EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Indiana State volleyball secured back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1981-82 with a 3-1 victory over Evansville on Friday night inside Carson Center. It marks the second time ever in the program's 38-year history to post back-to-back positive marks.
Four players hit and posted digs in double-digits on Friday evening, with senior middle blocker Cassandra Willis leading the way on the attack with 18 kills while sophomore libero Stephanie Bindernagel added 18 digs. As a group, the Sycamores hit .296 in the match and recorded 12 team blocks. Junior middle blocker Melody Burdette and junior right side Kynedi Nalls each chipped in 12 kills while redshirt senior Carly Wishlow added 10.
Adding to the Sycamores' 72 digs along with Bindernagel were sophomore setter Rachel Griffin with 10 and 29 assists for her third career double-double in the win. Junior outside hitter Bree Spangler (11) and junior defensive specialist Shannon Murphy (10) had nice numbers in the back row.
ISU claimed the set one victory, 25-17, backed by a .364 hitting percentage and four kills from redshirt senior Carly Wishlow. Despite another above .300 hitting percentage in the second, Indiana State had a hard time stopping the Evansville attack who hit .343 with 16 kills and tied the match up at 1-1 with the 25-17 win.
The next two sets were narrow victories for the Sycamores as it took a 25-23 victory in the third set and a 2-1 lead in the match. The Purple Aces rallied from as many as six down to tie it up 22-22 on a block assist. Wishlow gave ISU the edge on a kill while junior outside hitter Bree Spangler pushed the match to set point also on a kill. Wishlow drove it home with the slam and helped the Sycamores take a 2-1 advantage.
It was a mirrored score in the fourth as Indiana State took the match, 25-23. The Purple Aces once again challenged the Sycamores, rallying from a seven point deficit in the set. UE would come as close as 22-23 after a ISU attack error but a block by Willis and Burdette along with a Nalls kill was all it needed for the win.
COACH'S CORNER
“Tonight was a great win for our team and program. Four players hitting in double digit kill and double digit blocks is a very balance night. We are definitely ready to go out tomorrow and are ready to face a good Southern Illinois team,” Indiana State head coach Traci Dahl-Skinner said.
GAME CHANGER
It was another balanced performance by the front and back row as four different players posted double-digits in kills or digs. Indiana State used a similar approach in defeating the Purple Aces earlier in the season and completed the series sweep on Friday.
SYCAMORE LEADERS
Kills – Cassandra Willis (18)
Digs – Stephanie Bindernagel (18)
Assists – Erika Nord (29)
Hitting Percentage – Cassandra Willis (13-1-19, .632)
Aces – Bree Spangler (2)
Blocks – Cassandra Willis (8)
RECORDS
Indiana State: 17-14, 6-10 MVC
Evansville: 8-21, 2-13 MVC
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
3 – Sophomore setter Rachel Griffin notched her third career double-double with 26 assists and 13 digs – one shy of her career-high in the back row
4 – Indiana State had four players in double digit kills and double digit digs
17 – 17th straight match for sophomore libero Stephanie Bindernagel to notch double-digit digs as she led ISU with 18
12 – Team blocks for Indiana State who posted 12 for the first time since it had 13 at Bradley on October 9
UP NEXT
Indiana State continues on to Southern Illinois for a Saturday night tilt in Davies Gym on Saturday. The match begins at 8 p.m. ET and is live on The Valley on ESPN3.
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.
