Drake Bulldogs, 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 24-26, 25-18) at the Knapp Center Friday.
Riessen, a junior from Wilton, Iowa, added 13 digs and three blocks for the Redbirds, who have defeated the Bulldogs (9-18, 2-11 MVC) in every match since 1996. Lindsey, Illinois State's setter, contributed 45 set-assists, a team-high 20 digs, three aces, and was three kills away from a triple-double with seven in the match. Lindsey also had three blocks as the Redbirds (13-13, 6-8 MVC) out-blocked Drake 9-6.
The Redbirds scored five of the first six points of the match and twice pushed its lead to eight while cruising to a first set win. Illinois State never trailed in the opening frame as Riessen led the attack with five kills. Riessen scored three consecutive points for the Redbirds at one point, wrapping a pair of kills around a solo block. Lindsey recorded two of Illinois State's three aces in the first set, including an ace to put the Redbirds up 24-17. Drake rattled off three points after the ace but a kill by Mallory Leggett ended the set at 25-19.
Drake pushed the Redbirds at the beginning of the second set, gaining its first lead of the match by scoring the opening point and scored four of the first six to build a 4-2 lead. The Redbirds responded with four straight points of their own and forced a Drake timeout after going on an 8-2 run. Illinois State continued to lead throughout the rest of the set behind another five kills from Riessen and four kills from Richmond. The Redbirds limited Drake to .111 hitting in the, 25-20, second set win.
In the third set, Illinois State jumped out to a 7-1 lead and pushed its advantage to eight at 15-7, but the Bulldogs wouldn't roll over. Drake went on a 10-3 run to draw within one at 18-17, and tied the match later at 21. Drake continued to push, extending its run to 17-8, and earned its first lead at 24-23. Leggett killed the next ball to even the tally but a kill by Angela Bys and a Redbird attack error completed the comeback as Drake took the third set, 26-24. After hitting a combined .115 in the first two sets, the Bulldogs scored at a .352 clip in the third set.
MC Richmond logged six kills in the fourth set as the Redbirds out-hit Drake .216-.133. Illinois State took the set and the match, 25-18.
Leggett and Richmond joined Riessen in double figures with 14 kills each. The Redbirds out-hit the Bulldogs .202-.175 and held the advantage in kills (59-53), assists (54-47), and service aces (7-2).
The Redbirds remain in the hunt for a berth in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Wichita, Kan., and close the road portion of Missouri Valley Conference play at Creighton in Omaha, Neb., Saturday.
