Aug. 27, 2010
Box Score l Post-Match Birdcast
CORVALLIS, Ore. - In the 2010 season-opener, Illinois State achieved a feat it did only once in 2009 - coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win a match. The Redbirds (1-0) won the final three sets of the opening match of the Corvallis Invitational to beat Sacramento State (0-1), 3-2 (29-31, 20-25, 25-21, 25-20, 19-17).
Senior Mallory Leggett led ISU with 19 kills to go along with 24 digs and two service aces. Freshman Shannon McGlaughlin recorded 17 kills and two aces in the first collegiate match of her career. Senior Hailey Kelley added 10 kills. Freshman Kelsey Holman made a big impact in her first match as a Redbird with a team high nine block-assists and two aces.
Junior Kristin Stauter recorded career-highs with 54 set-assists and 24 digs. Sophomore Jenny Menendez led ISU with a career-high 29 digs in her first-career match as the Redbird libero.
"This was a fun, competitive match and a great one to open the season with," said head coach Melissa Myers. "We know it is only one match at the beginning of a long season, but I think we learned a lot about our team. Sacramento State is a mirror image of us in a lot of ways and I think that first set could have gone either way, they just made the right adjustments. Our newcomers stepped in right away and made a difference. We believe in immediate integration of players, not worrying about age and experience as much as skill sets. We have talented freshmen who we want to perform to the best of their abilities and they showed that today."
Illinois State recorded 68 kills, 108 digs, 10 blocks and eight service aces to earn the first win over Sacramento State in the fifth meeting of the series.
Four kills and an ace put ISU ahead 7-2 to start the first set. The `Birds maintained that lead until five-straight points put Sacramento State ahead for the first time,11-8. Later in the set, each team tied the score from a point down four times and Sacramento State made it to set-point first. Leggett extended the set with a kill, but the Redbirds failed to capitalize on two set-point opportunities. ISU staved off three Hornet set points, but in the end an error by Kelley gave the set so Sacramento State, 31-29. McGlaughlin led ISU with five kills in the set.
Trailing by four in the second set, the Redbirds utilized three Hornet errors and a pair of Kelley kills to take the lead, 13-12. The lead didn't last, as Sacramento State recorded three kills and a block to regain the four-point cushion, 20-16.That lead held strong and Sacramento State took the second set, 25-20. ISU had 14 kills and five aces in the set.
Aces by Menendez Stauter helped ISU build its biggest lead up to that point, 8-2, to begin the third set. McGlaughlin's ninth kill of the match put ISU ahead, 14-7. Sacramento State pulled back within a point, 19-18, but ISU closed out the set on a 6-3 run to claim the win, 25-21.
A 6-1 run, capped by an ace from Holman, gave Illinois State a 13-6 lead in the fourth set. Three-straight kills by McGlaughlin, Leggett and Kelley and a Hornet error stretched the lead to 17-8. After back-to-back Leggett kills put the Redbirds up, 20-12, Sacramento State rattled off four-straight points to cut the deficit in half. McGlaughlin recorded the final three Redbird points with kills to hold off the Hornets, take the fourth set, 25-20, and force a fifth set.
A Stauter kill gave ISU a three-point lead in the decisive set, but Sacramento State answered quickly with a 6-1 run to pull ahead, 7-5. Sacramento State reached match-point first, 14-12, but Leggett kept the `Birds alive with two kills. Two ISU match-points were squandered by the Hornets before McGlaughlin registered a kill and Holman won the set and the match with a service ace.
The Redbirds continue play at the Corvallis Invitational Saturday against Portland at 12 p.m. and Oregon State at 9:30 p.m. GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, TRC gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
