MOREHEAD, Ky. – Indiana State closed the first day of play at the Comfort Inn-Vitational Friday afternoon, falling in three sets to Butler (25-23, 25-22, 25-17) inside Johnson Arena.
 
Kira Holland led the Sycamores in kills for the second straight match with nine and also added a team-high 11 digs. Ella Scott tallied six kills for the Trees, while Hannah Baudin dished out 21 assists. Macy Lengacher had eight digs, while Asia Povlin added seven digs for the Sycamores.
 
Indiana State used a four-point run on Macy Lengacher's serve to take an 11-8 lead midway through the opening set. Storm Suhre had a kill during the run, while Lengacher added a service ace. The Sycamores pushed their lead to 19-12 following a service ace by Baudin and a block assist by Holland and Suhre, but Butler stormed back. The Bulldogs took 13 of the last 17 points in the set to claim the opener 25-23.
 
The Sycamores got off to another good start in the second set, with kills by Scott and Holland, coupled with a block solo by Suhre, putting Indiana State ahead 9-7. ISU extended that lead up to 14-10 following a service ace from Lengacher, but Butler responded by taking the next three points. Indiana State extended its lead back up to three points following a pair of Bulldog attack errors, and two more kills from Holland kept the Trees in front late. Similar to the first set, though, Butler had an answer in the late stages. The Bulldogs won the last four points to take the set 25-22.
 
The Sycamores carried their momentum into the early stages of the third set, going up 7-2 following kills by Holland and Gall. Morehead State rallied back to tie the set, but an ace and a kill by Scott put the Trees back in front 14-12. The Eagles responded, though, going on a six-point run to take an 18-14 lead. Despite a pair of late kills by Gall, Morehead State held on to take the third set 25-23.
 
Butler opened the third set by taking 10 of the first 12 points and never trailed after that. Indiana State clawed its way back into the set following back-to-back kills by Holland, along with a pair of kills by Baudin, but Butler pushed its lead up to 22-13 following another lengthy scoring run. Kills by Scott and Avery Hales late in the set kept the Sycamores alive, but the Bulldogs went on to win the third set 25-17, clinching the match.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Indiana State finished the match with seven blocks, marking the third consecutive match the Sycamores averaged at least two blocks per set.
• Despite the loss, Indiana State finished with more aces (7-5) and blocks (7-3) than Butler.
• Asia Povlin recorded a career-high seven digs for the Sycamores.

 
News and Notes

• Kira Holland led Indiana State in kills in both of the Sycamores' matches Friday, finishing one kill shy of a double-double in both matches.
• Emma Kaelin started her first match of the season Friday.
• All five freshmen who were active for the Sycamores played in Friday's match.

 
Up Next
Indiana State closes play at the Comfort Inn-Vitational Saturday morning at 11 a.m. against Northern Kentucky.
 
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