Oct. 2, 2010
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State volleyball team (12-6, 2-3 MVC) defeated Drake (13-3, 3-3 MVC) in four sets Saturday night at Redbird Arena. Junior Tabitha Visk and freshman LeighAnn Hranka both had career bests in kills, with 21 and 10, respectively.
Drake took the lead early in the first set, 7-3, but Illinois State battled back to tie the set at 10-10 after a kill by senior Mallory Leggett. The Redbirds took advantage of Drake errors to take the lead, 18-15. The Bulldogs battled back to bring the set within one point at 20-19, but Illinois State held the lead to win the set 25-23. During the set, there were five ties and one lead change.
Drake went on a 3-0 run to start the second set. The Redbirds rallied with Leggett and Hranka combining for 5 kills to tie the set at 8-8. Illinois State and Drake exchanged points with seven ties and three lead changes throughout the set, but the Redbirds came out on top 25-23.
Visk started off hot for the Redbirds with three kills to give ISU the early 3-1 lead. After two Illinois State errors, Drake tied the set 4-4. Once again, the two teams exchanged points tying the set 17 times, with 7 lead changes. The Redbirds kept the set close, but the Bulldogs came out victorious 25-23 to take the match to a fourth set and removed the possibility of a sweep.
The Redbirds took the lead early in the fourth set 4-1, but the Bulldogs came back to tie the set 5-5. Drake took their first lead of the game at 6-5, followed by a series of ties and lead changes. It looked as if the Bulldogs had the set at 24-21, but the Redbirds came back to tie the set at 24-24 after a service ace by Leggett. Drake regained the lead at 25-24; a kill by Visk and an error by the Bulldogs gave ISU the set and match victory.
Illinois State expanded the all-time series record with Drake to 49-and-seven. Visk's 21 kills surpassed the previous four-set season-high record of 17, set by Leggett.
Illinois State visits Evansville Friday at 7 p.m.
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