NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team (18-5, 10-1 MVC) finished its five-match home stand with a straight-set victory over Missouri State (11-12, 4-6 MVC) on Saturday night.
QUOTING COACH JOHNSON
On team's overall performance…
"I thought we played very tough tonight. We were able to make some adjustments, I thought we had a lot of fight. There were intense rallies. On both sides of the net, it was high-level volleyball, and this was a great indication of how excellent the Missouri Valley Conference is and why we believe we are a conference that should get multiple bids in the postseason. It was a fun match that was hard-fought on both sides."
On what made the difference tonight…
"I think what is interesting is that Marissa (Stockman) rarely leads us in kills. She's usually a role player who fills a role in kills when we need her to, or situationally. We try not to overuse her, but we felt like she's been coming on and we thought tonight she was in good rhythm. So, I thought Marissa was a difference maker, I thought Kaylee (Martin) held her own. We had been swinging cross-court all night long, and there at the end, she swings down the line twice in a row to get two kills. I thought that was very heads-up of her to make that adjustment. We live on our balance."
On what the difference was the first time ISU and MSU met and tonight's match-up…
"I will say that the first time we played them, we were cleaner, and this time we played them, they (Missouri State) are much more improved. We weren't as clean, but they did a lot to challenge us differently. Their game at the net has improved, their floor defense has improved and they are earning their own points now. I think that tonight's match showed what two great teams look like. After the first time we played them, I said, that team is going to be an entirely different team the next time we see them, and they absolutely were. I was pleased to see that we (Illinois State) were able to recognize that at the same time and play good level volleyball."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> Missouri State jumped out to an early 8-4 lead, but a tip over the block by Ali Line brought the ball back into the hands of the Redbirds and kept it there with back-to-back kills by the senior. A block by Stef Jankiewicz and Marissa Stockman leveled the set at 10-all, before the Bears regained their lead. Stockman and Monica Miller each registered a kill to stay within one of the visitors, but Illinois State trailed 15-13 at the media timeout. Sitting at their largest deficit – three points – Illinois State called a timeout, and recovered on a ball handling error by the Bears. Missouri State reached 20 first, but Kaylee Martin soared above the net to have the Redbirds back within a pair. Out of a timeout called by the Bears, Martin notched her fourth kill to even the set at 20-all, before Miller's fifth kill as part of a 4-0 scoring run by Illinois State forced Missouri State to call another timeout with the Redbirds leading, 21-20. The Bears crawled back to force Illinois State to use its final timeout sitting at match point, but a kill by Stockman helped the Redbirds their sixth-straight opening set win, taking it 25-23.
Set 2 >> Illinois State's offense continued to take it to the Bears, opening the second set on a 5-0 run, that included a massive kill by Lexi Varga to push the Redbirds to .314 hitting in the match. Missouri State used its first timeout, sitting at an 11-4 deficit to the home team, as the newcomers for Illinois State each had six kills. Out of the break, the Bears regained possession, but back-to-back kills by Stockman kept Illinois State at a distance. Missouri State responded with a 3-0 scoring run, as the Redbirds called a timeout with a 15-8 lead. Another scoring run by the Bears forced Illinois State to use its final timeout, but the Redbirds reached 20 first on Line's fifth kill, holding a 20-14 advantage. Back-to-back kills by Stockman brought the freshman to 10 for the match and a 23-17 Illinois State lead. The Redbirds jumped to a 2-0 match lead with a 25-21 second-set win on a kill by Varga.
Set 3 >> The Bears opened with three quick points, before Stockman tallied a kill to get Illinois State on the board. Out of an Illinois State-called timeout, trailing 12-7, a Missouri State serving error, followed by back-to-back kills by Martin brought the Redbirds within three. The Redbirds continued to chip away at the Bears' lead, before back-to-back hitting errors by the visitors leveled the set at 13-all. The back-and-forth battle progressed, as the set was tied once again, this time at 18-all on Missouri State's 17th hitting error. A kill by Miller pushed Illinois State ahead, 19-18, and forced Missouri State to use a timeout. The two teams exchanged points, before the Bears pulled within one of the Redbirds, as Illinois State was sitting at a 23-22 advantage. A kill by Miller had Illinois State at set point, but Missouri State continued to add pressure, and the Redbirds were forced to use their final timeout. Back-to-back kills by Martin sealed the third set, 26-24, for Illinois State's sixth-straight victory.
LEADING THE FLOCK
UP NEXT
Illinois State will hit the road for the first time since Oct. 6 next weekend with a pair of matches at Indiana State (Oct. 26) and Evansville (Oct. 27).
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