BOCA RATON, Fla. – Illinois State volleyball wrapped up play at the Owls Paradise Classic in Boca Raton, Florida, with a five-set victory over Mercer Saturday morning.
The Redbirds now shift their focus as the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference season begins Friday in CEFCU Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois State defeats Mercer in five sets: 25-27, 25-17, 25-14, 22-25, 15-8
Set 1
The first set was an immediate competitive battle between the Redbirds and the Bears with the two teams going blow-for-blow with each other and reaching a tie at 13-13. As the period waged on, neither team gave each other any ground before Mercer went on a 3-0 run to lead 21-17. As the Redbirds staved off four set points, the set ended up moving into extra points with the back-and-forth action continuing and Mercer taking the set by a final of 27-25.
Set 2
Illinois State and Mercer started off the second set similarly to the first by trading points, but the momentum swung in favor of the Redbirds as they used a 3-0 scoring run to propel them to a 12-9 advantage. Mercer did have a response, however, cutting its deficit down from seven to four at the 21-17 mark. The Bears tried their best to fully close the gap, but Illinois State held off a Mercer comeback to win the set, 25-17.
Set 3
Kills from freshman Khenedi Guest and Oliwia Caputa propelled the Redbirds to an early 5-2 lead. Mercer trimmed the lead to one point at 11-10, but Illinois State went on a 3-0 run for a 14-10 lead and did not trail from there. The Redbird lead grew to as many as 11 as Illinois State closed the set on a 7-1 run to take set three, 25-14.
Set 4
In the fourth, there would be eight ties to start before Illinois State went on a 4-0 run to make it 12-9. Mercer was able to respond and tie the score at 17-17, as the Bears held strong down the stretch winning the set 25-22, which forced a decisive fifth set.
Set 5
The fifth set started with Illinois State going on an early 5-1 run to lead 6-2. The Birds never trailed after that, leading by as many as five en route to a 15-8 set win for the overall match victory.
ILLINOIS STATE STATS LEADERS (vs Mercer)
Kills: Aida Shadewald (18)
Digs: Madison Smith (20)
Assists: Mekaila Aupiu (46)
Service Aces: Oliwia Caputa (3)
Total Blocks: Khenedi Guest (7)
ILLINOIS STATE NOTES (vs Mercer)
- Illinois State (.292) outhit Mercer (.152)
- Junior Aida Shadewald tallied her seventh double-double of 2024 (18 kills, 10 digs)
- Senior Mekaila Aupiu totaled her fifth double-double of 2024 (46 assists, 11 digs)
- Three Redbirds registered double-digit digs (Smith, Aupiu, Shadewald)
- Three Redbirds recorded double-digit kills (Shadewald, Caputa, Guest)
UP NEXT
Illinois State returns home to begin MVC play as the Redbirds welcome Murray State and Belmont to CEFCU Arena on September 27 and 28.
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