Box Score GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Senior outside hitter Bree Spangler recorded her 1000th dig Friday night while also knocking down seven kills but it wasn't enough as the Sycamores fell to Wichita State in four sets (25-13, 25-23, 25-23, 25-18) at the ISU Arena.
Spangler, a Coldwater, Michigan native, becomes just the fourth player in program history to join the prestigious 1,000 Dig & 1,000 Kill Club. She also joins teammate Stephanie Bindernagel with 1,000 career kills when she did it last weekend at Southern Illinois. The duo are the first Sycamores to go for 1,000 digs since 2011.
Kynedi Nalls led the way for the Sycamores on the offensive side of the ball with a team-high 16 kills. Cassie Kawa also hit double-digit kills with 10 in the match. Rachel Griffin finished with 24 assists while Halle Lueck tallied 19. Shannon Murphy led all players with 14 digs.
Wichita State came out of the gate with all the momentum, jumping out to an 8-2 lead in the opening set. Jody Larson powered the Shockers to a 25-13 set win after recording four of her 14 kills in the set.
Indiana State led by as many as four points in the second set at 20-16, but WSU used a pair of dump attacks from Shocker setter Emily Hiebert to help rally Wichita State to even the score at 20. The Shockers would end the set on a 5-3 run to take a commanding 2-0 lead heading into the break.
Indiana State saw its best hitting set of the night come in the third set, recording a .244 attacking percent The back-and-forth affair went in favor of the Sycamores thanks in part to a steady barrage of kills from Nalls, who recorded six of her 16 kills in the set. WSU rallied during the final points to pull within one, but a timeout from ISU and Nalls kill secured the set win.
Wichita State would answer back though with an early run in the fourth and final set to gain much of the momentum, leading 10-4. It would be enough as the Shockers would cruise to the set win and match.
Mikaela Raudsepp led a trio of Shockers with double-digit kills with 16 on the night. Jody Larson had 14 kills while Tabitha Brown went for 11. Hiebert finished with a match-high 45 assists.
Indiana State returns to action Saturday night as they play host to Missouri State at 7 p.m. at the ISU Arena.
