SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Illinois State volleyball team (25-7) trailed by as many as eight points in the third set, but fought back for a thrilling 28-26 win to force a fourth set with UNI (24-9) in the Missouri Valley Conference championship match on Saturday. Despite a tremendous effort, the Redbirds ultimately fell in four sets to the Panthers.
Senior Ali Line was presented with the Elite 17 Award, while Courtney Pence and Kaylee Martin were named to the league's all-tournament team.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> Illinois State led from the start, jumping out to an early 8-6 lead behind Ali Line's second kill in as many tries. The Redbirds kept their lead until the Panthers leveled the set at 12-all. Illinois State quickly regained its advantage with a block on the outside by Line and Monica Miller. UNI took its first lead of the match, 14-13, but the Redbirds used Lexi Wallen's fourth kill to stay within reach of the Panthers approaching the media timeout. Out of the break, UNI closed on a 10-2 run for a 25-16 opening-frame win.
Set 2 >> Illinois State used a 4-0 scoring run, that included a service ace from Carley Nicholson, to take a 6-4 lead in the second set. It was a back-and-forth battle, as UNI held a slim one-point lead over the Redbirds to force Illinois State to use its first timeout trailing 11-10. Three-straight attack errors by the Panthers helped the Redbirds regain their lead, as the teams continued to exchange points. With the set tied at 15-all, Line and Wallen teamed up for a block to push Illinois State back out in front. UNI climbed back to take a four-point lead, but kills by Line and Kaylee Martin helped ignite the Redbirds' offense, forcing the Panthers to call a timeout. Out of the break, Martin added another kill as UNI called its final timeout, but the Panthers fought off Illinois State's comeback for a 25-22 win in the second set.
Set 3 >> The Panthers opened on a 5-1 run for an early lead over Illinois State, as the Redbirds called their first timeout. Martin tallied her sixth kill of the match to slow down UNI's momentum, but the Panthers climbed to a 10-4 lead. Illinois State continued to fight, as Martin added a pair of kills and Wallen recorded her sixth of the match. Back-to-back kills by Line, followed by a Panther attack error, had the Redbirds within three to force UNI to use its final timeout. The Panthers reached a 20-17 advantage, but Line continued to stay hot with her ninth kill to bring Illinois State to just a two-point deficit. A net violation by UNI leveled the set at 23-all, and a challenge issued by Illinois State had a call reversed in favor of the Redbirds to level the set once again, before Illinois State fought back to take the third set, 28-26, on a block by Stockman and Stef Jankiewicz.
Set 4 >> The two teams continued to exchange points, as Nicholson's second service ace of the match tied the set at 11-all, forcing UNI to use its first timeout. Neither side held more than a one-point advantage over each other out of the break, until the Panthers took a 14-12 lead and the Redbirds used their first timeout of the set. Back-to-back kills by Martin brought Illinois State within one, before Jankiewicz delivered a service ace to level the set at 16-all. The dogfight never stopped, as Wallen's 11th kill had the Redbirds back within reach and a UNI attack error brought Illinois State within one. Illinois State tied it up at 22-all with a kill form Line, as UNI used its final timeout. Out of the break, the Panthers scored a pair of quick points, before taking the fourth set, 25-22.
LEADING THE FLOCK
UP NEXT
Illinois State will learn of its postseason opportunities at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, when the NCAA Selection Show airs on ESPNU. Fans are invited to a public watch party in the Club at Hancock Stadium on Illinois State's campus. Doors to the Club will open at 7:15 p.m. and parking is available east of the stadium. Fans should use the north elevator inside the gates of Hancock Stadium to access the Club.
The Redbirds are currently sitting at No. 31 in the latest RPI report and own four wins against the AVCA's top 100 teams, including one versus a top-25 opponent in UNI. Illinois State secured 16 wins away from home this season, while posting a perfect 9-0 record at Redbird Arena, claiming a share of the MVC regular season title.
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