Oct. 23, 2009
Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. -
Despite four players with double-digit kills, Illinois State (9-12, 4-6 MVC) lost to Creighton (8-12, 5-5 MVC) on the road in four sets (23-25, 26-24, 20-25, 18-25). Creighton had four players in double-figures as well and outlasted the Redbirds through the first three, tightly-contested sets. The Bluejays moved one match ahead of the Redbirds in the MVC standings.
Junior Mallory Leggett led the Redbirds with 13 kills, giving her 998 in her career, but also had 10 attack errors. Junior Hailey Kelley had a career-high 12 kills and a team-best five blocks. Sophomore Tabitha Visk and freshman Angela Rego each had 11 kills.
"Creighton played a great match; their middles were very effective and their defense made great adjustments," said head coach Melissa Myers. "Both teams have improved since our last match, but Creighton was the better team tonight."
The match had 180 digs with plenty of prolonged rallies on both sides. Freshman Jenny Menendez led the `Birds with a career-high 17 digs. Sophomore Laura Wakefield added 15 digs, senior Jessica Pratapas had 14 and senior Kasey Mollerus and Leggett added 13 each.
Creighton was led offensively by Jessica Houts (15 kills), Alicia Runge (12), Laurel Sanford (12) and Allie Oelke (11). The quartet combined for 50 of Creighton's 57 kills and just 16 attack errors.
Illinois State struggled at the start of the first set, committing four errors to fall behind, 6-0. ISU adjusted quickly, cutting the deficit down to one point with a 5-0 run, but errors kept the Bluejays in the lead. The Redbirds pulled within one, 21-20, before three Creighton kills set up set point. A Visk kill and a Creighton error kept the set alive, but the Redbirds' ninth attack error of the set won it for the Jays.
There were 12 ties and six lead changes through the first 17 points of the second set. Kelley had three kills in a 7-2 run that gave ISU set point, 24-19. A service error on the first set point sparked five-straight points for the Bluejays that tied the set at 24. Leggett kept the `Birds on top with her 10th kill and after a long rally, Creighton sent an attack past the endline, giving the set to ISU. Leggett had six kills in the set, Visk added five, and Kelley had all three of hers during that late run.
The third set started out in a similar fashion, with 14 lead changes and four ties through the first 16 points. Trailing 16-15, Creighton went on a 9-2 run to reach set point and closed the set after two ISU points. The Redbirds were hampered by six service errors in the third set and never scored more than two-consecutive points.
With the scored tied at nine in the fourth set, Creighton broke away with a 9-2 run, recording five kills and a block during the stretch. ISU strung together three-straight kills to break the run, but the Jays answered right back with five-straight points to keep the large advantage. The Redbirds scored twice when facing match point, but the Jays put away the set and the match with a kill to center of the court.
Illinois State visits Drake Saturday at 7 p.m.
