DES MOINES, Iowa – Sophomore Kaylee Martin helped propel the Illinois State volleyball team (13-5, 5-1 MVC) to a four-set win over the Drake Bulldogs (14-6, 3-3 MVC) on Saturday night behind a career-high 20 kills.
Additionally, libero Courtney Pence now sits alone in second all-time in the Missouri Valley Conference in career digs with 2,435, after notching 32 in tonight's match against the Bulldogs.
QUOTING COACH JOHNSON
On the team's gritty defense…
"The difference in tonight's match was the team's defense. At the net, we were very effective and the back court made plays for us."
On resiliency of the team…
"I thought the team's mentality in the third set really helped propel us in the fourth. It was important that we maintained our composure and that helped set us up for success in the fourth set."
On Kaylee Martin's career performance…
"Kaylee came out of her shell tonight. I was really impressed that the difference between her performance tonight and previous matches, was that she used her skill of moving the ball around, which opened so much for her."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> It was a back-and-forth battle to start the opening set. A service ace by Kendal Meier knot the opening frame at eight-all, before the Bulldogs pulled out to a three-point advantage, forcing an Illinois State timeout. Out of the break, Ella Francis registered a kill, followed by a solo block, to bring the Redbirds within one. A kill by Ali Line leveled the set at 13-all, as a hitting error by Drake gave the Redbirds their first lead of the match. With a block by Marissa Stockman and Stef Jankiewicz, Illinois State drew out to a five-point advantage, as Drake called a timeout. A second solo block by Francis had Illinois State with a 22-16 lead, before a kill by Monica Miller sealed the opening frame for the Redbirds, 25-19.
Set 2 >> Illinois State continued its offensive momentum in the second set, starting with a 4-0 run that included a pair of blocks by the Redbird front line. A kill by the Bulldogs knot the set at five-all, before the pair went back-and-forth once again. Illinois State used its first timeout, trailing 8-6. Two quick kills by Line leveled the set, before a kill by Kaylee Martin pushed the Redbirds ahead. Drake scored six unanswered points to hold a 14-12 lead over Illinois State, as the Redbirds used a timeout to regroup. With Martin hitting .400, her seventh kill put the ball back into the hands of Illinois State. With the Redbirds trailing by two, a hitting error by Drake evened the set at 18-all, forcing the Bulldogs to burn a timeout. Drake leveled the set once again, this time at 21-all, but the Redbirds pulled away for the 25-22 set win after a hitting error by the Bulldogs.
Set 3 >> Drake led the Redbirds to open the third set, before the Bulldogs' 24th attack error pushed Illinois State ahead. The Redbirds' third service ace, this time by Carley Nicholson, forced Drake to use a timeout with Illinois State leading, 6-4. With the set tied at 11-all, Lexi Varga checked into the match and tallied a trio of kills to give the Redbirds the lead and keep them there. Drake responded to take a 16-14 lead, before two more points by the Bulldogs gave them their largest lead of the set. Out of an Illinois State timeout, the Redbirds responded with a pair on kills by Line and Martin. Back-to-back kills by Miller forced Drake to use its final timeout with the Redbirds sitting within reach at a 21-19 deficit. With the Redbirds out of subs, Illinois State continued to battle, as the third set went extra points, before the Bulldogs secured the set, 29-27.
Set 4 >> With Meier behind the service line, the Redbirds opened the fourth set on a 4-0 run. Martin's 15th kill, followed by a Drake attack error, had Illinois State ahead, 6-1, forcing the Bulldogs to call an early timeout. Illinois State maintained nearly a five-point lead throughout the first half of the deciding set, with kills by Martin and a trio of errors by Drake. The Bulldogs began chipping away at the Redbirds' lead, coming within three, but a kill by Varga kept Illinois State ahead, 13-9. Drake pulled within one of the Redbirds before tying the set at 13-all as part of a 4-0 scoring run. Illinois State regained the lead on block by Miller and Stockman, and Martin matched a four-set career-high in kills with her 18th giving the Redbirds a 15-13 advantage. Illinois State reached 20 first, holding the 20-15 lead, before the Bulldogs began chipping away at the Redbirds' lead again. The Redbirds remained resilient to capturing the fourth set on a service ace by Jankiewicz, 25-20, to take the match, 3-1.
LEADING THE FLOCK
UP NEXT
Illinois State returns to Redbird Arena next weekend to kick off a two-week home stand. The Redbirds will play Valparaiso and Loyola to begin its home stretch, as part of Illinois State's homecoming weekend.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
