CARBONDALE, Ill. – Kira Holland led all players with 17 kills Saturday night, but host Southern Illinois defeated Indiana State in four sets (25-18, 25-15, 24-26, 25-18) inside Davies Gym.
 
Holland also added 11 digs for her second straight double-double, while Avery Hales had 28 assists. Kaitlyn Hamilton, Jadyn Smith and Hannah Baudin added six kills each, with Macy Lengacher registering 11 digs.
 
Back-to-back kills from Holland got things started for the Sycamores, but SIU used a run to build an 11-7 lead. A four-point Sycamore run on Holland's serve tied the set, but the Salukis scored seven straight points and never looked back. Three more kills from Holland, who had six in the set, along with a service ace by Ella Scott, kept the Sycamores in the set but Southern Illinois went on to take the opener 25-18.
 
Madisen Perry got the Sycamores off and running in the second set with a pair of early kills, but Southern Illinois broke open a deadlock with a 7-1 run and never trailed after that. Kills from Holland and Hamilton got the Trees within five at 15-10, but SIU followed with a 7-1 run to further extend its lead. Despite late kills by Hannah Baudin and Holland, the home side won the second set 25-15 and took a 2-0 lead over the Sycamores.
 
Scott's second service ace of the match, along with kills from Smith and Holland, gave Indiana State an early lead in the third set. The Sycamores extended their lead with an eight-point run on Lengacher's serve, taking advantage of multiple Saluki attack errors to build a 14-6 advantage. A pair of kills from Hamilton helped Indiana State maintain its lead, but the Salukis came roaring back. SIU fended off six straight set points, but a pair of Saluki attack errors gave the Sycamores the third set win, 26-24.
 
Hales opened the fourth set with a service ace, and Baudin and Scott added kills to make it 4-2 Sycamores early in the set. Indiana State extended its lead to 8-5 following a Holland kill and a block solo from Smith. A seven-point Saluki run midway through the set saw Southern Illinois take a 17-10 lead, and the hosts never trailed from there on. Holland tried to keep the Sycamores alive with four kills in the late stages of the set, but SIU held on to win the set 25-18 and take the match.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Kira Holland notched her second straight double-double, averaging more than four kills per set in both matches over the weekend.
• Hannah Baudin's six kills were her most in a match since an eight-kill performance against Austin Peay on September 1.
• 32 of Indiana State's 49 digs came in the last two sets.

 
News and Notes

• Saturday's match concluded a four-match road trip for the Sycamores, their longest to open conference play in program history.
• Indiana State's leader in kills (Kira Holland), assists (Avery Hales), digs (Holland and Macy Lengacher), blocks (Ella Scott and Jadyn Smith) and aces (Scott) were all freshmen.

 
Up Next
Indiana State returns home to face preseason favorites Drake (Oct. 6) and Northern Iowa (Oct. 7).
 
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