CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Traveling to MVC leader Northern Iowa, the Illinois State Redbirds fought despite falling in three sets, 25-18, 25-13, and 26-24.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set (18-25): The teams battled back and forth early in the set and were tied as late as 7-7 before the hosts scored five consecutive points to turn the 7-7 tie into a 12-7 Northern Iowa advantage. The Panthers gradually extended the lead in the set, closing at 25-18 after the first frame of the contest.
Second Set (13-25): Northern Iowa scored the first four points of the set, and did not trail, despite the Redbirds fighting back to knot the score at five points apiece. With ISU trailing by one at 10-9, the hosts ran off seven consecutive points, eventually securing the 25-13 set score.
Third Set (24-26): Facing a 2-0 set deficit, the Redbirds came out strong in the third, leading by as many as four at 11-7, before the hosts fought back, taking their first lead of the set at 14-13 behind a Northern Iowa 4-0 run. ISU fought back and 18-17 on the strength of a 4-0 Redbird run, and the Redbirds led 24-23; however, the hosts scored the final three points of the match to secure the 26-24 set win.
KEY STATISTICS
- The third set was the 15th time this season that ISU had a set go into "extra time", the seventh-highest single-season total in program history
- Caitlyn Little led ISU with nine kills, while adding ONE of the TWO Redbird service aces and eight digs
- Aida Shadewald had eight kills for ISU while adding five digs
- Arianna Rossi picked up a match-high 16 digs for ISU, her 15th match this season with double-digit digs
- Ella Craggs and Audrey Clark shared setter duties, with Craggs leading the team with 18 assists, while Clark had 11
- Hannah Reichensperger and Logan Grevengoed each had three blocks to lead the Redbirds, as Reichensperger added three kills and Grevengoed two
NEXT UP
The Redbirds stay in Iowa for a Saturday afternoon first serve against the Drake Bulldogs inside the Knapp Center at 5 p.m.
