TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Senior middle blocker Kyla Thomas recorded 10 kills and posted a .467 hitting percentage as she helped guide Indiana State to a 3-0 victory (25-20, 25-18, 25-20) over Loyola on Saturday evening at ISU Arena. Indiana State improves to 17-9 overall and 9-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Thomas' hitting percentage helped ISU post a .286 clip on the night which also featured nine kills each from junior middle blocker Cassandra Willis and sophomore outside hitter Kynedi Nalls. Willis also led the Sycamores blocking attack with two blocks as the team posted five on the night.
ISU posted its third conference sweep of the year as it also claimed a 3-0 victory over the Ramblers in Chicago on Oct. 10. On the night, Indiana State held Loyola to a .198 hitting percentage as it also posted 12 service errors.
Freshman libero Danielle Waedekin led the back row with 11 digs while sophomore outside hitter Bree Spangler had eight. Junior setter Erika Nord dished out 31 assists in the match, accompanied by seven digs.
In set one, ISU opened up the match with three straight points to help separate itself from the Ramblers (7-17, 3-12 MVC). Loyola would come within two as ISU held a 20-18 advantage after an Emily Carr kill. A kill from Nalls combined with a Spangler service ace helped make it 23-19.
ISU finished off the set on a kill by freshman outside hitter Sarah Peterson, who chipped in seven on the night.
Hitting a staggering .524 in set two, Indiana State made just one hitting error as it posted a 25-18 victory. The Ramblers came within two at 10-8 on a kill but ISU went on a 6-2 run to open up the set. Willis and Thomas combined for big hits for the victory going into the break.
Neither team hit well in set three, as ISU posted a .154 compared to Loyola's .156. Thomas recorded five of her 10 kills in the final frame, including back-to-back kills to make it 22-16. Another Thomas kill combined with one from Nalls to close the 3-0 victory out with a 25-20 win.
Indiana State wraps up league road play with a trip to Drake and Northern Iowa next Friday and Saturday.
For the latest information on the Sycamore Volleyball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
