NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team completed a perfect season in the Missouri Valley Conference Saturday, finishing its MVC schedule with an unblemished 18-0 record. The Redbirds downed visiting Wichita State in both teams' regular-season finale by scores of 25-15, 27-25, 25-21.
Jaelyn Keene matched her career high with 15 kills for the second night in a row, while Stacey Niao and Ashley Rosch added 10 and 11 kills, respectively. Kaitlyn Early distributed 41 assists, and Emily Orrick led five Redbirds recording double-digits in digs, with 20.
The win was the 20th-consecutive victory for the Redbirds, who have not lost since Sept. 12. The winning streak is the second-longest in program history, and the Redbirds can match the record streak in their next contest, on Friday at the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
The Redbirds will receive a bye through the quarterfinal round, and will play the winner of Missouri State and Southern Illinois on Friday at 5 p.m. at the McLeod Center.
Illinois State (24-5, 18-0 MVC) used a four-point rally early in the first set to gain the lead. A six-point run late in the set gave the Redbirds set point, and two points later, Keene recorded her seventh kill to finish off the set.
The Redbirds got out to an early lead in the second set, thanks in part to a trio of kills from Emily Schneider, but the Shockers (19-9, 13-5 MVC) knotted things up at 15-15 with a four-point binge. The visitors took their first lead at 20-19, and had two chances at a set point, but the Redbirds scored five of the final six points in the set, the last one on a Rosch kill.
The third set was close throughout, but the Redbirds rallied late to win it. Tied up at 21-21, ISU rattled off four straight points, including two kills from Rosch, and the match-winning kill from Schneider.
Illinois State's six seniors – Sierra Burris, Eliza Smith, Early, Niao, Orrick and Schneider – were recognized after Saturday's match as part of Senior Night events.
Illinois State's matches at the MVC Championship, and all Illinois State matches this season, can be heard live online at: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/isu/.
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