COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Illinois State volleyball team (7-5) fell in five sets to the Dayton Flyers (7-6) on Saturday afternoon to wrap up the Buckeye Invitational. Freshman Sarah Kushner was selected to the all-tournament team.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> The opening set featured long rallies to start, before a 4-0 run by ISU made it 6-5 in favor of the Redbirds behind three kills from Kaylee Martin. The junior's fifth kill of the match forced Dayton to use a timeout, sitting at a 12-7 deficit. The Redbirds held a 19-13 advantage behind Taylor Lynch's third kill after earning her first career start on the right side. A solo block by Stef Jankiewicz pushed ISU to 20 points, before Dayton responded with a scoring run with the Redbirds ahead, 22-17. Martin's match-leading seventh kill brought ISU to set point, before a dump by Jankiewicz gave the Redbirds the 25-19 opening-set win.
Set 2 >> ISU's balanced offense helped ISU take a 7-4 advantage with kills across the front row from Martin, Lund and Lynch. An attacking error by Dayton made it 10-5 in favor of the Redbirds, as the Flyers used their first timeout of the set. Out of the break, Dayton responded with a 12-1 run to jump out to a 18-12 advantage, before a kill by Martin crushed the Flyers' run. Back-to-back kills by Lynch helped the redshirt freshman reach seven in the match, forcing Dayton to use its final timeout holding onto a 21-18 lead. An attacking error by Dayton brought the Redbirds within one to continue their comeback, but the Flyers held on for the 25-21 second-set win.
Set 3 >> Jankiewicz delivered back-to-back service aces to push ISU ahead, 6-5, early on in the third set. Holt's fourth kill of the match helped the Redbirds to their largest lead in the set, as ISU held a 10-8 advantage. Jankiewicz's third ace of the set gave the Redbirds a 15-11 lead to force Dayton to call a timeout. Out of the break, the Flyers responded with a pair of quick points, but an attack out of the back row by Martin kept ISU sitting at a five-point lead. A service ace by Kushner brought the Redbirds to set point, before a kill by Holt helped ISU take the third set, 25-19.
Set 4 >> It was a back-and-forth battle to start the fourth set, as Dayton used a timeout after its second attacking error of the set to give ISU a 9-6 advantage during a 3-0 scoring run. Dayton responded with a 6-0 scoring run of its own to hold a 14-11 lead midway through the set. A kill by Martin, and block by Jankiewicz and Lund, brought the Redbirds within one before another attacking error by the Flyers leveled the set at 14-all. The Flyers charged ahead for a 21-17 lead, before ISU responded with a 3-0 scoring run on kills by Martin, Holt and Jankiewicz to come within one. Dayton held on for the 25-23 win in the fourth to force the match into a fifth set.
Set 5 >> Lund and Lynch teamed up on the block in the deciding set to knot the score at three-all, before Holt's 10th kill gave ISU the 4-3 edge. A dump by Jankiewicz gave the setter her fifth kill of the match to force Dayton to burn a timeout, trailing ISU by four. The Flyers responded with a 5-0 scoring run to hold the 12-11 advantage, before holding on for the 15-13 fifth-set win.
LEADING THE FLOCK
UP NEXT
Illinois State will open Missouri Valley Conference play at Redbird Arena next weekend, when it hosts Missouri State and Southern Illinois.Â
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