Box Score
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Illinois State volleyball team improved to 2-0 at the UNI Tournament Saturday morning, earning a straight-sets win over Syracuse. The Redbirds won by scores of 25-17, 25-22, 25-20.
The win came after the Redbirds won their tournament and Missouri Valley Conference opener Friday night, defeating host Northern Iowa in a five-set thriller.
Jaelyn Keene led the Redbirds in their win over Syracuse Saturday morning, tallying match-high totals of 15 kills, five blocks and three aces. Aly Dawson added 11 kills and nine digs, while Ali Line and Lexi Varga chipped in nine kills apiece.
Jordan Weatherless dished out a match-high 39 assists and Courtney Pence led the Redbirds' back row with 20 digs, less than 24 hours after setting an Illinois State record with 44 in the win over UNI.
Both teams held leads early in the first set, but Illinois State (7-5) erased a two-point Syracuse lead with seven-straight points on a long service run by Dawson, making it a 15-10 lead for the Redbirds. Four-straight points later in the set got the Redbirds to a set point, and a kill from Varga gave the Redbirds a 1-0 lead in the match.
Syracuse (1-8) led most of the second set, until a 5-1 Redbird run gave Illinois State a three-point lead at 20-17. Kills from Dawson and Line got the Redbirds to a set point at 24-19 and, after Syracuse scored three-straight points and forced an Illinois State timeout, the Redbirds took a 2-0 lead into the break after a kill from Keene.
The Orange started strong again in the third set, but the Redbirds used yet another mid-set run to take command. A seven-point binge helped the Redbirds turn a three-point deficit into a four-point lead at 16-12 and, after Syracuse closed to within two points moments later, the Redbirds finished on a 5-2 run, capping the win with a kill from Line.
The Redbirds return to action at the UNI Tournament Saturday afternoon, as they will take on North Dakota State, at 5 p.m., in their tournament finale. Links for live video, audio and stats are available at GoRedbirds.com, and fans can follow @RedbirdVB on Twitter for live updates.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
