KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? There was celebration on the court at the ISU Arena Friday night as the Indiana State Sycamores defeated the visiting Illinois State Redbirds 3-1 in Missouri Valley Conference volleyball action.
It was Indiana State's first win over Illinois State in three years and improves the Sycamores to 8-14 overall and 2-7 in the Missouri Valley. Indiana State is now off until Oct. 24 when they begin a two-match road swing, visiting Northern Iowa in an 8 p.m. (ET) start. The Sycamores will also be at Bradley on Saturday, Oct. 25, in another 8 p.m. (ET) start.
Illinois State fell to 10-10 overall and 4-5 in the Valley with the loss.
The match was close with every point scored. The Sycamores dropped the first set 26-24 but Indiana State rallied from there, taking the second set 25-20, the third set 26-24 and then going overtime, and coming from behind, to win the fourth set 30-28.
Junior Whitney Fromm moved into seventh place in career assists during the night, recording 55 set assists to give her 1,776 for her career. Senior Kristy Cox is now just 17 digs away from the all-team career dig lead after recording 20 against the Redbirds. Cox has 1,696 in her career at Indiana State, just behind Cheryl Berg who had 1,713 who played at Indiana State from 1998-2001.
Junior Jodilynn Stoker finished with a career high 25 kills in a career high 59 attacks to pace the Sycamores. Junior Kristin Hun had a career high 20 kills in a career high 34 attacks.
Fromm added 16 digs to her accomplishments for the night with Stoker adding 11 digs.
There were 16 ties and seven lead changes in the first set as both squads fought to gain control of the contest. Indiana State held a 17-14 lead late in the match but Illinois State rallied to tie the set at 18. The two teams traded points with the Redbirds breaking the final tie at 24 with two straight points to earn the win.
The Sycamores found themselves down 14-10 midway through the second set but fought back with four straight points to tie the set at 14-all. It was tied again at 16 when Indiana State took the lead for good on a Kelli Whitaker kill. The Sycamores would not give up the lead and earn the set win 25-20 on a Hunt kill.
The third set was just as exciting and tight as the first two as Indiana State took the early lead only to have Illinois State rally to go in front midway through the match. The Sycamores came back with the set tied four times in the late stages, the final time at 24. That is when Hunt nailed two kills off sets from Fromm to give ISU the win 26-24.
Neither team was willing to concede a point in the fourth set. The Sycamores had their biggest lead of the set at 15-11 but Illinois State rallied to tie the set at 20 and then take a 21-20 lead. A one point margin was all either team would have as the set wound down.
Each side had a chance to close out the set as the match was tied at 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28. But the Sycamores scored the final two points on Stoker kills, earning the set, and the match, win 30-28.
