Terre Haute, Ind. – Indiana State volleyball ended the first Refreshment Services Pepsi Sycamores Volleyball Invite at the Hulman Center. The Sycamores ended with a three-set loss to Butler University (23-25, 24-26, 23-25).
 
The Sycamores were led by Kira Holland with 16 kills, closely followed by Ella Scott with 12 kills and Ava Robart with eight. Chloe Gilley led the defense with 16 digs and Kimora Whetstone added three solo blocks.
 
Set 1 | Butler 25, Indiana State 23
Both teams came out strong, trading kills to open the match. The set remained tight, with neither side leading by more than four points. Indiana State managed a few short runs, but Butler consistently closed the gap. The Bulldogs pulled ahead late for the first time since the opening points, taking a 22-21 lead off a Sycamore service error and a block from Zoe McDonald. Indiana State answered with two kills, one each from Kira Holland and Curry Kendall, to regain a 23-22 advantage. Butler responded with a three-point run to close out the frame, 25-23.
 
Set 2 | Butler 26, Indiana State 24
The second set mirrored the first with back-and-forth play. Butler grabbed an early 8-5 edge and maintained the lead until Alaleh Tolliver sparked a three-point service run, stretching the advantage to 17-11. Indiana State battled back, narrowing the gap to 17-15 behind a Holland kill and a block from Kimora Whetstone. From there, the set stayed within two points, but Butler closed with a kill by Elise Ward and an ace from Lauren Evans to win 26-24.
 
Set 3 | Butler 25, Indiana State 23
Indiana State came out determined in the third set, taking a 6-4 lead with kills from Ella Scott and Ava Robart. The Sycamores extended the advantage to 15-11 after three straight kills from Holland, but Butler rallied to even the score at 17-17. The two teams traded points down the stretch before the Bulldogs sealed the sweep with a late two-point run to take the set, 25-23.
 
Combined News & Notes

• Ella Scott set a new season high with 12 kills hitting .435 (12-2-23).
• Chloe Gilley tied her season high with 6 assists.

Up Next
Indiana State will head to Nashville, Tenn. for the Tennessee State Tournament on September 18-19. The Sycamores will take on Tennessee State at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 18 for their first match in the tournament.
 
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