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Illinois State University Athletics

Jillian Gregory Action Image vs Western Illinois
Marty Branevicius
0
Western Ill. WIU 0-7,0-0 OVC
3
Winner Illinois St. ILS 6-1,0-0 MVC
Western Ill. WIU
0-7,0-0 OVC
0
Final
3
Illinois St. ILS
6-1,0-0 MVC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Western Ill. WIU 17 13 24 (0)
Illinois St. ILS 25 25 26 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Bill Salyer

Redbirds Sweep in Home Opener Against Leathernecks

NORMAL, Ill. – With five players recording at least five kills in the match, the Illinois State volleyball team swept the Western Illinois Leathernecks on Friday night in the opening match of the 2026 Linda Herman Classic – the home opener for ISU.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Set (25-17): The teams started balanced, with the visiting Leathernecks leading by as many as three at 4-1 before the Redbirds responded, going on a pair of 6-0 runs to turn a 6-4 deficit into a 16-7 lead just past the midway point of the set. The Redbirds would maintain their nine-point margin as late as 21-12, with the hosts cruising to the 25-17 opening-set win.

Second Set (25-13): The Redbirds never trailed in the second set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead and never looked back in the 25-13 second-set win. The ISU defense was stifling all-set, as WIU had just four kills in the lopsided ISU set win.

Third Set (26-24): The visitors jumped ahead narrowly in the third set as late as 17-16 before the Redbirds added a three-point gap with a 4-0 late-set run to put ISU ahead by three at 20-17. The Leathernecks rallied late to take a one-point lead at both 21-20 and 22-21

KEY STATISTICS

  • Illinois State opened with the lineup of 1 Ruth Ziegler, 2 Emilija Arsic, 6 Logan Grevengoed, 9 Ella Craggs, 11 Jillian Gregory, 16 Abby Reck, and liberos 5 Sammi Bunch and 17 Peyton Turner
  • The Redbirds improve to 33-3 all-time against Western Illinois
  • Illinois State has a 6-1 overall record; the team's best six-match start to a season since the 2019 squad also started 6-1, reaching seven wins before picking up their second loss
  • ISU extended its winning streak to six matches after tonight's win
  • The Redbirds held Western Illinois to an attack percentage of .098, the second time this season the Birds held a team below a .100 attack percentage, and the fifth time under .200
  • Grevengoed tied for the team lead with six kills, while adding a season-high four blocks
  • Gregory added six kills while serving up a career-high three aces and adding two digs
  • Addisyn Pohl led the Redbirds with a career-high-tying six blocks, while also chipping in six kills in the three-set win
  • Reck was the fourth Redbird with six kills, as she had her six on just 11 attempts while adding a dig and a block
    • Over her last three matches, Reck has 24 kills and an attack percentage of .431
  • Ziegler had five kills and a .429 attack percentage, serving up two more aces, giving her an MVC-leading 18 through seven matches in the year
  • Craggs had a season-high three service aces while dishing out a match-high 15 assists
  • Bunch tied for the match-high with eight digs, as Turner and Arsic each had seven

NEXT UP

Illinois State meet up with the Lindenwood Lions on Saturday on the second day of the Linda Herman Classic, with first serve slated for 5 p.m. inside CEFCU Arena.

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