VALPARAISO, Ind. – Behind a balanced offensive attack that saw six different players record at least six kills; the Illinois State volleyball team picked up a five-set win over the Valparaiso Beacons, a revenge win for ISU after falling in five sets in Normal earlier this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set (25-21): Valparaiso started quickly, jumping out to a four-point, 12-8 lead before the Redbirds started their climb back, using a 4-0 run to tie the score at 12, and then after the teams were tied 14-14 ISU went on a 6-1 run to push ahead to a 20-15 run. The lead grew to as many as six before settling at four as the Redbirds claimed the opening frame.
Second Set (21-25): The set was a tight battle through the early stages, as the largest lead either team could get was three after ISU led the host Beacons 10-7. Valpo fought back, taking a four-point lead at 23-19, closing out the set with a four-point win.
Third Set (16-25): The Redbirds jumped up early, and the teams were tied at six; however, Valparaiso ran off four of the next five points, and would not trail again in the set, as the Beacons pulled away for the nine-point third-set win.
Fourth Set (27-25): Valparaiso scored the first four points of the fourth set, and trailing 5-1, the Redbirds scored seven of the next nine points to take an 8-7 lead. The teams found themselves tied 15-15 before ISU scored six of the next eight points to lead 21-17. The Beacons fought back to tie the score at 24 and 25; however, a Beacon service error and a Khenedi Guest kill closed the door, forcing a fifth set in the match.
Fifth Set (15-8): Playing in their first five-set match in over a month, the Redbirds pushed ahead to a 10-6 lead, stretching the margin to five at 13-8, before closing the door with an ace by Hannah Reichensperger and a kill by Aida Shadewald in the team's first five-set win since September 6 of this season.
KEY STATISTICS
- With her two aces in the match, Shadewald recorded the 127th and 128th aces of her career, which climb her into 11th in school history past Laura Doornbos (2002-05) and tied with Patti Hoppa (1993-96) in the career record book for the category
- Valparaiso's second-set win snapped a 13-set win streak for the Redbirds, after previously sweeping past Bradley, Murray State, Evansville, and Indiana State and taking the first set against the Beacons
- The extra time fourth set is ISU's 16th such set this season, the sixth-most in a season in program history
- The fifth-set match was ISU's first this season since October 11
- Illinois State tied a season-high with nine service aces
- ISU improved to 14-7 all-time against the Beacons, and the Redbirds lead the all-time series 8-2 in Valparaiso
- Arianna Rossi had double-digit digs for the 21st time this season, ending the match with 25, her seventh match this season with 20+ digs
- Oliwia Caputa had his eighth double-digit dig match of the season with 14, while adding 12 kills for third double-double of the season
- Logan Grevengoed reached double-digit kills for just the third time this season, and the first time since September 6 when she had 12 against Butler in Iowa
- Both Ella Craggs (22) and Audrey Clark (21) had double-digit assists in the match, as Clark added a match-high three service aces and Craggs nine digs
- Hannah Reichensperger had a season-high seven blocks for the Redbirds, while Khenedi Guest added five and Grevengoed four
NEXT UP
The 2025 volleyball regular season comes to its finale tomorrow night, as the Redbirds make the short trek to Chicago, to take on the UIC Flames in a 5 p.m. first serve at CreditUnion1 Arena.
