Terre Haute, Ind. – Indiana State volleyball came up short in a hard-fought battle Friday night, falling in three sets to Illinois State (25-17, 26-24, 27-25).
 
The Sycamores were led by Ava Robart, who tallied 16 kills, while Kira Holland and Kendall Curry each added eight. Holland also anchored the defense with 11 digs, followed closely by Chloe Gilley with 10.
 
Set 1 | Illinois State 25, Indiana State 17
The opening set started evenly, with both teams trading points before the Redbirds pulled ahead 9-4. Illinois State continued to build on its lead, keeping the Sycamores at arm's length and closing out the set 25-17.
 
Set 2 | Illinois State 26, Indiana State 24
Indiana State responded in set two, jumping out to a 7-4 lead before Illinois State rallied to tie the score at 8-8. The two sides went back and forth until the Redbirds gained a 20-17 advantage. The Sycamores answered with a four-point serving run from Gilley to knot the score at 21-21. The set remained tight down the stretch, but Illinois State edged out a 26-24 win.
 
Set 3 | Illinois State 27, Indiana State 25
The Sycamores came out strong in the third, racing to a 10-5 lead behind kills from Robart and Curry, plus a service ace from Ella Scott. Indiana State extended their lead to 21-14 with contributions across the lineup, but Illinois State fought back with consecutive service runs to cut the deficit to 23-20. The Sycamores held on briefly, but the Redbirds used a four-point serving stretch from Oliwia Caputa to tie the set at 25-25 before sealing the match, 27-25.
 
News & Notes

• Indiana State posted its highest attendance of the season (674).
• Ella Scott recorded five service aces, the most by a Sycamore in a single match since 2023 and a new season high.
• Ava Robart tied for second in the MVC with 16 kills in a three-set match, also matching her season high with three blocks.
• Kendall Curry tied her season high with three blocks.

 
Up Next
The Sycamores return to ISU Arena on Saturday, Sept. 27, to take on Belmont at 5 p.m. ET.
 
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on the Sycamore Volleyball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.