INDIANAPOLIS – The Illinois State volleyball team (4-1) won its second match of the Top Dawg Challenge on Saturday morning with a 3-1 victory over Auburn (2-2).
QUOTING COACH JOHNSON
On the team's defense…
"Our defense was excellent. We were very disciplined, and we were disciplined at the net as blockers, we were disciplined in the back court defensively. I really thought where it started was tough serving. We said we would have to serve flat and fast against Auburn and I thought our team went full for it. I was really proud of their confidence and aggressiveness at the service line."
On Illinois State's fight in the final two sets…
"I think the interesting thing is, it looks like we fought back, and we did, but in all honesty, I felt like we played the same level of volleyball from point in set one to point 25 in set four. I thought Auburn switched how they played in set three, so it made the gap there initially, but we were able to sustain our style and our level, and I think that was the difference. I was more impressed with us staying true to Redbird volleyball."
On variety of players used and their production…
"It was terrific to see players step up to the occasion. You go down our stat sheet and you keep thinking who the go-to is, but we can set anyone situationally and score points. We thought that was going to be a strength coming into the season and its proving itself as much, even off the bench."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> A 5-0 scoring run by the Redbirds pushed Illinois State ahead, 7-3, with a pair of kills from Ali Line. Four hitting errors by Auburn had the Tigers hitting .083, before a service ace by Alyssa Kronberg forced Auburn to use a timeout with an 11-5 lead by the Redbirds. Two more hitting errors had the Tigers hitting .000, as Auburn would finish the set with the same percentage. Illinois State closed the opening frame with a kill by Kaylee Martin for a 25-15 set win.
Set 2 >> A block at the net by Marissa Stockman and Monica Miller helped the Redbirds to an early 4-1 lead over the Tigers, as each recorded a kill in that stint for Illinois State. The Redbirds went on a 3-0 scoring run that included Stef Jankiewicz's second kill of the match to put Illinois State out in front, 9-3, forcing Auburn to use a timeout. Out of the break, the Tigers went on a 7-3 run, but the Redbirds responded with a five-point scoring run of their own to push Illinois State back out to a five-point advantage. Line's seventh kill of the match brought the Redbirds to set point, as a block by Jankiewicz and Stockman gave Illinois State a 25-17 second-set win.
Set 3 >> The Tigers came out swinging in the third set, jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead. Out of an Illinois State called timeout, Auburn scored another pair of points, before a kill by Miller ended the Tigers' hot streak to start the set. With a 6-1 deficit, the Redbirds continued to battle, but Auburn surged to a nine-point advantage – its largest in the match. Miller's second kill of the set put the ball back in Illinois State's possession, as the Redbirds were able to gain a pair of points back. Illinois State started to add pressure to Auburn, scoring three more unanswered points to force the Tigers into using a timeout with the Redbirds down, 22-17. Illinois State kept up its energy level, and pulled within two of the Tigers, but Auburn forced the match to a fourth set with a 25-22 win in the third.
Set 4 >> It was a back-and-forth battle in the fourth, as a big swing by Martin unknotted the set to give Illinois State an 8-7 lead. Four ties and a 4-0 run by the Tigers gave Auburn its largest lead of the set, as the Redbirds called a timeout, trailing 11-8. Two more Auburn points out of the break were spoiled by a Sydney Holt kill and a ball handing error by the Tigers' setter. After Lexi Varga's kill tied the set at 19-all, a high-flying Martin and a brick wall set up by Jankiewicz and Line as part of a 4-0 scoring run by the Redbirds, forced Auburn to call a timeout with a 21-19 Illinois State lead. With Illinois State ahead, 23-22, defensive specialist Kronberg dropped her second kill of the match to bring the set to match point. Auburn's 24th attack error helped the Redbirds seal their second-straight victory and fourth overall on the season.
LEADING THE FLOCK
STATS OF THE MATCH
- Illinois State held Auburn to a .000 hitting percentage in the first set.
- Marissa Stockman recorded a career-high four blocks of the team's 12 total blocks
UP NEXT
Illinois State will wrap up the Top Dawg Challenge tonight, when it takes on tournament host Butler at 6 p.m. CT at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.
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