KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
SPRINGFIELD, MO. – The Sycamore volleyball team could not keep the momentum after winning the third set, falling to the Missouri State Bears 3-1 (19-25, 20-25, 25-21, 8-25) in the Hammonds Student Center in front of a crowd of 421.
It was the second straight loss in Missouri Valley Conference play for Indiana State, who opened the season on Friday with a 3-0 loss at No. 20 Wichita State. The Sycamores (4-9 overall and 0-2 in the MVC) will return home to being a three-game home stand by hosting the Creighton Bluejays at 6 p.m. (ET) Friday in the ISU Arena.
The Sycamores had a balanced attack with seniors Jodilynne Stoker and Stephanie Volden had nine kills each while junior Ana Maira Charun and freshman Morgan Dall had eight each with sophomore Stacy Qualizza recording six kills. Volden led Indiana State with a .421 hitting percentage but the Sycamores hit just .142 as a team.
The Bears had a .333 hitting percentage with Sarah Staubach (17 kills) and Addie Foley (16 kills) doing most of the damage for Missouri State.
ISU senior Whitney Fromm had 38 assists in the game while sophomore Kiya James had 28 digs.
Indiana State took a quick 2-0 lead in the opening set off kills by Volden and Charun. Missouri State came back with four unanswered points to take a 4-2 lead and the Sycamores were not able to regain the advantage. ISU kept the set close and were within a point at 10-9 on a James service ace. That was as close as the Sycamores would get the rest of the set as the Bears took a 25-19 win.
The second set was also tight in the early going with the scored tied at two and again at four but the Sycamores were never able to get into the lead. Missouri State built their biggest lead at 21-13 before ISU fought back on two Fromm kills and one from Stoker. Indiana State clawed their way back and trailed 22-18 before the Bears called time out. The Sycamores were not able to continue the momentum, however, dropping the second set 25-20.
Indiana State took control early in the third set on two Volden kills, one by Stoker and a pair of Bears errors to take a 5-0 lead. The Sycamores held the advantage until Missouri State tied the set at 11-all. The Bears moved out in front 18-15 but a Qualizza kill, a Stoker ace and a Bears error tied the set at 18.
The set was tied again at 19 before the Sycamores took the lead once again off a kill by senior Kelli Whitaker. Three kills by Dall and one from Stoker sealed the deal for the Sycamores as Indiana State took the third set 25-21.
The momentum gained in the third set was lost early in the fourth set as Missouri State jumped out to a 3-0 lead and was never threatened by the Sycamores. Indiana State was limited to just eight points in the set as Missouri Stat took the set 25-8 and won the game 3-1.
Indiana State will host the Creighton Bluejays at 6 p.m. (ET) Friday, Drake at 7 p.m. (ET) Saturday, and then take on IUPUI at 7 p.m. (ET) Tuesday in their final non-conference home game of the season.
Courtesy: ISU Athletics
