MURRAY, Ky. - Indiana State volleyball secured a five-set victory (25-19, 11-25, 14-25, 25-15, 15-13) to open this weekend's road conference play. The Sycamores continue conference play on the road at Belmont on Saturday, October 11. 
 
Curry Kendall led the Sycamores' offense with 14 kills, while three other Trees also added in double-digit kills: Kira Holland and Hadley Hardersen with 12 and 11, respectively, and Ava Robart added another 10. Holland and Chole Gilley led the defense with 19 and 16 digs each. Ava Robart (14) and Emily Weber (12) also added in double-digit digs. Ella Scott chipped in 4.5 blocks to aid the Sycamores' defense.
 
Set 1 | Indiana State 25, Murray State 19
The Sycamores came out ready to make a statement and win against the Racers for just the second time in program history. The Sycamores struck first and were able to go on an early 5-2 on the backs of early success from the offense. The Racers were slowly able to bring themselves back within one, 7-6, however a Kira Holland kill ensured that the Sycamores held onto the lead. Errors for the Racers allowed the Trees to continue to build their lead to as large as four. The Racers quickly found ways to slow the Trees' offense and were ultimately able to take the lead midway through the set. Both teams would continue to battle back-and-forth until two kills in a row by Curry Kendall tied the set back up and began a 6-0 run for the trees to build a small four-point lead, 21-17. This lead proved to be enough as errors haunted the Racers' offense, and the Trees were able to take the opening set by six.
 
Set 2 | Murray State 25, Indiana State 11
Despite coming away victorious in set one, the Trees struggled early in set two. The Racers jumped out to an early 9-3 lead. Despite kills by Ava Robart and Curry Kendall, the Trees' offense could not find their footing as they could only retain the serve for more than one point just one time late in the set. With the Racers playing a near-perfect set, with just one error, the Sycamores were unable ever to gain the lead and lost the set by 14, the largest point differential of a lost set this season.
 
Set 3 | Murray State 25, Indiana State 14
With the match tied at 1-1, both teams came out wanting to put away set three. With five ties coming in just the first 10 points, it looked as if this set would be a back-and-forth battle.  However, after several hitting errors by the Trees, the Racers were able to take a seven-point lead, 16-9. As quickly as the Sycamores' offense would put the ball back in their control, the Racers would find a hole in the Trees' defense. With the Sycamores' offense earning just eight total points in the set, they were waiting for the Racers to make errors, which never came.
 
Set 4 | Indiana State 25, Murray State 15
Being down 2-1, it was now or never for the Trees if they wanted to have their best start to conference play under head coach Ashlee Pritchard. Much like set three, the first nine points saw four ties. After a pair of blocks by Ella Scott and Hadley Hardersen, the Trees began to find some new life. The Sycamores went on a 16-6 run, scoring 10 kills and three blocks in that time, giving the Sycamores a 10-point lead. The run began with Hardersen scoring three-straight points. It was then aided by kills from Holland, Robart, Hardersen, and Kendall, as well as two service aces and three block assists by Ella Scot – and the Trees never allowed the Racers to score more than one point at a time. Despite the Racers' attempts to take the fourth set, a Curry Kendall kill sealed the deal of a deciding set.
 
Set 5 | Indiana State 15, Murray State 13
With the match on the line, both teams came out wanting to put it away. The Racers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as the Trees were looking for a response. But in the first half of the set, the Racers were in control. A kill by Ella Scott brought life back to the Sycamores' offense. A 5-1 run with strong serving by Emmy Sher and two back-to-back kills by Ava Robart gave the Trees their first lead of the set. The next seven points would be a back-and-forth battle with the Racers holding a one-point lead, 13-12, and being just two points away from victory. A kill by Curry Kendall and two back-to-back kills for Kira Holland led the Sycamores to victory over the Racers.
 
News and Notes

• Indiana State had four players finish with 10+ digs for only the second time this season.
• The Sycamores finished with 83 digs, the second-most of the season.
• Nine wins marks the best start for the Sycamores under Coach Pritchard.
• The win on Friday night is the first time that the Sycamores have beaten the Racers in Racer Arena.
• Murray State has had the most digs (82) against the Sycamores all season - win or lose.
• The Sycamores recorded a season high of 18 block assists.
• Kira Holland and Ava Robart both recorded double-doubles.
  • Holland has recorded three double-doubles in the last four matches and six in the last eight.
• Ella Scott recorded a season high of seven block assists.
• Hadley Hardersen tied her career high in attack attempts with 26.
  • She recorded 10+ kills tonight for the fourth-straight match.
• Corinne Knapp recorded her first serve and reception as a Sycamore.
• Curry Kendall recorded a season-high 14 kills. She also tied her season high block assists with three.
• Kira Holland tied her season high in block assist with three. The junior also recorded 19 digs, setting a new best in MVC play.
• Emily Weber has recorded 10+ digs in three of the last four matches.

 
Up Next
The Sycamores return to action Saturday, October 11, at Belmont to continue their conference road trip.

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