TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Kira Holland led all players with 18 kills Friday night while Karinna Gall added 12 kills and 12 digs for Indiana State, leading the Sycamores to a three-set win (25-13, 25-13, 27-25) over visiting Murray State inside ISU Arena.
 
Gall's double-double was her sixth of the season and the 20th double-double of her career. Avery Hales dished out 39 assists, her most in a three-set match, while Cadence Gilley had 12 digs and four aces. Ella Scott added seven kills and five blocks.
 
Indiana State rode the hot hand of Holland early in the first set, as the five-time MVC Freshman of the Week had each of the Sycamores' first three kills. Murray State used an ealy run to go in front, but the Sycamores took full control of the first set on the serves of Gilley and Hales. Indiana State went on a 15-1 run which included three aces from Gilley, while Holland and Scott combined for six kills on the Sycamore scoring spree. Holland tacked on another kill late in the set and had nine in the opening frame, helping the Trees claim the first set 25-13.  
 
Holland's momentum carried into the second set with a pair of quick kills, and the freshman tacked on a service ace to knot the score at 4-all. Indiana State went on a four-point run on Emma Kaelin's serve, which included a kill from Hales to help the Trees take a 9-6 lead. Murray State used a run of its own to get within a point, but it was all Sycamores from there. Kills from Holland and Gall kickstarted a 12-2 run for Indiana State to close the second set, which included aces from Gilley and Hales, along with kills from five different Sycamors. Kills from Kaitlyn Hamilton and Scott helped end the set in the Sycamores' favor, 25-13.
 
Kills from Holland and Scott opened the third set with kills for the Sycamores, and an ace from Kaelin saw the home side go in front 7-3 early on. Murray State went on a run of its own, though, and took a 15-14 lead into the media timeout despite kills from Holland and Hamilton. The visiting Racers extended their lead to 23-19 late in the set, but Indiana State clawed its way back. A 5-1 Sycamore run which featured three kills from Gall helped the Trees fend off three straight match points, and Indiana State went back in front 26-25 following an ace from Macy Lengacher. Gall sent the Sycamore fans home happy with a kill to give Indiana State a match-clinching 27-25 third set win.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Kira Holland's .452 hitting percentage was her best in a match this season, while her 18 kills were her most in a three-set match.
• Indiana State finished Friday's match with 13 aces and a .353 hitting percentage, both of which were new high marks under head coach Ashlee Pritchard.
• Indiana State's 46 kills represented the Sycamores' most in a three-set match under head coach Ashlee Pritchard. The Sycamores finished with just 10 attack errors in the match.
• Indiana State averaged 15 kills, 15 assists and 15 digs per set in Friday's win.

 
News and Notes

• Friday's win was Indiana State's first three-set win of the Ashlee Pritchard era. The Sycamores' last three-set win came in the opening round of the 2021 MVC Tournament against Bradley.
• Indiana State surpassed its 2022 win total with Friday's win.
• Karinna Gall posted her 20th career double-double in Friday's match, which is the most on the Sycamores' active roster.
• Friday's win was Indiana State's first-ever win over Murray State, as the Sycamores dropped the previous five matches in the all-time series.
• Indiana State's 25-13 wins in each of the first two sets tied the Sycamores' largest margin of victory in a set this season.

 
Up Next
Indiana State returns to action Saturday night against Belmont, with first serve set for 7 p.m. The Sycamores will honor their 2023 senior class, consisting of Karinna Gall, Asia Povlin, Mallory Keller, Kaitlyn Hamilton and Jamie Brown, following the conclusion of the match.
 
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