University of Northern Iowa Athletics
University of Northern Iowa
Illinois State vs. Missouri State
Illinois State Takes Down Missouri State, 3-2
11/28/2014 1:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Top-seeded Illinois State advanced to the program's first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament final since the 2007 season with a 3-2 win over Missouri State on Friday at the McLeod Center.
Illinois State won by set scores of 20-25, 25-12, 25-23, 18-25, 15-10. The Redbirds won their 21st consecutive match this season and 19 straight vs. MVC competition. Illinois State is 25-5 overall. Missouri State fell to 20-12 overall.
Illinois State took an early 7-3 lead in the first set only to see Missouri State respond with an 8-2 to take an 11-9 advantage. The Redbirds came out of a timeout and ran off four in a row to retake the lead at 13-11. The Redbirds continued the run and pushed the lead to 15-12. MSU retied the set at 15-15 with a three-point run. With the set tied at 18-18, MSU scored three in a row to take a 21-18 lead. MSU's Olivia Brand and Simone House combined on a block to give the Bears a 23-19 lead. MSU closed out the set, 25-20. The Bears posted 21 kills and a .349 hitting percentage in the opening set. MSU's Lily Johnson and Brand each tallied nine kills. MSU's Kinsey McCarter was credited with 16 assists in the opening stanza.
The Redbirds evened the match at a set apiece with a 25-12 victory in the second. The set was tied 5-5 when the Redbirds went on a 10-1 to take a 15-6 lead. Illinois State's Ashley Rosch secured four kills in the set with a .444 hitting percentage. The Redbirds's Kaitlyn Early nearly posted a double-double in the set with nine assists and nine digs. Missouri State was held to a minus-.103 hitting percentage in the second set with five kills and nine errors.
Illinois State won a back-and-forth affair in the third set, 25-23. Missouri State scored five of the first six points. The Redbirds posted a 7-2 run to take an 8-7 lead. MSU came back with a four-point run to retake the lead, 11-8. Illinois State trailed 15-12 but scored six in a row to take an 18-15 lead. The Bears knotted it up at 19-19. The Redbirds scored two crucial points on blocks to take a 24-22 lead. Illinois State's Emily Schneider picked up a pair of blocks assists with teammates Eliza Smith and Ashley Rosch for the points late in the third set.
Missouri State forced a fifth and deciding set by scoring the final seven points of the fourth set for a 25-18 victory. The Bears led 9-5 before the Redbirds tied it up at 11-11. The Bears scored three in a row to open up an 18-15 lead only to see the Redbirds tie it again at 18-18. MSU's Lily Johnson and Andrea Beaty combined on a block assist to give MSU a 20-18 lead late in the set. The Bears hit .311 in the fourth set with 18 kills and only four attack errors.
Illinois State came from behind in the fifth set and tallied a 15-10 win. The Bears led 4-1, 6-3 and 7-4 before the Redbirds tied the set at 7-7. The Redbirds took their first lead in the final set at 9-8. The set was tied 10-10 when the Redbirds scored the final five points of the match to claim the victory.
Illinois State will play in the MVC Tournament final on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the McLeod Center against the winner of tonight's other semifinal between UNI and Wichita State.
NOTES: Illinois State had three players in double figures in kills led by Ashley Rosch (14), Jaelyn Keene (14) and Emily Schneider (11) … Illinois State's Emily Orrick tallied 30 digs … Kaitlyn Early just missed a triple-double with 49 assists, 24 digs and eight kills … Missouri State was led offensively by Lily Johnson (20 kills) and Olivia Brand (20 kills) … MSU's Maddy Hogan had a team-best 29 digs … MSU's Kinsey McCarter notched 51 assists and 19 digs.
