Sept. 4, 2010
Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -
For the third time in the IU, adidas Classic, Illinois State went the limit to five sets. Unlike the previous two matches, the Redbirds (5-2) earned a comeback victory over Arkansas State (2-4), 3-2 (21-25, 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 15-9). Freshman LeighAnn Hranka recorded eight kills as ISU made its second five-set comeback of the year.
Senior Mallory Leggett recorded a season-high 20 kills for the second-straight match to earn all-tournament team recognition for the second-straight weekend. She also had a team-best 19 digs. Hranka's eight kills and seven block assists were career-bests. Freshman Shannon McGlaughlin tied her career-best with 17 kills and senior Katie Culbertson had a season-high 11.
"Mallory Leggett really played strong in both matches today and Katie Culbertson stepped up in this match," said head coach Melissa Myers. "We made some changes on the floor this match because some things weren't working with our starters. Our bench players came in and provided a new energy. LeighAnn Hranka took advantage of the opportunity and played really well."
Illinois State hadn't played three-consecutive five-set matches since 2008, when the Redbirds lost to Missouri State and Wichita State before beating Drake.
Three-straight points put Arkansas State up 3-1 in the first set and the Red Wolves wouldn't relinquish that lead. ASU led by as many as five at different points in the set. The Redbirds scored twice facing set-point to extend the set, but the Red Wolves finished it with a kill, 25-21.
Two kills by Leggett put ISU ahead, 8-7, in the second set and an ace by Hranka extended the lead to 14-11. After ASU tied it at 16, junior Kristin Stauter logged back-to-back kills to maintain the Redbird advantage. Hranka added two more kills and a McGlaughlin kill brought the Redbirds to set-point first, 24-23. ISU continued to struggle closing out sets, though, as Arkansas State answered with a kill, a block and another kill to win the second set, 26-24.
Five kills, a block and an ace helped Arkansas State jump out to an 8-2 lead in the third set. Both Redbird points came on service errors by the Red Wolves. ISU put together a 9-2 run, capped by kills from Leggett and McGlaughlin, to tie the set at 14. Hranka then recorded a block and two kills to give ISU its first lead, 17-14. Arkansas State tied it again at 20, but ISU scored five unanswered points to take the set, 25-20. Hranka had four kills in the final 10 points for the Redbirds.
Three kills, two aces and a block fueled a 6-1 run that put ISU up 9-6 in the fourth set. Arkansas State tied the score four times, but each time ISU was able to maintain the advantage and reached 20 points first, 20-18. Hranka came up big late again with two-straight blocks and Leggett finished it off with the last two kills to give ISU the set, 25-21.
Illinois State scored seven-straight points to take a commanding 11-6 lead in the fifth set. Three different Redbirds recorded kills during the run and Leggett, who served all seven points, recorded an ace. Kills by McGlaughlin and Culbertson gave ISU match-point and the freshman added another to win it for the Redbirds, 15-10.
Illinois State visits SIU Edwardsville Tuesday at 7 p.m.
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