NORMAL, Ill. – For the second-straight year, Illinois State (8-5, 1-0 MVC) opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a sweep of Missouri State (3-12, 0-1 MVC).
The Redbirds hit at a season-high .344 clip, while holding the Bears to a .020 hitting percentage. Junior Kaylee Martin turned in an impressive .621 hitting percentage, finishing with a three-set career-high 20 kills.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1 >> With Carley Nicholson behind the service line, the Redbirds opened the first frame on a 7-3 run, as the Redbirds called an early timeout trailing 12-5. Six early kills from Martin, and one apiece from Emmy Ogogor, Sydney Holt and Stef Jankiewicz pushed ISU out to a 16-8 lead, as Missouri State used its final timeout at an eight-point deficit. At the end of the first set, the Redbirds were hitting .357, to the Bears' -.115 clip, to take the opening set, 25-14.
Set 2 >> A block at the net by the Bears helped MSU sit at its largest advantage – four points – to force ISU to call a timeout. Out of the break, the Redbirds chipped away at the visitors' lead, as a kill by Ogogor on an overpass helped ISU take the 11-10 lead. The Redbirds continued their momentum, carrying a 5-1 scoring run out of an MSU-called timeout, before Holt's fifth kill gave the second set to ISU, 25-15.
Set 3 >> ISU didn't let up on the gas pedal, as the Redbirds opened on a 9-1 scoring run behind four more kills from Martin to sit at a .579 hitting percentage and a match-leading 13 kills with Nicholson back behind the service line. The Bears bounced back with a 4-1 run to force ISU to call a timeout after back-to-back blocks by MSU. Martin's 17th kill of the match gave the Redbirds a 19-10 advantage, before ISU charged ahead for the 25-14 third-set win.
LEADING THE FLOCK
UP NEXT
The Redbirds continue MVC competition tomorrow, when they host Southern Illinois. First serve is set for 5 p.m.
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