Sept. 18, 2010
Box Score l Post-Match Birdcast
OXFORD, Ohio - Illinois State (10-3) reached 10 wins on the young season with a straight-set victory (25-21, 25-18, 25-21) over Miami University (5-7) Saturday at the Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational. Junior Tabitha Visk continued her trend of efficient offense with a .632 hitting percentage.
Visk had a match-high 13 kills and only one error on 19 attacks to log the season-high .632 hitting percentage. Visk has had a hitting percentage above .400 in seven matches this season. Senior Mallory Leggett had 10 kills and a .364 hitting percentage. Senior Hailey Kelley had eight kills and freshman Shannon McGlaughlin added seven.
Illinois State had seven service aces, led by sophomore Jenny Menendez's three. She also had a team-high 10 digs.
"After traveling last night and not getting a full night's sleep, being able to come out early this morning and sweep Miami, who has been in the NCAA Tournament in recent years, is a great win for us," said ISU head coach Melissa Myers. "Tabitha has stayed healthy this year and has shown great consistency over the past few weeks. Her performance has really helped our offense become more balanced, which has led to our success."
Illinois State earned its 10th win in its 13 match of the season. Last year, it took the Redbirds 23 matches to reach 10 wins.
The first set had six ties through the first 14 points before three-straight Miami points put the RedHawks ahead, 10-7. The Redbirds answered with five-straight points, highlighted by two kills and a block assist from McGlaughlin, to take a 12-10 lead. Miami tied the score seven more times before Illinois State finished off the set, 25-21, with three kills and a RedHawk error. Leggett had five kills, no errors and a .625 hitting percentage in the first set.
With the score tied at seven in the second set, Miami went on a 5-2 run to pull ahead, 12-9. The Redbirds answered with defense, using two Miami errors and two blocks to take the lead right back, 16-14. A 9-2 run, including five unanswered points, brought the Redbirds to set-point and McGlaughlin won the set with a kill, 25-18. The Redbirds had 16 kills again in the second set and a .323 hitting percentage.
Miami jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third set with an ace, a block and a kill. The RedHawks maintained the advantage until ISU strung together four-straight points on two blocks and two kills to take its first lead, 13-11. Miami tied the score at 15, but two kills and a block by Leggett and a Menendez ace kept the Redbirds on top, 19-15. Visk recorded three of the next five points to bring ISU to match-point. Miami had a late run, scoring three-straight points, but an error gave the set and the match to Illinois State, 25-21.
Illinois State takes on DePaul at 4 p.m.
