Redbird volleyball wins home MVC opener

Posted on September 23, 2016
ISU Volleyball celebration
Illinois State captured a four-set win over visiting Loyola. (Photo courtesy goredbirds.com)

By WJBC Staff

NORMAL – The Illinois State volleyball team earned a 3-1 win over visiting Loyola in the Redbirds’ Missouri Valley Conference home opener Friday night at Redbird Arena. Illinois State won by scores of 25-15, 18-25, 25-14, 25-17.

After dropping a close second set and heading into the break tied at one set apiece, Illinois State (9-5, 2-0 MVC) bounced back in a big way in the third, and kept the momentum going in the fourth in Friday’s conference win.

Jaelyn Keene and Aly Dawson racked up 15 kills each for Illinois State, as Jordan Weatherless dished out a match-high 44 assists. Courtney Pence led four Redbirds posting double-digit digs, with 21, while Keene was in on five of the Redbirds’ seven blocks.

Dawson (15 kills, 10 digs), Weatherless (44 assists, 10 digs) and Lexi Varga (10 kills, 10 digs) all posted double-doubles in Illinois State’s win.

Loyola (5-9, 0-1 MVC) led early in the first set and didn’t let the Redbirds take the lead until three-straight points gave Illinois State a 9-7 lead. After Loyola knotted up the score at 11-11, the Redbirds answered with a 9-1 run that chewed up both Loyola timeouts. Illinois State then finished strong by scoring five-straight points to end the first set, including a pair of aces from Dawson.

The script was flipped in the second set as Loyola pulled away with a mid-set run and finished with a pair of aces. A 7-2 run for the Ramblers helped the visitor’s take the lead, only to see the Redbirds come back to tied it up at 18-18. Loyola scored seven-straight points to finish off the set and even the match, with two of the points coming on Quinn Spieker aces.

Illinois State regained control of the match in the third set, while providing the biggest momentum swing in the contest. A six-point binge early helped the Redbirds grab a seven-point lead at 13-6. Key kills down the stretch from Dawson – including the set winner – helped the Redbirds take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Redbirds continued to roll in the fourth set, using a 5-1 rally to break a 9-9 tie. A pair of late kills from Lexi Wallen helped get the Redbirds to a set and match point, and an ace from Pence helped the Redbirds finish off the win.

Illinois State returns to action Saturday, hosting Bradley at 7 p.m. at Redbird Arena.

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