KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. ? The Indiana State volleyball team went toe-to-toe with the Montana State Bobcats but lost in four sets 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 21-25, 23-25) in the final game of the ISU/Drury Inn Classic Saturday night in the ISU Arena.
The Sycamores, Montana State, and SIU Edwardsville, who defeated Western Carolina 3-0 in the late afternoon game, were all tied with 2-1 tournament records. That left the tournament champion up to a complicated tie breaker formula with the SIU Edwardsville Cougars declared the tournament champions. Indiana State was second with Montana State third.
Sophomore outside hitter Morgan Dall and junior defensive specialist Kiya James were named to the All-Tournament team. SIUE's Sydney Winslow was named the tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Lexi Cibulka and Kelsey Augustine. Mackenzie Campbell of Montana State was also on the all-tournament team along with Western Carolina's Carrie Minogue.
Indiana State fell to 5-2 on the season with the loss but that is still the best start since the 2002 season when the Sycamores also started 5-2. ISU will be back in the ISU Arena on Tuesday when they host the Valparaiso Crusaders in a 7 p.m. game.
Dall led the Sycamore offense against Montana State with 15 kills while senior Ana Maira Charun had 10. Freshman Loni Mackinson had 28 assists. James had 18 digs while Dall had 13 and Mackinson 12.
Indiana State had the advantage through most of the first set but the Bobcats kept rallying to stay close. Montana State rallied from a 20-18 deficit by scoring seven of the last nine points to win the first set 25-22. The Sycamores were able to remain in control throughout the second set and evened the game at one-set each with a 25-20 victory.
The third set was tied six times with four lead changes but the Sycamores struggled to gain control of the set. Montana State used a 6-0 run midway through the set to take an 18-15 lead and Indiana State was not able to get back to even. The Bobcats held serve the rest of the set for a 25-21 win and take a 2-1 lead in the game.
The fourth set was equally hard fought with 13 ties and eight lead changes as the momentum swung constantly from one side of the net to the other. After trailing late, Indiana State rallied to take a 22-20 lead after a Charun kill. Montana State rallied to score the next four points to regain the advantage and held on for the 25-23 win and a 3-1 victory over the Sycamores.
