TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State will open Missouri Valley Conference play Friday when the Sycamores welcome Evansville to the ISU Arena at 7 p.m. ISU will then take on Bradley Monday evening at 7 p.m. Admission is free to all Sycamore Volleyball matches. Fans can also watch the action on The Valley On ESPN3.
Laura Gross highlighted the weekend for Indiana State as ISU hosted its first home matches of the season during the Sycamore Invitational. Gross earned Tournament MVP after notching 39 kills (3.90 k/s) in two matches. The Potomac, Illinois native recorded her seventh and eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 28 digs (2.80 d/s). Against Cal State Fullerton, the junior nearly broke her career high in kills with 21 on a .319 hitting percentage to lead the team. She also recorded 18 kills in a loss to EIU in the finale, now reaching 10+ kills in nine matches this season.
Cassie Kawa has been very efficient for the Sycamores this season, leading the squad in hitting percentage at .375 with 117 kills on 224 attacks. The sophomore sits second on the squad with 2.66 kills per set. She ranks second in the MVC and 66th nationally in hitting percentage.
Indiana State got back into the win column over the weekend, snapping a nine-match losing skid with a 3-2 win over Cal State-Fullerton. Laura Gross led the way for the Sycamores with 21 kills on 47 swings for a .319 attacking percentage. Cassie Kawa (15) and Nikkie White (11) also reached double-digit kills for the Sycamores in the match.
The defensive front for the Sycamores dominated against Cal State-Fullerton. As a team, ISU came away with 16 blocks in the match, setting a new season best in the category. After battling much of the match the Sycamores and Titans squared off in a decisive fifth set that was completely dominated by the Sycamores. ISU allowed just two points to CSF in the set en route to a 15-2 win. The Sycamores notched six blocks in the final set alone. Damadj Johnson finished with 10 block assists in the match while freshman Nikkie White added eight block assists and two solo blocks.
Senior setter Rachel Griffin is closing in on history as she sits at 1,822 career assists after 12 matches this season The Avon, Indiana native would become just the 10th player in program history to record 2,000 assists and the first to do so since Loni Mackinson did in 2013.
ISU earned its 19th straight AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2016 season. The streak is the longest among all schools and ties Drury University (Division II) for the longest streak in the nation.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Laura Gross - Indiana Invitational
Sarah Peterson - Hawkeye Classic
Stephanie Bindernagel - Chippewa Invitational
Laura Gross (MVP) - Sycamore Invitational
Rachel Griffin - Sycamore Invitational
Cassie Kawa - Sycamore Invitational
THE OPPOSITION
The Sycamores hold a 43-28 lead in the all-time series against the Aces, including a 25-9 mark at home. ISU has won all but one match dating back to 2010 and is currently riding a nine-match winning streak against Evansville.
Bradley leads the all-time series against Indiana State, 38-29 with the first match in the series dating back to 1981. Though the Braves have won almost 10 more matches in the series, ISU has taken five of the last six matches. BU ended the Trees' streak in Peoria last season, winning 3-1. The Sycamores hold a 21-12 series lead when playing in Terre Haute.
