TERRE HAUTE, IND. - Indiana State closes out the first half of the Missouri Valley Conference season on the road this week as they travel to Normal, Ill., to take on the Illinois State Redbirds in a rare Thursday night encounter. First serve is scheduled for 8 p.m.
This is the only game of the week for Indiana State as both the Sycamores and Redbirds are travel partners in the Valley and each will have the weekend off.
Indiana State is currently 10-9 overall and 2-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference, the second straight year that the Sycamores have posted double-digit wins. Illinois State is 12-8 overall and 4-4 in the Valley having won three straight and four of their last five.
Hope Not Lost For Sycamores To Make Postseason
Indiana State can write their own destiny as the first half of the conference season ends and the second half begins. The Sycamores are just two games out of sixth place in the league standings with a 2-6 record with the top six teams in the league invited to participate in the MVC tournament. Illinois State is currently fifth at 4-4 with Southern Illinois sixth (3-4), Drake seventh (2-5), and Indiana State eighth (2-6). The Sycamores have five Valley home games remaining and five road games beginning with the Illinois State contest Thursday.
Recapping Last Weekend
The Sycamores are coming off a split last weekend on the home court as they lost to the Southern Illinois Salukis 3-1 on Friday but came back to turn the tables on Evansville Saturday with a 3-1 victory.
Indiana State let the second set slip away from them but were determined to avoid a repeat of Friday night and won the final two sets of the game to defeat the Evansville Purple Aces 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 25-11) in a Missouri Valley Conference contest played in the ISU Arena on Saturday.
Sophomore Monique Morris led the way for Indiana State with 19 kills while senior Stacy Qualizza added 17 and sophomore Molly Murphy 10. Senior Shelby Fouty had 39 assists while Morris also recorded a game high 21 digs to pace the defense. Freshman Samantha Kersting had four solo blocks. Senior Kiya James had 16 digs, sophomore Loni Mackinson 15, and Murphy 10 for Indiana State in the game.
The Indiana State volleyball team dominated the opening set but led leads slip away in the next two and eventually lost to the visiting Southern Illinois Salukis 1-3 (25-18, 22-25, 23-25, 13-25) in a Missouri Valley Conference contest in the ISU Arena Friday.
It was another career night for a pair of Sycamores as sophomore outside hitter Molly Murphy as she knocked down 14 kills in 43 attempts, both career highs, and junior right side Shea Doran had 12 kills in 32 attempts, also both career highs. Sophomore outside hitter Monique Morris had 14 kills while senior middle blocker Stacy Qualizza had 10 kills and four blocks.
Senior setter Shelbi Fouty posted her sixth double-double of the season in leading Indiana State with 41 assists and 21 digs. Senior Kiya James had 12 digs and Murphy added 11 digs which gave the sophomore her second double-double of the season.
SCOUTING INDIANA STATE -
The Indiana State Sycamores (10-9, 2-6) split a pair of Missouri Valley Conference games at home last weekend as they fell 1-3 (25-18, 22-25, 23-25, 13-25) to Southern Illinois on Friday but bounced back with a 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 25-11) win over Evansville on Saturday.
Junior outside hitter Morgan Dall continues to pace the Sycamore offense with an average of 4.58 kills per set while sophomore outside hitter Monique Morris is averaging 2.65 kills per set, senior middle blocker Stacy Qualizza 2.42 kills per set, and junior right side hitter Shea Doran 2.00 kills per set.
Senior Shelbi Fouty and sophomore Loni Mackinson continue to share the setting duties with Fouty averaging 7.68 assists per set and Mackinson 3.75 assists per set. Senior libero Kiya James keys the defense with 4.53 digs per set while paces the Sycamores in blocks with 41 this season (0.62 per set).
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE -
The Illinois State Redbirds (12-8, 4-4) have won three straight and four of their last five including a pair of 3-1 victories on the home court this past weekend with a 3-1 (25-17, 17-25, 25-19, 25-14) win over Evansville and a 3-1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-19, 25-23) win over Southern Illinois Saturday.
Sophomore outside hitter Shannon McGlaughlin leads the Redbird offense with 3.59 kills per set while sophomore middle hitter LeighAnn Hranka is averaging 3.08 kills per set. Senior setter Kristin Slauter is averaging 9.29 assists per set while junior defensive specialist Jenny Menendez is averaging 4.35 digs per set. Freshman middle hitter Emily Schneider has 71 blocks so far this season (0.96 per set).
SERIES VS. ILLINOIS STATE - This is the 53rd meeting between Indiana State and Illinois State in a series which dates back to 1977. The Salukis hold a 46-6 edge in the series including a 26-1 edge in games played in Normal, Ill. Indiana State has dropped five straight to the Redbirds since posting a3-1 win in the ISU Arena during the 2008 season. Illinois State won both meetings a year ago as they swept Indiana State 3-0 in both games.
FOLLOWING THE SYCAMORES: Live stats for this weekend's games can be found at:
Live stats for the Indiana State at Illinois State game can be found at:
http://www.goredbirds.com/gametracker/launch/gt_wvolley.html?event=993431&school=ilsu&sport=wvolley&camefrom=&startschool=&
