Oct. 9, 2009
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NORMAL, Ill. -
A tremendous defensive effort gave Illinois State (8-10, 3-4 MVC) a three-set win (26-24, 25-13, 25-11) over Bradley (9-11, 0-6 MVC) Friday at Redbirds Arena. The Redbirds had six players record blocks for a team total of 11 and held Bradley to just a .046 hitting percentage.
Junior Haley Kelley led the Redbirds with 11 kills, which tied her career-high, and also had four blocks. Sophomore Tabitha Visk added nine kills and two blocks. Both Kelley and Visk each had a solo block in the match. Junior Katie Culbertson led the block party with six blocks.
Senior Jessica Pratapas had 30 set-assists, four blocks and two kills. Senior Kasey Mollerus had a match-high 17 digs. Pratapas and sophomore Laura Wakefield each added nine digs.
Three kills by Kelley gave ISU an 8-6 lead in the first set. A pair of Redbird errors put the Braves ahead, 13-11. The Redbirds used six kills to pull back ahead by two, but the Braves tied the score once again at 18. A Rego kill and a Bradley error kept the Redbirds in the lead, until three-straight Brave points put them at set point. Kelley saved the set with a kill and two Bradley errors gave the set to the Redbirds. Kelley had six of ISU's 16 kills in the set.
Five blocks helped the Redbirds begin the second set with an 11-3 lead. Kelley, Pratapas and Culbertson dominated at the net with two block assists each. Kelley also had a solo block. The Redbird offense started to contribute after that, with five of their next eight points coming on kills to extend the lead double-digits, 19-9. Kelley had two kills to give ISU set point and the Redbirds fittingly closed the set with their sixth block.
ISU used four kills, three blocks and three Bradley errors to take an 11-3 lead in the third set. A block and two kills made the Redbirds lead double-digits, 17-7. ISU claimed the set and the win with three-straight kills from Leggett, freshman Angela Rego and freshman Emileah Manahan. The Redbirds hit .407 in the third set with 13 kills and just two errors on 27 swings.
Illinois State hosts Northern Iowa Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
