NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team (13-7, 6-2 MVC) closed the first half of Missouri Valley Conference play on Saturday night with a four-set win over the visiting Valparaiso Crusaders (8-14, 3-5 MVC).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> Valpo took an early lead in the opening frame, but Taylor Lynch's first kill leveled the set at four-all, before a service ace by Carley Nicholson helped ISU to a one-point edge. The Crusaders knot the set at nine-all as the back-and-forth battle continued. Kaylee Martin registered her match-leading fourth kill out of an ISU-called timeout, before ISU leveled the set at 15-all. With the Redbirds on a 6-1 scoring run, the Crusaders called their final timeout with ISU out in front, 22-19. A kill by Lynch brought the Redbirds to set point, before another kill by the redshirt freshman helped ISU secure the opening set, 25-23.
Set 2 >> The Redbirds trailed early in the second set, before a kill by Sydney Holt and service ace by Sarah Kushner gave ISU the 5-4 edge. Neither side waivered, as the battle continued, until Valpo went on a 3-0 scoring run to take an 11-8 lead. The Crusaders jumped out to a 14-9 advantage, before Paige Hilliard checked into the match and made her collegiate debut. The redshirt transfer helped kickstart a 3-0 run by the Redbirds to come within three, before a kill by Holt and dump by Nicholson pushed ISU ahead, 19-17. Back-to-back blocks Illinois State helped the Redbirds take a 2-0 lead in the match with a 25-21 second-set win.
Set 3 >> The back-and-forth battle continued in the third set, as Valpo came back to level the set at 14-all, before a serving error carried ISU to a 15-14 lead going into the media break. The scoring run continued for ISU, as Valpo called a timeout immediately out of the media timeout with the Redbirds leading 17-14. The Crusaders responded with a pair of quick points before knotted the set at 17-all to force ISU to use its first timeout. Out of the break, Hilliard checked back into the match and delivered her second kill to give ISU the one-point edge before teaming up with Holt for ISU's eighth block. The Crusaders charged ahead to secure the third set, 26-24, ending the frame on a 4-0 run.
Set 4 >> Valpo opened the deciding set on an 8-3 run to force the Redbirds to use a timeout early. ISU entered a 4-0 scoring run behind kills from Martin and Holt to come within one of the Crusaders. Out of a Valpo-called timeout, Martin delivered her first service ace of the match to even the set at 14-all. Another ace by Martin in another scoring run by ISU pushed the Redbirds ahead, 16-14. ISU took a 22-17 lead, as Holt's 12th kill helped the Redbirds hold on to a five-point lead, before taking the fourth set, 25-21, on a kill from Martin.
LEADING THE FLOCK
UP NEXT
Illinois State will close the month of October at Southern Illinois (Oct. 25) and Missouri State (Oct. 26) next weekend, before returning home to host Bradley on Nov. 1.
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