Ace Hunt

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Despite double-doubles from Rachel Griffin and Bree Spangler, the Sycamores fell 3-1 to host Butler on Tuesday evening inside historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs won the first set 25-21 before the Sycamores rebounded for a 25-20 victory in set two. Butler won the final two sets 25-20 and 25-18.

Indiana State fell to 5-5 on the season while Butler improved to 9-4. The Sycamores have played each of their first 10 matches on the road but open the home and MVC schedule on Friday, September 16 when they host Bradley at 7 p.m. (ET) inside the ISU Arena. The match opens the ISU Classic which also features Western Michigan.

Griffin posted 36 assists and 15 digs for her second double-double of the season while Spangler was credited with 11 kills and 15 digs for third double-dime this year. Spangler recently became the 12th member of the ISU Volleyball 1,000 Kill Club. Kynedi Nalls led the way with 12 kills while Shannon Murphy had 17 digs.

Both Cassie Kawa and Nalls tallied four blocks each while the Sycamores were credited with nine total blocks and had a 9-6 edge in the match.

Butler scored the first five points of the first set before Indiana State scored first to draw within 5-1. The Sycamores got within 14-13 after a Nalls kill and Bulldog error. A Shannon Murphy service ace and later a Butler error got the Sycamores within two points again but the Bulldogs scored the final two points of the first set to win 25-21.

The Bulldogs would score the first two points of the second set until a Nalls kill got the Sycamores on the board. A Mackenzie Macek service ace staked the Sycamores to a brief 5-4 lead. Then a Spangler kill sparked a 4-0 run and the 9-5 advantage. Leading 17-15, the Sycamores scored four in a row as Spangler finished it off with a kill for the 21-15 lead. Nalls finished it off with a kill for the 25-20 and leveled the match at 1-1.

The Sycamores struggled to get on track in the third or the fourth set as the Bulldogs won 25-20 and 25-18.

Butler was led in the match by Anna Logan with 18 kills.

The ISU Classic is this weekend in Terre Haute beginning against Bradley on Friday, September 16 at 7 p.m. (ET) and then on Saturday against Western Michigan at 4 p.m. (ET).