CHICAGO – The Illinois State volleyball team (17-11, 10-6 MVC) completed the season sweep of Loyola (20-9, 13-3 MVC) on Saturday night, taking down the Ramblers in four sets behind a career night by Kaylee Martin.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> A service ace by Loyola pushed the Ramblers ahead 5-2 early, before Kaylee Martin continued her offensive production from last night with a pair of kills. An ace from Stef Jankiewicz brought the Redbirds back within one, while a kill by Monica Miller gave ISU its first lead. A kill from Sydney Holt on an overpass helped the Redbirds hold a 15-12 advantage going into the media break. ISU kept a four-point cushion until Martin delivered an ace to push the Redbirds out in front, 20-15, to force Loyola to call a timeout. A kill by freshman Kendee Hilliard helped the Redbirds reach set point, before an attacking error by the Ramblers gave ISU the 25-16 opening-set win.
Set 2 >> ISU held an early lead before an ace by Loyola gave the Ramblers a one-point edge. Loyola jumped out to an 11-8 advantage to force ISU to use its first timeout, despite a pair of kills from Miller and Martin. Loyola surged ahead by six, before ISU clawed its way back and an ace by Martin brought the Redbirds within three for a Rambler timeout. Emmy Ogogor's first kill of the match brought the Redbirds within two, sitting at a 21-19 deficit. Martin's third ace of the match helped the Redbirds come within one, before the Ramblers secured the second set, 25-23, on a call reversed on a challenge by Loyola's head coach.
Set 3 >> The Redbirds opened on a 5-1 run behind a trio of blocks by Holt, before Loyola crawled back to knot the set at nine-all. Martin registered her 16th kill to level the set at 14-all, before ISU pulled ahead on an ace by Sarah Kushner. A dump over the net by Jankiewicz – her fourth of the night – pushed the Redbirds out in front, 17-16. Loyola responded with a 3-0 run to hold a 21-20 advantage and force ISU to use a timeout. Back-to-back kills from Kendee Hilliard helped the Redbirds hold a one-point edge approaching set point. The Ramblers used a 3-0 run to reach set point, but the Redbirds battled back with a run of their own for a 27-25 third-set win.
Set 4 >> ISU pulled ahead for a 12-4 lead early in the deciding set behind four kills from Martin and an ace by the junior to force Loyola to call a timeout. The Ramblers responded with a three-point run to for the Redbirds to call a timeout holding onto a five-point advantage. Loyola fought its way back to come within three, before Martin registered her 22nd kill to give ISU a 16-12 lead. A 6-0 run by the Redbirds pushed ISU to a nine-point advantage, before the Ramblers responded with a 7-2 run to come within two of the Redbirds. A block by Holt and Miller pushed ISU to match point, before Hilliard buried her 12th kill to seal the fourth set, 25-20.
LEADING THE FLOCK
UP NEXT
Illinois State will close the 2019 regular season at home next weekend with a pair of matches against Indiana State and Evansville, before traveling to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
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