NORMAL, Ill. – Eliza Smith and Jaelyn Keene powered the Illinois State volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Indiana State Friday as the Redbirds matched the program's best start to a Missouri Valley Conference season. Illinois State won the match by scores of 25-21, 25-18, 25-19.
Smith recorded a career-high 12 kills, on a .455 hitting percentage, while Keene added 11 kills and a .625 hitting percentage, as Illinois State (18-5, 12-0 MVC) won its 14th match in a row. The 12-0 start in league play matches the school's best-ever start in the Valley, matching the 1993 squad's 12-0 start.
Kaitlyn Early dished out a match-high 35 assists for Illinois State on Friday, while Emily Orrick led all players with 16 digs. Keene recorded three service aces.
Smith and Keene registered four kills apiece in the first set. The lead bounced back and forth early in the set, but kills from Emily Schneider and Smith helped the Redbirds pull away, and eventually win the set with a kill from Ashley Rosch.
The second set followed a similar script as the Redbirds earned a lead midway through the set. Keene tallied all three of her aces in the second set and capped the set victory with her seventh kill of the match.
The third set was the closest of the night. Although Illinois State never trailed, the Redbirds saw what was once an eight-point lead whittled down to three points at 22-19, as Indiana State (15-9, 7-5 MVC) rallied back. The Redbirds called a timeout to regroup, and promptly rattled off three straight points to end the set and the match.
Illinois State turned in a .308 hitting percentage, while Indiana State came in at .283. The Redbirds recorded seven service aces, while allowing just one, and held a 5-4 edge in team blocks.
The Redbirds are off the rest of the weekend and return to play next weekend with a pair of home matches. Illinois State will host Loyola on Friday, Nov. 6, and Bradley on Saturday, Nov. 7. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.
Both matches, and all Illinois State matches this season, can be heard live online at: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/isu/.
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