KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? The Sycamore volleyball team got off to a slow start but rallied to defeat the Bradley Braves 3-0 (29-27, 25-18, 25-13) in the ISU Arena Saturday, their second conference win of the season and their second MVC triumph in a sweep of an opponent.
“We got off to a very slow start,” Traci Dahl, Indiana State volleyball coach, said. “I had to use both of my time outs early in the first set to settle them down and get them back on track. It ended up being a great game for the Sycamores.”
The win improves Indiana State to 6-14 overall and 2-6 in the Valley. The Sycamores will be off until Wednesday when they travel to Valparaiso for a non-confernece game against the Crusaders starting at 7 p.m. (ET). ISU will be back at home next Friday when they host the Illinois State Redbirds at 7 p.m. (ET) in the ISU Arena. Bradley falls to 9-12 overall and 0-7 in the MVC with the loss.
Sophomore Stacy Qualizza paced the Sycamore attack with 15 kills in 21 attacks with just one error for a career high .667 hitting percentage. The 15 kills equaled her career high. Junior Ana Maira Charun added 14 kills while senior Jodilynne Stoker had nine and senior Stephanie Volden added eight.
Senior Whitney Fromm had a double-double with 38 assists and 13 digs. Sophomore Kiya James led the defense with 15 digs.
The Sycamores outhit the Braves .330 to .090 with 47 kills to the Braves 31.
To say that the Sycamores got off to a slow start is an understatement as Bradley rolled out to a 16-9 lead. Indiana State fought back from there and tied the set at 17 on a block by Fromm. The set remained tight with neither team able to get more than a point advantage until near the end.
Bradley had a chance to take the opening set as they were serving for the win with a 24-22 but Charun knocked down a kill to deny the Braves the win. A kill by Volden tied the set at 24 before Bradley got the advantage back with a chance to serve for the win. Volden came through with a kill to deny the Braves a second time and tie the set at 25.
Indiana State then took the advantage and had three chances for the set win but each time the Braves rallied to tie the score. A block by Fromm and Qualizza gave ISU a 28-27 advantage and Charun knocked down the game winner to give the Sycamores a 29-27 win.
Bradley took a 3-1 lead early in the second set but the Sycamores rallied and led 10-5 after a Qualizza kill. The Braves were able to come back and took the lead twice midway through the set. Two kills by Charun, a James service ace and a block by Charun pushed the Sycamores out to a 21-17 advantage and ISU would not let the Braves back into the contest. Kills by Volden and Charun, a block by Volden and one by both Volden and Charun sealed the deal for ISU as Indiana State posted a 25-18 win in the second set.
The third set belonged to the Sycamores although the Braves were able to tie the set twice in the early going. Indiana State went up 5-1 but Bradley fought back, tying the set at five and again at six. Stoker had a kill and then served up an ace to push ISU in front 8-6 and the Sycamores never looked back. Indiana State continued to pull away and cruised to a 25-13 victory, earning the game with a 3-0 victory.
