WICHITA, Kan. - Doing everything possible to extend the season, the Illinois State volleyball team (19-13, 12-8) fell to the Wichita State Shockers (27-6, 16-3) Friday in a hard fought five set thriller (18-25, 25-18, 16-25, 25-20, 11-15) in the semi-finals of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) tournament, ending what has been an exciting year for the Redbirds.
The Redbirds were led in the match by Ashley Rosch with 16 kills and 17 digs, capping off her second double-double in as many matches at the tournament. Emily Schneider added 11 kills and seniors LeighAnn Hranka and Brooklyn Hlafka each added nine and eight kills respectively. Kaitlyn Early tossed 49 assists while Emily Orrick picked up 15 digs.
The first set foreshadowed the fierce competition that was in store for the 2,075 in attendance at the Charles Koch Arena, as both teams combined to hit 12 kills over the first 20 points, setting the score at 10-10. A block by Sam Sanders and Ashley Andrade on an attack by Hlafka gave the Shockers the slight edge, 11-10. WSU would never relinquish the lead from there, as the Shockers were aided by three Redbird errors during a 6-0 run to extend their lead, 15-10. ISU got within three points on a pair of Wichita State errors late in the set, 20-17, but of trio of kills by Ashlyn Driskill highlighted a 5-1 run, giving the Shockers the set, 25-18.
Refusing to be rattled, the Redbirds responded in the second set, demonstrating resiliency and poise while fighting back from the deficit. Once again, the offenses for each team ignited as both teams combined for 19 kills over 28 points, tying the score at 14-14. Kills by Hranka and Rosch negated a WSU kill and a service error, pushing the score to 16-16. An attack error by the Shockers ignited a 9-2 run by the Redbirds, as Early recorded three service aces during the stretch, helping ISU to a victory in the second set, 25-18.
Following halftime, the Redbirds faced an early deficit in the third following a pair of kills by the Shockers and a service ace, 3-0. A kill by Stacey Niao put the `Birds on the scoreboard and a jab-for-jab battle ensued. Down 10-6, Rosch and Niao recorded kills as part a 3-1 spurt, putting ISU within striking distance, 11-9. An exchange of service errors nudged the score to 12-10, but an ISU attack error began an avalanche for the Shockers. Four kills by WSU and six errors by ISU eventually gave the Shockers a set-point, 24-16. Libero Dani Mostrom came up with the Shockers first service ace of the match, ending the third set, 25-16.
Errors plagued Wichita State at the start of the fourth set, as three errors and a block assist by Niao and Schneider gave the Redbirds the early lead, 4-0. The early lead would hold up throughout the set, as ISU never relinquished the lead. Wichita State would eventually get within three points on a kill by Andrade, 13-10. Kills by Rosch, Hlafka and Schneider highlighted a 4-1 run by ISU, forcing WSU to burn a timeout, 17-11. Out of the break, Andrade knocked three more kills, the Redbirds committed three errors and the Shockers pulled within one, 18-17. ISU would regain its edge however, combing for seven kills as a team over the final 10 points, winning the fourth set, 25-20.
The fifth and final set demonstrated the competitive fire that burned within each team. Tied 2-2 early, a pair of kills by Rosch and a service error gave the `Birds the early advantage, 5-3. Back to back errors by ISU allowed the Shockers to pull even, 5-5. Three kills by the Shockers headlined a 5-2 run for WSU as they took the lead in the set, 10-7. After an exchange of points, a kill by Schneider put the Redbirds within two, 12-10, but an ISU error and a kill by Sam Sanders gave Wichita State a match-point, 14-10. Sanders would knock the final kill in the match, ending the night and the season for Illinois State, 15-11.
Wichita State will face Southern Illinois in the conference tournament finale Saturday, Nov. 30, at 4:37 p.m. (CT).
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