NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team dominated the Bradley Braves in three sets on Tuesday night, winning 25-10, 25-17, 25-17, snapping a five-match losing skid in the process.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set (25-10): In the largest set win of the season for ISU, the Redbirds were tied 2-2 before the hosts ran off 10 consecutive points to stretch the margin to 12-2, cruising to the 15-point opening-set win.
Second Set (25-17): The second set opened as a tight battle, with the teams tied at 7-7 in the first portion of the frame, before ISU ran off a 7-1 run to stretch the lead to 14-8, and once again cruising to an eight-point set victory.
Third Set (25-17): The Redbirds scored the first three points of the third set, and seven of the first eight and never looked back, picking up the first sweep in the series between the two rivals for the first time since the 2021 season.
KEY STATISTICS
- ISU hit .370 in the match, the highest for the squad since November 15, 2024 when ISU topped Belmont, hitting .387 in the match
- Aida Shadewald led the Redbirds with 13 kills, including the match-ender, with 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season
- She has led, or shared the team lead in kills in four of her last five matches
- Her attack percentage of .462 was her highest in a match since November 24, 2024 when she hit .500 against Missouri State
- Her 10 digs are her fifth match this season in double-digits
- Ruth Ziegler reached double-digit kills for the second consecutive match, and the fifth time this season
- Her attack percentage of .400 marks her fifth consecutive match with an attack percentage over .300
- Khenedi Guest had seven kills, the ninth time in her last 11 matches that she has had seven or more, while hitting .462 against the Braves, her highest attack percentage since October 10
- She added three blocks, the 18th time this season she has had three or more in a match
- Arianna Rossi had a match-high 15 digs, giving her 974 over her NCAA Division I collegiate career between Southern Utah and Illinois State
- Ella Craggs dished out a match-high 23 assists, while adding seven digs, as Audrey Clark had a dozen assists with four digs and a service ace
- Hannah Reichensperger had a balanced match with six kills, four blocks, and four digs
- She has led, or tied for the team lead in blocks in six of her last seven matches
NEXT UP
ISU returns to action on Friday, October 31, when the team hosts the Murray State Racers inside CEFCU Arena in a 6 p.m. first serve.
