NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team looks to remain undefeated in the Missouri Valley Conference as it travels to Indiana State Friday for a 6 p.m. (CST) match.
The Redbirds have opened the Valley portion of their 2014 schedule with four straight wins and they currently sit atop the conference standings as one of only two unbeaten league teams, along with Northern Iowa (8-6, 3-0 MVC).
Illinois State (10-5, 4-0 MVC) has won six consecutive matches overall, dating back to Sept. 12, which is the team's longest winning streak since 2011. The Redbirds will be seeking a seventh win in a row Friday, which would mark the team's longest winning streak in 10 years.
The Redbirds have played some of their best volleyball of the season over the past two weekends as they have dropped just one set in league matches against Wichita State, Missouri State, Southern Illinois and Evansville. ISU ranks among the Valley's top three teams in nearly every statistical category, including hitting percentage (2nd, .225) and opponents' hitting percentage (1st, .149).
The Redbird defense is keyed by senior libero Emily Orrick, who leads the Valley in digs, with 5.07 per set. ISU has been strong at the net as well, with middle hitters Jaelyn Keene and Emily Schneider ranking second and fifth among league players in blocks, respectively, at 1.14 and 1.05 blocks per set.
Illinois State will be challenged by an Indiana State (10-5, 2-2 MVC) team that has not lost a match on its home court this year, and is already just three victories shy of its 2013 win output. The Sycamores own the Valley's best hitting percentage (.227), as Cassandra Willis (.395) and Kyla Thomas (.377) rank among the top three individuals in the league.
The Redbirds boast a 53-8 advantage in the career series between the two squads, although Indiana State was victorious in the last meeting, on Oct. 25, 2013, in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Friday's match, and all Redbird matches this season, can be heard live online at: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/isu/.
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