MURRAY, Ky. – Emma Kaelin and Curry Kendall combined for 16 kills Friday night, but homestanding Murray State defeated Indiana State in three sets (25-16, 25-22, 25-20) inside Racer Arena.
 
Kaelin led the Sycamores with nine kills and also added eight digs. Kendall tallied seven kills, while Ella Scott had six kills and a match-high seven blocks. Macy Lengacher led the Blue and White with 10 digs.
 
Kills from Scott and Kaelin, along with a Lengacher dig kill off a serve, kept the Sycamores all square with the home side early, but a 10-1 run for Murray State changed that quickly. A block solo from Kendall along with another kill from Scott gave the Trees some momentum, but Murray State kept its foot on the gas to maintain its significant advantage. Emily Weber got in on the action with a kill and Kaelin added a late ace, but the Sycamores dropped the opening set 25-16.
 
Kendall and Scott got the Trees off to a good start in set two with kills, with Lily Mueller adding a kill to maintain the strong start. Murray State went on another scoring run, but a kill from Kendall along with multiple Racer errors kept the Sycamores within striking distance. The Racers built up an eight-point lead late in the set, but the Sycamores clawed their way back starting with another Lengacher kill and a block assist from Mueller and Weber. Kills from Kendall and Scott, along with an ace from Weber, pulled the Trees within four at 23-19, and Kaelin and Scott later helped fend off a set point with a block. Indiana State found itself in a hole, though, as Murray State won the second set 25-22.
 
Two kills each in the early stages of set three from Kaelin and Kendall, along with a block from Scott and Weber, had the Sycamores off to a strong start in the third set. Indiana State took an 11-10 lead on back-to-back kills from Kaelin, and the score continued to go back-and-forth in the set. Murray State used a run to take a 19-14 lead. Kills from Hannah Baudin and Kaelin pulled the Sycamores closer, and a block party later ensued for the Sycamores. Scott started the rally with a block solo and teamed up with Kaelin for a pair of block assists as Indiana State got within 22-19 late. Kaelin added another kill, but the Racers claimed the set 25-20 to close out the match.
 
News and Notes

• All of Curry Kendall's seven kills came in the last two sets.
• Indiana State hit .207 for the match, with just nine attack errors in 92 attempts.
• Indiana State tallied 11 blocks in Friday's match, the Sycamores' most in a three-set match this season.
• More than half of Indiana State's kills in Friday's match came from freshmen and sophomores.
• Indiana State had four different players – Emma Kaelin, Ella Scott, Lily Mueller and Emily Weber – with three or more blocks.

 
Up Next
Indiana State's road trip continues Saturday when the Sycamores face Belmont at 6 p.m.
 
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