Final Stats 
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NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State's M.C. Richmond logged 14 kills, 16 digs and five block assists, but it wasn't enough to knock off No. 23 Illinois Tuesday night at Redbird Arena. Illinois defeated the Redbirds 3-1 (18-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23), and claimed the eighth-consecutive win in the series.
Richmond recorded her third double-double of the season and was one of three Redbirds with double figure kills. Peggy Riessen added 12 kills and Mallory Leggett notched 10. Erin Lindsey set a season-high for set assists in a four-set match with 45.
Both teams failed to take command early in the first set with the largest lead by either team at three points through the first 22 points of the match. Illinois State (6-5) led 12-10 before a Riessen kill and a service ace by Kristin Stauter gave the Redbirds a four point lead and forced an Illini timeout. Illinois (8-2) received a momentary boost, scoring the next two points, but failed to move any closer. The Redbirds opened the lead with a 4-0 run and forced another Illini timeout with Illinois State leading 18-12. Again, the Illini received a brief respite but the Redbirds continued the charge and closed the set by scoring five of the final six points.
In the second, the Illini trailed for most of the set but used a 3-1 run to move ahead at 22-21 for the first time since leading, 7-6, in the early going. Illinois State used two time outs to try to slow the momentum, but Illinois and outside hitter Laura DeBruler, evened the match with a 25-23 win. DeBruler had kills on four of Illinois final five points. Neither team had a lead of more than two in the second set.
Illinois carried the momentum into the third set and jumped out to a 6-3 lead. After trading points, the Redbirds strung together a 6-0 run, featuring two ace serves by Leggett, and took their first lead of the match at 13-11. Illinois responded almost immediately with their own 6-0 run, setting up another close finish. The Illini led 22-20 late, and despite charges by the Redbirds to cut the lead to one at 23-22 and 24-23, Illinois hung on and took the set 25-23.
The Redbirds seemingly turned the tables in the third set, scoring the first five points of the match en route to a 10-5 lead, but the Illini chipped away and collected their first lead of the match at 16-15. Illinois pushed its lead to four at 19-15 before the Redbirds battled back. ISU tied the set at 21, one of three ties in the last 10 points, but the Illini took the set and the match 25-23.
DeBruler led the Illini attack with 24 kills and notched a double-double of her own with 15 digs. Hillary Haen (26 assists) and Lizzie Bazzetta (25 assets) controlled the Illinois passing game.
The match marks the end of Illinois State's home non-conference schedule and last match before beginning conference play. The Redbirds travel to Evansville on Friday for the opening of the Missouri Valley Conference slate and visit Southern Illinois on Saturday.
