NORMAL, Ill. – In a game of runs, the Illinois State volleyball team ran away with a 3-0 sweep of DePaul in its lone exhibition match of the 2018 season for a final preseason tune-up at Redbird Arena on Saturday afternoon.
QUOTING COACH JOHNSON
On the team's energy…
"Our athletes compete and I think that is what it means to put on an Illinois State jersey and be a Redbird. I think our students expect that, I think our fans expect that and I know I do. Our team takes ownership over the level they want to compete at and our athletes compete."
On having the opportunity to play in an exhibition match…
"It is tremendous for us. It is only the second year that the NCAA has allowed the sport of volleyball to play in one, and our schedule was set last year, so this is the first time we have been able to do it and we felt it was a good addition. We got to use a couple of different lineups today and it gave our players the opportunity to work through the jitters, and our fans an opportunity to see us play at home."
On the newcomers' performance…
"I am excited, because I think it is a testament to what the team did to lift them up in their first against-opponent situation. I am excited for them. It was their opportunity to choose to be nervous, or choose to be aggressive, and they chose to be aggressive, which I am excited about. Marissa (Stockman) had a chance to demonstrate to her teammates how to she could score, both as a freshman and a as a middle, and I think she did that. She is powerful, she is high and she is confident, and we needed to see what her next level looks like and we got to see that."
On Stef Jankiewicz's serving…
"It was awesome. Stef went on some serious runs for us, she located the ball and we were able to move her around. Our serving has been a premium focus in the practice gym, and we saw today that Stef has command at a top-end range."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> Back-to-back kills by Ali Line pushed Illinois State ahead, 14-7, while a hitting error by DePaul gave the Redbirds a 15-7 advantage at the first media break. A kill by newcomer Kaylee Martin kick started a 7-3 run by the Redbirds, which included a trio of serving aces, with a pair from Stef Jankiewicz, to force DePaul to call a timeout with a 20-9 Redbird lead. Illinois State continued to produce at the net, closing out the first set with a 25-12 opening-set win.
Set 2 >> After DePaul went on a 3-0 run, Illinois State called a timeout to regroup, responding with a 4-0 run and a 15-14 lead of its own. Another run by the Redbirds, this time a 7-0 push, forced DePaul to burn another timeout, as Illinois State held the 22-15 advantage. A hitting error, followed by a third serving ace by Jankiewicz and Marissa Stockman's fifth kill, help the Redbirds secure the second set, 25-15.
Set 3 >> Five-straight points by Illinois State propelled the Redbirds to a 10-7 lead over DePaul. Hitting .500 to open the third set, sophomore Briana Kipp recorded a trio of kills, before finishing with four in the match, for an early 13-9 lead for the Redbirds. Illinois State sealed the 25-16 third-set win, closing on a 6-1 run, as Lexi Varga's 10th kill of the match secured the 3-0 sweep for the Redbirds. Â
LEADING THE FLOCK
- Two Redbirds – Martin and Varga – finished the match with double-digit kills.
- Courtney Pence led the team in digs, while Jankiewicz tallied the most assists for the Redbirds.
STAT OF THE MATCH
- Jankiewicz accounted for five of Illinois State's seven service aces against the Blue Demons.
UP NEXT
Illinois State is set to open the 2018 regular season at the Benson Hospitality Invitational, hosted by the Georgia Bulldogs, Aug. 24-25. The Redbirds will open with a match against Furman on Friday, before finishing the two-day tournament against Coastal Carolina and Georgia on Saturday.
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