DES MOINES AND CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - The Illinois State volleyball team will seek to get back on track after dropping three-straight matches and losing five-of-six matches as the Redbirds (8-8, 1-4) will take on Drake (second in the Missouri Valley Conference team) and UNI (MVC leader).
SCHEDULE
-Friday at 6 p.m. CT: at Drake (12-5, 3-1 in 2022) | WATCH | LIVE STATS
-Saturday at 7 p.m. CT: at UNI (11-6, 4-0 in 2022) | LISTEN | LIVE STATS
FOUR-SET LOSS TO BRADLEY
Illinois State won the third set at Bradley but lost in four sets to the Braves in four sets, despite a career-high 12 kills for freshman Regan Haith. All five Redbird freshmen played for the second-straight match and second time this season with all five recording at least one kill for the first time in 2022.
3,257 FANS IN REDBIRD ARENA
Illinois State's 3,257 fans at 9/30's match against Valparaiso is the most in the MVC for home matches since the Redbirds drew 3,850 on 9/13/19 against Illinois. The Redbirds' crowd more than doubled the next closest MVC for home matches (UNI vs GCU - 1,563 on 9/10/22). The 3,257 fans are the most in the state of Illinois this season (next closest: Illinois vs #5 Purdue - 2,648 on 9/30/22) and the most the Redbirds have drawn against a mid-major in 20 years (vs Southern Illinois - 3,597 on 9/29/02).
'BIRDS BEAT NO. 25 ILLINOIS
Illinois State defeated No. 25 Illinois on Saturday in five sets. The Redbirds have now won back-to-back matches against ranked Illinois teams (9/13/2019). The 'Birds won against the Fighting Illini on a neutral court for the first time since 1980 (lost four-straight).
5TH-SET COMEBACKS
Illinois State already has a pair of improbable comeback wins in 2022, defeating Cincinnati (trailed 9-3 in fifth set) and Green Bay (trailed 7-2 in fifth set) in five-set thrillers, despite trailing after three sets.
MILESTONE WATCH 👀
Senior Sarah Kushner became the 17th Redbird to reach 1,000 career digs in 9/2/22's five-set victory over Green Bay. Kushner became the seventh Redbird to reach the 1,000 mark in both kills and digs as she is at 1,037 kills and 1,115 digs entering 10/7/22. Kushner became the 22nd Redbird to reach 1,000 career kills at Indiana State on 9/24/22.
Senior Kaity Weimerskirch passed Mallory Leggett for fifth on the career digs list. Weimerskirch is at 1,509 digs entering 10/7/22. Fourth on the list is not out of reach, but Weimerskirch will be hard-pressed to make the jump as Chris Rehor-Federico finished her Redbird career with 1,806 digs.
Sophomore Katelyn Lefler is on track to become the 17th Redbird to reach 1,000 career assists as she is at 940 assists entering 10/7/22.
Teammate and junior Nora Janka may beat Lefler to the punch, or is at least is on pace become the 18th Redbird to reach 1,000 career assists as she is at 945 assists entering 10/7/22.
NEW HEAD COACH
Allie Matters is in her first season at Illinois State after four seasons at Wright State. Matters is joined by Matt DePauw (previously at Central Michigan) and Hayden Wagner (previously at Cincinnati).
PRESEASON ALL-MVC
Redbird seniors Kaity Weimerskirch and Sarah Kushner (both First Team All-MVC in 2021) were named Preseason All-MVC by the conference's 12 head coaches. ISU's two selections took up a third of the preseason team as only players were selected.
PRESEASON FAVORITES
High expectations await the 2022 Illinois State team as the Redbirds were picked by the MVC's 12 head coaches to win the conference. The 'Birds received five first-place votes.
NCAA TOURNAMENT IN 2021
The 'Birds made their fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021.The 'Birds are one of only 21 teams in the nation that have made it to each of the last four NCAA Tournaments. Illinois State will seek to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-straight season for the first time in program history in 2022.
For all latest on Illinois State volleyball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
