Post-Match Notes

Final stats

Aug. 29, 2008

MILWAUKEE - Sophomore outside hitter Mallory Leggett and senior right side hitter M.C. Richmond combined for 25 kills, and senior setter Erin Lindsey moved into second-place on the all-time career assist list with 38 set-assists, but the Illinois State volleyball team (0-1) was outlasted by No. 18 Iowa State (1-0) in a four-set affair (21-25, 25-23, 16-25 and 21-25) in the first-round of the Panther Invitational at the Klotsche Center Friday morning.

Junior libero Kasey Mollerus and Richmond each tallied 12 digs to pace the Redbirds' defensive effort, and Illinois State had eight blocks, led by Lindsey's four terminations, including two solo stops. Iowa State was led by outside hitter Victoria Henson's 17 kills (.303 hitting percentage), and Maroa, Ill., native Rachel Hockaday's 11 kills, seven digs and two blocks. Lindsey needed just 29 of her 38 set-assists to pass predecessor Kelly Rikli for second-place on the all-time career set-assist list.

"I think we are doing a lot of really good things right now, and it definitely showed in that second-set comeback," said head coach Melissa Myers, who made her debut as the Redbirds' head coach. "We weren't always connecting, and some of the things we executed well didn't always end in scored points. But we really did a good job of thinking things through and making some good decisions. This morning's match was a good one for us to gauge where we are at, against a very good team."

The Cyclones held a 59-49 edge in kills, out-assisted the Redbirds 57-46, and held a 14-dig (63-49) advantage. Iowa State had nine blocks to Illinois State's eight. The Cyclones hit .246 for the match.

Iowa State claimed an early 5-1 lead in the first set, before the Redbirds countered with a 7-3 run to tie the score at 8-8. Peggy Riessen, Hailey Kelley and Katie Culbertson, making her first career start as a middle blocker, each tallied kills in the stretch. The Cyclones re-claimed their lead coming out of the timeout, and never surrendered the advantage, despite seeing the Redbirds trim the lead to just one-point seven times in the ensuing 11 points.

Iowa State stretched its set one lead to 18-13, forcing Illinois State into its first timeout of the match. The Redbirds trimmed the lead to just two, 21-19, after Culbertson, Richmond and Kelley recorded back-to-back-to-back kills. But the Cyclones finished the frame on a 4-2 spurt, and claimed the 25-21 win after All-SEC middle blocker Jen Malcom and Kaylee Manns combined for an assisted block.

Iowa State either held the lead, or maintained a tie, through the first 44 possessions of the second set. But Illinois State mounted a comeback to take its first lead of the match, 23-22, following a kill by Leggett. Lindsey followed with a solo block to force match point, and the `Birds tallied the win two points later after Lindsey sent a dump kill into the back right corner for the 25-23 win.

The third set was a back-and-forth affair through the first 20 points, before Iowa State took control with a 4-0 run with Henson behind the service line. The Cyclones grabbed a 14-9 lead, and never let the Redbirds get any closer than six points for the remainder of the stanza. Henson's set-winning kill gave Iowa State the nine-point lead and win, its largest lead of the frame.

"Our passing broke down a little bit in that third game, which limited us when trying to get our offense going," Myers said. "It really put us in a bind. They (Iowa State) were on a five-point run when I called the timeout, and during that stretch, you could almost see it in their eyes, as our passing was breaking down. Their confidence grew, and our efficiency took a bit of a hit."

The Redbirds fell behind by as many as six points early in the fourth set, before recording a 7-3 lead to pull within two, 16-14. The Cyclones answered with a 3-0 spurt to re-claim a five-point (19-14) lead. Illinois State then countered with a 3-0 spree to pull back within one, 19-18. Lindsey and Leggett had kills in the stretch, and Riessen, who served four-consecutive points, had a service ace.

The Redbirds mounted a last-chance effort down the stretch, and pulled within 23-21 after Lindsey and Richmond combined on an assisted block. But Malcom answered with a block, and Lindsey's ensuing attack went long to end the set and match.

Illinois State will continue play in the second-round of the Panther Invitational Friday against Ole Miss beginning at 5 p.m.