Redbird volleyball drops home opener to St. Louis

Posted on September 1, 2016
Jaelyn Keene
Jaelyen Keene and the Illinois Sttae volleyball team lost to St. Louis on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy GoRedbirds.com)

By ISU Sports Information

NORMAL – Danielle Rygelski and the Saint Louis volleyball team spoiled Illinois State’s home opener at Redbird Arena Wednesday, as the Rygelski-led Billikens scored a straight-sets win over the Redbirds. Saint Louis won by scores of 25-18, 25-22, 25-23.

Rygelski paced the Billikens with a match-high 26 kills, including 14 in the first set. Rygelski tallied her kills on 45 attempts and finished the match with a .444 hitting percentage. All three sets Wednesday ended with a kill from Rygelski.

Illinois State was led by Aly Dawson’s team-high 15 kills. Lexi Wallen added a career-high 11 kills. Jacqueline Twing dished out a team-high 20 assists and Courtney Pence tallied 15 digs to lead the Redbird back row.

Saint Louis (1-3) started strong by winning a close opening set. A 6-1 run midway through the set helped the Billikens turn a one-point lead into a six-point advantage, and key kills from Rygelski down the stretch sealed the first set for the visitors.

Illinois State (1-3) ran out to an early lead in the second set only to see the Billikens come storming back. With Illinois State leading 17-10, Saint Louis ran off eight of the next nine points to tie it up at 18-18. SLU then outscored the Redbirds 7-4 down the stretch, capping the second-set win with yet another kill from Rygelski.

Saint Louis appeared to be cruising to a sweep in the third set when it jumped out to leads of 10-3, and later 17-7, forcing Illinois State timeouts after each run. But the Redbirds battled back, trimming the Billiken lead to as little as just one point at 21-10. Saint Louis finished strong, however, and sealed the sweep with Rygelski’s 26th kill of the match.

Illinois State returns to action Friday when it begins play at the Tiger Invitational in Columbia, Missouri. The Redbirds will face Miami (Ohio) Friday, and Rice and Utah on Saturday at Mizzou’s Hearnes Center.

 

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…