Oct. 17, 2010
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State (13-9, 3-6 MVC) closed out the first half of conference play and snapped a three-match losing streak with a sweep of Bradley (4-17, 0-9 MVC) Sunday afternoon in Redbird Arena (25-20, 25-14, 30-28).
Illinois State recorded at least 15 kills and hit above .340 in all three sets, finishing the match with 50 kills and a .364 hitting percentage, which was a team-high for a three-set match this season. Junior Tabitha Visk and freshman Shannon McGlaughlin each had a team-best 12 kills. Visk had only two errors and a .422 hitting percentage, while McGlaughlin had four errors and a .320 hitting percentage. Senior Hailey Kelley had eight kills, one error and a .467 hitting percentage. Senior Mallory Leggett added 10 kills and had only one error for a .310 hitting percentage.
Junior Kristin Stauter had 41 set-assists, four service aces and four kills. Sophomore Jenny Menendez had a match-high 15 digs.
Stauter served consecutive aces to give ISU a 3-1 lead early in the first set. Bradley scored three-straight points to take an 11-9 lead, but the Redbirds answered with four-straight points of their own to regain the lead, 13-11. Leggett and McGlaughlin each had a pair of kills to bring the score to 20-17. Leggett added two more kills and a block in the Redbirds' final five points as they won the first set, 25-20. Leggett led all players with six kills in the first set and had no errors for a .545 hitting percentage.
The Redbirds' first six points in the second set all came on kills, but they also committed three errors and the score was tied at six. The Redbirds used an 8-1 run to pull ahead, 15-9. Visk combined with freshman LeighAnn Hranka for a block and then got a kill to put ISU ahead, 20-11. The Redbirds closed out the set with a 5-1 run to win it, 25-14. ISU had 15 kills, led by five from Visk, and just four errors in the set for a .393 hitting percentage.
Kills by Stauter, Hranka and Leggett opened the scoring for the Redbirds in the third set. Bradley recorded three-straight kills to tie the set at 10, but kills by Hranka and Visk and a block gave ISU a 14-11 advantage. Kelley got in on a couple of blocks to stretch the lead to 20-14. Four-straight Bradley points cut the lead down to 23-21. The Braves sent an attack long, giving ISU match point, but then answered with three points to tie the score at 24 and force extra points.
The two teams traded the next eight points, with each having a chance to win the set. Leggett and McGlaughlin recorded the final two kills to give ISU the set, 30-28, and the match sweep.
Illinois State hosts Missouri State Friday at 7:05 p.m.
