Oct. 13, 2010
REDBIRDS-PANTHERS SERIES
Northern Iowa leads the all-time series with Illinois State, 36-20. Illinois State won six of the first nine matches of the series, which began in 1982. Through 1997, ISU held a 15-12 advantage in the series. Since 1998, Northern Iowa is 24-5 against the Redbirds, starting out with a 12-match winning streak and currently on a six-match winning streak. ISU hasn't beaten Northern Iowa at home since 2007.
REDBIRDS-BRAVES SERIES
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Bradley, 42-6. The series began in 1983 and the two teams have met at least twice since 1993. Illinois State won the first 14 matches before Bradley won for the first time in 1994 (which was also the only time Bradley has swept ISU). The Redbirds posted another 12-match winning streak from 1995-2000. Illinois State is on a nine-match winning streak dating back to 2005, winning seven of the matches in straight-sets and the other two in four sets.
LEGGETT DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Last season, senior Mallory Leggett became just the fifth player in school history to amass 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career (Chris Rehor, Kim Nelson, Patti Hoppa, M.C. Richmond). In her final year as a Redbird, she will look to continue her climb up the career ranks in both categories. Leggett is ranked fourth in career digs (1,286) and seventh in career kills (1,378). If she maintains her career single-season averages, she could climb into the top-three in digs and the top-five in kills.
HOME, SWEET HOME
Illinois State returns home this weekend for just its fourth and fifth matches in Redbird Arena this season. ISU is glad to be back home, having won two of its three matches in RBA this year. The Redbirds come into the weekend having lost four-straight road matches. ISU has seven of its final 11 matches of the season at home.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
Illinois State has shown a big turnaround from last season, having already equaled the win total of all of 2009 (12). Through the first 14 matches of 2009, Illinois State was 4-9 with six straight-set losses. This season, ISU was 11-3 through its first 14 matches with seven straight-set wins. The Redbirds picked up their 10th win in their 13th match this year; a feat that took 23 matches in 2009. ISU won 10 non-conference matches this year, the most since 1992.
VISK-ICIENCY
Junior Tabitha Visk has been efficient on offense all season, ranking fifth in the Valley with a .329 hitting percentage. Visk has recorded a hitting percentage above .400 in nine matches. She had a career-high 21 kills and four errors on 37 attacks for a .459 hitting percentage. Visk had eight kills against Texas Tech and nine kills against No. 15 Colorado State, committing just one error in each match. She had a 13 kills and one error against Miami University for a career-high .632 hitting percentage.
GOING THE DISTANCE
In five of their 20 matches this season, the Redbirds have played the full five sets. ISU is 2-3 in the five-set matches this year and came from down 2-0 in four of them. ISU played five sets in all three matches of the IU adidas Classic, the first time the Redbirds played three-straight five set matches since 2008.
REDBIRDS ON THE BLOCK
Illinois State had a solid defensive effort against North Carolina State in the opening match of the IU adidas Classic, recording a season-high 18 blocks as a team. The total was the most by an ISU team since 2004 and the 32 block assists were tied for the seventh-most in a match in school history. Senior Hailey Kelley had a career-high 11 block assists, tied for fifth on the ISU single-match rankings.
GETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Illinois State achieved something this year that the program hasn't since Michael Keaton was Batman - start a season 4-0. Illinois State won its first four matches of the season for the first time since 1992 and just the eighth time in school history (1974, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1992, 2010).
