TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Illinois State volleyball team remained undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference play thanks to some clutch late-set play Friday night at Indiana State. The Redbirds defeated the Sycamores by scores of 26-24, 27-25, 25-19.
Illinois State (11-6, 5-0 MVC) handed the Sycamores their first home loss of the season on Friday. Indiana State (10-6, 2-3 MVC) had started the season with six consecutive home wins. The Redbirds' win Friday extended the team's winning streak to seven, which is the program's longest since 2004.
Eliza Smith led the Redbirds with 10 kills, just one shy of her career high, while turning in a .421 hitting percentage. Ashley Rosch and Jaelyn Keene added eight and nine kills, respectively, while Kaitlyn Early dished out 36 assists. Emily Orrick led Illinois State with 12 digs.
The Redbirds had to overcome a six-point deficit to fight their way back into the first set. Trailing 20-14, Illinois State rattled off six straight points to knot things up at 20-20. The hosts had a set point at 24-23, but back-to-back kills from Keene gave the Redbirds a set point, and Illinois State sealed the first-set win on a double block by Rosch and Emily Schneider.
The second set required a similar late-set push by the Redbirds. After the lead bounced back and forth early on, the Redbirds took control late. Indiana State fended off a pair of Illinois State set points, but a Keene service ace helped the Redbirds finish the second set on their third set point of the set.
The Redbirds finished off the match in the third set using a 6-1 run, which featured a pair of Stacey Niao service aces, to close out the match.
The Illinois State volleyball team is back in action next weekend with road matches at Bradley, on Oct. 10, and Loyola, on Oct. 11. Both matches are set for 7 p.m. starts.
All Redbird matches this season can be heard live online at: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/isu/.
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