DENTON, Texas – The Illinois State volleyball team (2-0) opened its 2019 campaign with a pair of victories over the North Texas Invitational host Mean Green (0-1) and Tulsa (1-1) on Friday.
QUOTING COACH JOHNSON VS TULSA
On a pair of wins to start the season…
"To come in and have to play two matches on the first day with just one scout, because there's no video the first weekend – I'm really proud of how the team made adjustments all match long. They executed the scout report so quickly and made in-game adjustments. I'm proud of their effort and mentality for the match."
On the production by Stef Jankiewicz and Monica Miller…
"The combination of Stef and Monica was pretty impressive. We want to run a lot of right-side offense to attack their setters and the right-back defensive player. They were in a 6-2, so that exposed them a little bit defensively. Monica was in a great rhythm, Stef was continuing to find her – that combination was exceptional."
On adjustments the team had to make…
"I thought in set one, Tulsa had all cylinders clicking. We came back and made some serving adjustments and got our offense moving to the right side, instead of the left, and that changed the course of the match. That was the in-game adjustment that we really owned and took to, executing at a high level."
HOW IT HAPPENED VS TULSA
Set 1 >> It was a back-and-forth battle from the beginning, as neither team led by more than one point until the Golden Hurricane jumped out to a 14-7 lead on a 7-0 scoring run. Out of an ISU-called timeout, Sydney Holt's third kill of the match gave momentum back to the Redbirds. A kill by newcomer Sarah Kushner brought the 'Birds within two, but Tulsa held on for the 25-19 opening-set win.
Set 2 >> ISU and Tulsa continued to go back-and-forth with each other in the second set, before back-to-back kills by Stef Jankiewicz pushed the Redbirds ahead, 6-4. Five of Monica Miller's team-leading seven kills helped ISU secure the 25-20 win in the second set to level the match at one-all.
Set 3 >> Kaylee Martin continued to contribute to ISU's offense, adding a pair of kills early in the third set, before Carley Nicholson delivered the Redbirds' third service ace of the match. A pair of errors by Tulsa and Kendal Meier's second ace of the match pushed ISU out in front by three. For the eighth time in the set, the Golden Hurricane and Redbirds were tied, before ISU pulled away for the 25-22 set win. Â
Set 4 >> The Redbirds only trailed once in the match-winning set, sitting at a 6-5 deficit early on. Three-straight kills by Martin, Miller and Emmy Ogogor helped push ISU ahead. Ogogor's sixth kill of the match forced Tulsa to call a timeout with ISU out in front, 20-14. A ball-handling error by the Golden Hurricane had ISU at its largest lead in the match. The Redbirds sealed the 25-16 set win and 3-1 match win with a kill on the outside from Kushner.
LEADING THE FLOCK VS TULSA
STAT OF THE DAY
- 2 >> For the second-straight year, Illinois State opens the regular season with a perfect 2-0 record.
UP NEXT
Illinois State will conclude the North Texas Invitational on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. when it takes on Pepperdine (RV).
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