TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – A complete and efficient offensive effort by the Illinois State volleyball team, lifted the squad to a 3-1 victory over Indiana State on Friday Night in ISU Arena. The Redbirds, who with this win have won back-to-back matches, improve to 7-10 on the year and 3-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play. With their loss to the 'Birds, the Sycamores fall to 9-5 on the year and 1-3 in league play.
A balanced offensive effort, that featured three Redbirds with double figures in the kills category, was key in Illinois State's four-set victory (25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 25-19) over the Sycamores. Sophomore Tamara Otene continues to shine for the 'Birds, recording a match-high 21 kills on a .326 hitting percentage to lead the charge for ISU's trio. With 21 kills, Otene ties her four-set career-best and posts 20+ kills for the fourth time this season, including the third time in the last four games.
Junior Sarah Kushner continues to dominate throughout conference play, notching her 12th double-double of the season. Finishing with 17 kills and 15 digs, Kushner has posted double-double numbers in every Missouri Valley Conference match so far this season. The Naperville, Illinois native, was consistent throughout the Redbirds' four-set match, finishing with five kills in each of the first three sets.
Hitting above .500, freshman outside hitter Aliyah Moore concluded ISU's trio of student-athletes with double-figure kills, notching 12 on the night on a .524 hitting percentage. Moore was key in Illinois State's set one victory, nearly hitting three kills in a row mid-set to swing the 'Birds into the lead.
The 'Birds bounced back from a set two loss, notching a third set victory thanks to a kill from sophomore Allie Trame. The middle blocker carried that momentum into set four where she nailed the Redbirds' first two kills of what would be the final set. Illinois State never trailed in the final set after Trame got the squad a 2-0 lead to start and the Redbirds went on to win 25-19 in set four.
Defensively, Kaity Weimerskirch and Carley Nicholson teamed up to combine for 38 digs. Weimerskirch's team-leading 21 digs mark her 10th 20+ dig performance of the season, while Nicholson's 17 are a career-best and her most since the 2019 season.
QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH LEAH JOHNSON
On the Redbirds' win over the Sycamores:
"I'm really proud of the complete effort that we had offensively tonight. Tam (Otene), Sarah (Kushner) and Aliyah (Moore) played outstanding tonight and the team was really able to feed off of their energy. It was nice to add some depth to our line-up with (Katelyn) Lefler and KP (Kaitlyn Prondzinski) back on the floor and we're only going to continue to get stronger each match as we get into our flow and rhythm."
UP NEXT
The Illinois State volleyball team will complete their Indiana road trip tomorrow night, Oct. 9, when they face Evansville at 5 p.m. central time.
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