Sept. 13, 2008
Final Stats
CHICAGO -
Senior right side hitter M.C. Richmond recorded her 1,000th career kill, and was joined by Peggy Riessen and Mallory Leggett with double-digit kills, as the Illinois State volleyball team (6-4) clinched a second-place finish in the Chicago Classic with a convincing four-set (25-18, 25-15, 27-29 and 25-10) win over Illinois-Chicago Saturday night at Mother McAuley High School.
Riessen (17 kills, 10 digs) and Leggett (15 kills, 13 digs) each tallied double-doubles, and Riessen's 17 kills led all players. Erin Lindsey, ISU's lone selection to the all-tournament team, chipped in with 41 set-assists and 12 digs, and Kasey Mollerus' 16 digs led the defensive charge. UIC was led by Casie Sullivan's 13 kills and 12 digs.
"I think the schedule of this tournament really worked out well for us," said head coach Melissa Myers. "It was great for our team to play Louisville first, and to get that win. It really set the tone for our team in terms of building confidence and composure. We learned and got better in each set we played the past two days, and that really showed (tonight) against UIC. We played the way we knew we could, and to win that fourth set so convincingly was a great way to end the weekend.
"It was a great tournament for us to play in. A lot has been built up to this tournament, but it came at a perfect time in terms of us preparing for our conference season. We have another challenging week ahead of us, with Illinois coming to Redbird Arena Tuesday, and then opening on the road for conference play next weekend. It is going to be extremely important for us to continue to play well."
Leggett's six kills in the opening set helped the Redbirds shake off a slow start, in which the Flames jumped out to a 4-1 lead. ISU quickly changed the momentum with freshman setter Kristin Stauter behind the service line. Stauter led the Redbirds on a 5-0 run, jumping out to an 8-6 lead. ISU never surrendered the advantage, building as large as a seven-point lead down the stretch. Leggett had two kills in the final three points, and Lindsey ended the set with a service ace that grabbed the net's tape.
Stauter again helped the Redbirds take control of the game in the second set. With the frame tied at 5-5, Stauter served out 11-consecutive points, leading ISU on a 10-0 run, to build a 15-6 advantage. She had four of her five total service aces in the stretch. The `Birds built their largest lead of 12 points (18-6) three points later after forcing UIC into back-to-back attack errors.
ISU called its first timeout of the match four points later after the Flames went on a quick 4-0 spurt. The Redbirds finished the frame on a 7-5 run, with Richmond recording two kills in the final three points, preserving the 25-15 win and 2-0 lead in the best-of-five.
The Redbirds appeared to be in complete control in the ensuing third set, holding the lead for the initial 29 possessions. But the Flames grabbed their first lead of the set, 15-14, following an ISU attack error. Richmond's back-to-back kills helped ISU re-build a commanding three-point lead (19-16), but UIC again charged back, and took a 22-21 lead after a service ace by Katarina Nedelijkovic. ISU forced match point at 25-24 following Richmond's second-consecutive kill, but an ensuing service error by Leggett forced extra points, 25-25.
ISU was forced into its final timeout three points later after Lana Lobdell's kill gave UIC a 27-26 lead. Richmond's block on the next point extended the frame, but the Flames won back-to-back points to pull within one set, 2-1.
Illinois State never trailed in the fourth set, jumping out to another convincing lead with success behind the service line. Riessen, Mollerus and Lindsey's serving led ISU to a combined 14 points, as the Redbirds built leads as large as 15 points down the stretch. Senior Amy Olson, making her first appearance of the tournament, served three-consecutive points to push ISU's lead to 23-9, and Riessen ended the contest with her match-leading 17th kill.
The Redbirds will return home to face in-state rival Illinois Tuesday beginning at 7:05 p.m.
