ISU volleyball defeats Indiana State in regular season finale

Posted on November 20, 2015

By ISU Sports Information

NORMAL – Ashley Rosch gave Illinois State volleyball fans a performance to remember as the senior outside hitter tallied a match-high 21 kills in her final game at Redbird Arena Friday night. Rosch led Illinois State to a 3-1 win over visiting Indiana State, as the Redbirds won by scores of 25-18, 21-25, 25-15, 31-29.

Aly Dawson added a double-double with 17 kills and 19 digs, while Jacqueline Twing just missed a triple-double, with totals of 50 assists, 17 digs and seven kills.
Illinois State (22-9, 12-6 MVC) will be the third, fourth or fifth seed at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, beginning Thursday, in Springfield, Missouri. The Redbirds will learn their seed and opponent at the conclusion of Valley regular-season play Saturday.

Illinois State used a five-point rally midway through the first set to take an early lead in the match. Trailing 10-9, the Redbirds rattled off five-straight points, including two kills and an ace from Dawson, to help pull away. Kills from Dawson and Twing down the stretch sealed the opening set for the Redbirds.

The Redbirds shot out to a 7-1 lead in the second set, but the Sycamores clawed their way back into the match, eventually tying the score at 12-12. Indiana State (17-16, 6-12) then finished the set on a 6-2 run to even the match at one set apiece.

Illinois State jumped out to another early lead in the third set, at 7-0, but maintained the lead throughout the set this time. The Redbirds built a lead that reached as many as 10 points and never trailed in the set as Rosch tallied seven of her 21 kills.

The Redbirds used yet another quick start to the fourth set to take control. Illinois State grabbed a 5-1 lead, but yet again, the Sycamores fought their way back into the set, eventually getting to a set point at 24-23. The Redbirds scored the next two points to get a set and match point of their own, which Indiana State fought off, but the Redbirds cashed in on their fourth match point try moments later.

Illinois State will return to action Thursday at the MVC Tournament, with a quarterfinal match beginning at either 5 or 7:30 p.m.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…