By WJBC Staff
NORMAL – The Illinois State volleyball team (15-6, 5-3 MVC) needed five sets to defeat Southern Illinois (14-7, 5-3 MVC), 3-2, Saturday night inside Redbird Arena.
Three Redbirds had career-high performances in the victory. Jaelyn Keene posted 22 kills, Lexi Varga had 18 kills and Jacqueline Twing dished out 62 assists, all setting career-highs in the win.
“This was a good battle,” head coach Melissa Myers said. “Both teams played hard and made some great plays. In the fifth set, we limited our errors and found a way to pull ahead at the turn.”
Illinois State used a 4-1 run to take a three-point lead, 8-5. Then, a service ace by Kaitlyn Hunt increased the Redbirds’ lead to four, 10-6, but the Saluki’s battled back and tied the set, 11-11. After SIU tied the match, there were nine more ties before ISU tallied two-straight points to end the set, 25-23. Ashley Rosch led all hitters in the set with six kills, and Ali Line added five. The Redbirds collected 19 kills as a team, while the Salukis had 14.
It was a battle early in the second set, as the Redbirds and Salukis exchanged points. Southern Illinois took a three-point advantage and forced an Illinois State timeout, but ISU regrouped and scored three-straight points to tie the match, 10-10. After another tie at the 13-13 mark, the Redbirds took the momentum with a four-point lead, 18-14, forcing a Saluki timeout. ISU never looked back, as it won the set, 25-21, off of a solo block by Keene. Rosch led all hitters again with five kills, as Varga added four kills. Rosch and Aly Dawson both collected five points in the second-set victory.
The two teams traded points early in the third set and were tied, 11-11, before the Salukis tallied three-straight points to take a 14-11 advantage. Illinois State worked its way back to tie the match, 17-17, as the two teams continued to exchange points. Southern Illinois scored two-straight points to take a 24-22 advantage, but back-to-back kills by ISU tied the match, 24-24. Rosch recorded a service ace for a one-point advantage, but the Salukis quickly tied the game again, 25-25. After several lead changes, SIU won the third set, 31-29.
Like the first three sets, ties and lead changes showcased much of the fourth set until Southern Illinois took a four-point lead, 18-14. The Redbirds weren’t able to get closer than three late in the match, as they fell, 25-18, forcing a fifth set.
Three-straight kills gave the Redbirds a 7-5 lead early in the fifth set. The momentum stayed with the Redbirds, as four-straight points put ISU on top, 13-8. Southern Illinois battled back, but it wasn’t enough as Illinois State won the fifth set, 15-12, winning the match, 3-2. In the final set, Keene led the Redbirds with three kills and 3.5 points.
ISU hits the road for a midweek match at Indiana State Tuesday. The match is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. (CST).
