VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Illinois State volleyball team topped Valparaiso in four sets (25-22, 25-23, 18-25, 25-14) in the first of three tough matches ahead, improving to 16-12 on the season and 12-4 in Missouri Valley Conference play. With the loss, the Beacons fall to 18-8 and 9-6 in conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Valparaiso jumped out to a 3-0 lead to start the match, leading the Redbirds by four early in the opening set. The 'Birds were able to diminish the Beacons' lead to one behind back-to-back blocks, including a solo from Nicole Lund and a block assist featuring both Lund and Aliyah Moore, but Valparaiso regained a four-point lead with their own run. Once the Redbirds took the lead at the 19-18 point in the set, the Beacons could never find the answer as ISU won, 25-22.
The second set began almost identical to set one with Illinois State finding themselves down early on before four different Redbirds played a part in a 4-0 run to tie the set up at nine. ISU maintained control of the set from that point on, holding off a late Valpo run to go up 2-0 after the first two sets.
The Beacons were able to take advantage of ISU's six errors and low hitting percentage to get the set three win, but the final set would be all ISU to take the match. Tamara Otene recorded three-straight kills to give the 'Birds a 17-11 advantage and from that point on the Beacons could never come closer than five, as Illinois State closed out on a 6-0 run that featured four Sarah Kushner kills, three of which were consecutive. Illinois State limited Valpo to just four kills in the final set of the match, while the Redbirds finished with 14 kills in set four on their best hitting percentage of the night at .379.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Sophomore Tamara Otene notched her fifth double-double of the season nailing a match-leading 18 kills and a career-best 17 digs.
- The Missouri Valley Conference double-double leader, Sarah Kushner recorded her 18th double-double effort of the 2021 campaign, finishing with 12 kills and 13 digs. Kushner finished with 15 points in the Redbirds' win, joining the 1,000-career points club with 1,002.5 now in her Illinois State career.
- Freshman Aliyah Moore joined Otene and Kushner in leading the Redbird offense, posting 10 kills for her second-straight double-digit kill effort.
- Nicole Lund finished with a match-leading eight blocks, including three solo blocks, while adding eight kills for the Redbirds.
- One of four Redbirds with a double-figure dig effort, libero Kaity Weimerskirch finished with 15 digs marking the 26th time in 28 games that she has had at least 10 digs.
- Illinois State's setting duo of Katelyn Lefler and Nora Janka finished with 25 and 20 assists, respectively with Lefler also adding 15 digs.
QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH LEAH JOHNSON
On tonight's win over Valparaiso:
"I think what ultimately was the difference for us in this game was how he handled the transition. Our defensive transition was slow to start, but I'm proud of the progress we made throughout the game as well as the smart attacking we had out of transition. I'm really proud of Tam (Tamara Otene) and how she excelled not only offensively like we all see night in and night out, but also the defensive effort she had getting the double-double with a career-best 17 digs."
UP NEXT
The Illinois State volleyball team will be back in action tomorrow, November 13 at 6 p.m. against MVC leader Loyola-Chicago. Fans who plan to attend the match at Loyola-Chicago will be required to present a COVID-19 vaccination card (the actual card, not a photo) at the entrance to Gentile Arena. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated must provide proof of a negative test result from within 72 hours prior to game time. Masks are required at all Loyola volleyball matches at Gentile Arena and in all buildings on Loyola's campuses. This applies to all campus visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Children under 12 years of age will be admitted to Gentile Arena without a vaccine or negative test but are required to wear a mask (three years and younger excluded).
For all latest on Illinois State volleyball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
"four" - Google News
November 13, 2021 at 10:56AM
https://ift.tt/3wKHwIF
Redbirds Top Valparaiso in Four Sets - Illinois State Athletics
"four" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ZSDCx7
https://ift.tt/3fdGID3
No comments:
Post a Comment