KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
Indiana State returns home to host Chicago State Thursday, Illinois State Friday
CHICAGO, ILL. ? The Indiana State Sycamores won the opening set but could not keep that momentum going, dropping the next three sets to the home standing Loyola Ramblers and losing 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 20-25) Tuesday night in the first of three games this week.
Indiana State (7-5 on the season) returns home to host the Chicago State Cougars Thursday night and then open Missouri Valley Conference action on Friday by hosting the Illinois State Redbirds. Both games begin at 7 p.m. (ET) in the ISU Arena.
Sophomore Morgan Dall entered the contest ranked 43rd in the nation (out of 250 ranked) in kills per set (4.02 kps) and did nothing to hurt that average Tuesday night. Dall hit her average against Loyola by knocking down 21 kills in a career high 67 attempts to lead the Sycamore offense. Dall is also ranked 48th nationally in points per set (4.54) and recorded a team high 21 points against Loyola. She also recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 12 digs to go along with the 21 kills.
Junior Stacy Qualizza and sophomore Christie Fullenkamp had 10 kills each as Qualizza had a team high .400 attack percentage and Fullenkamp had a career high .304 attack percentage. Freshman Loni Mackinson recorded 43 assists, the third time this season she had recorded over 40 assists in a game. Junior Kiya James led the defense with 13 digs while sophomore Auriel Armstrong had four blocks.
The Sycamores took control early in the opening set and built a 17-12 lead after an Armstrong kill. The Ramblers rallied and were able to cut the deficit down to one, 20-19, after an Indiana State error. The Sycamores regained their composure and didn't allow Loyola to get in front, closing out the 25-22 set win on a Dall kill.
Loyola led most of the second set with the Sycamores coming back from a 13-8 deficit to knot the score at 16 on a Qualizza kill and then taking the lead off a Loyola error. The Sycamores had the last lead at 19-18 after an Armstrong kill. The Ramblers regained control with a five point run to take a 23-19 lead and held on to even the game at a set each with a 25-22 win in the second set.
Indiana State started off slow in the third set and found themselves down by 11 points, 20-9, late in the set. The Sycamores would not quite and nearly pulled off a remarkable rally. Three Qualizza kills, a kill by Dall, and a Mackinson service ace were part of a 12-3 Sycamore run that brought ISU back to within two, 23-21, late in the set. Loyola got to set point off a Sycamore error but a Dall kill and an ace by junior Shelbi Fouty cut the deficit to one at 24-23. The Ramblers were able to escape with a 25-23 win.
The Sycamores were never able to gain control of the fourth set as Loyola led from start to finish defeating ISU 25-20 and taking the game 3-1.
After opening the game with a .455 hitting percentage in the opening set, the Sycamores struggled in the next three and finished with a .197 hitting percentage. Loyola had a .288 hitting percentage and had 59 kills to the Sycamores 52.
