CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Illinois State volleyball team clinched its first Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title since 1997 with a 3-1 win over Northern Iowa Saturday at the McLeod Center. The Redbirds won by scores of 25-17, 25-15, 19-25, 25-16.
Illinois State (21-5, 15-0 MVC) also secured the No. 1 seed at the MVC Championships, which will be held in two weeks at the McLeod Center. Saturday's victory was Illinois State's 17th-consecutive overall, which marks the fourth-longest winning streak in program history. The 15-0 start in conference play is the team's best start to a conference schedule.
Jaelyn Keene finished with 14 kills Saturday, just one shy of her career high. Ashley Rosch added 12 kills and 19 digs, while Eliza Smith and Emily Schneider added 11 kills apiece. Stacey Niao registered eight kills and 11 digs.
Kaitlyn Early distributed a match-high 51 assists, while Emily Orrick notched a match-high 30 digs. Sierra Burris added 10 digs and three service aces.
"It takes more than one player to win a championship and tonight proved that with another great overall team effort," said head coach Melissa Myers. "Both middles stepped up offensively, Orrick and our middle backs made great defensive plays, and Kaitlyn did a great job of spreading the offense and keeping everyone involved."
The Redbirds never trailed in the opening set, although Northern Iowa came within striking distance twice. After Illinois State built an early lead, the hosts closed to within two points at 9-7. The Redbirds scored eight of the next 10 points, however, to regain control. Later, after the Panthers rallied back to within three points late in the set at 20-17, ISU scored the final five points, on two of Keene's seven kills in the set, and a pair of Burris aces.
Illinois State did not trail in the second set, either. Smith recorded five of her kills in the set and Rosch recorded kills on two of the final three points as Illinois State took a 2-0 lead into the break.
Northern Iowa (18-10, 12-4 MVC) found its footing in the third set and used a 7-0 run midway through the set to gain momentum. Kills from Keene, Schneider and Niao helped the Redbirds close to within four points of the lead, at 22-18, but Northern Iowa scored three of the next four points to win the set.
Illinois State took control of the fourth set early and forced Northern Iowa to use both of its timeouts before either team reached 10 points. The Redbirds built a lead that reached as many as seven points early on, but the hosts fought back to within four. Schneider finished off the win, however, tallying kills to score Illinois State's final three points.
The Redbirds are back in action Sunday at Drake, in a match that will begin at 2 p.m.
Sunday's match, and all Illinois State matches this season, can be heard live online at: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/isu/.
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