TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State volleyball dropped its 2026 home opener to Milwaukee, 3-2 (25-18, 18-25, 18-25, 27-25, 15-13), Thursday night in ISU Arena.
As a team, the Sycamores hit .211 highlighted by a .448 hitting percentage in the second set.
Kira Holland led the Trees with 15 kills, adding in seven digs. Sophomore
Hadley Hardersen added in 14 kills on a .316 hitting percentage with 20 assists, six digs, and three blocks.
Avery Hales recorded 25 assists 13 digs, while
Ella Scott finished with eight kills and five blocks.
Corinne Knapp finished with a line of six kills, six digs, and six aces.
Set 1 | Milwaukee 25, Indiana State 18
The opening set remained even, seeing six ties before Milwaukee took a four-point advantage, 15-11. The Panthers broke the set open after the timeout, leading 20-13 before the visitors closed the set with a seven-point, 25-18 victory.
Set 2 | Indiana State 25, Milwaukee 18
The Sycamores took control just before the midpoint of the set, leading 12-7 as Holland recorded three kills to give Indiana State the momentum. Knapp subbed in just before the timeout and served back-to-back aces as the Sycamores commanded the first half of the set and grew their lead to 18-9. The Panthers tried to claw back, but Indiana State held on to clinch the set by seven. The Trees hit .448 in the set, with Hardersen and Holland combining for 11 kills on 16 attempts.
Set 3 | Indiana State 25, Milwaukee 18
Indiana State rode the momentum into set three, trying to hold a slight edge in the set, 11-7. After Indiana State led 13-11, the Trees went up 17-12 courtesy of two kills by Hardersen and another Knapp ace. The Sycamores closed the set with the same score as the first two sets, 25-18.
Set 4 | Milwaukee 27, Indiana State 25
Indiana State again controlled the early part of the set, once at 10-5, later at 13-9, and even later at 19-15. Milwaukee battled all the way back, drawing the game close at 21-20 still in favor of Indiana State. The Panthers tied the set at 23 apiece, and again the set was tied at 25-25. A kill and block by the visitors forced the match into the fifth and final deciding set.
Set 5 | Milwaukee 15, Indiana State 13
Milwaukee held the game early, leading 8-4 looking like the game was in their control through the end. A timeout by the Trees was followed by a loud kill by
Lily Mueller, which helped the Sycamores fight back into the set and tie it at 10-10, with assistance of a kill by Knapp, a kill by Holland, and another ace by Knapp. Ultimately, it was a block by MKE, a service error by the Sycamores, and a kill by the Panthers that gave them the Thursday-night, five-set victory,
News and Notes
- Thursday's match was Indiana State's fourth five-set contest through the first seven matches of the season, with the Sycamores sporting a 2-2 record in five-setters. For context, the Trees played five five-set matches across the entire 2025 season.
- Corinne Knapp's six aces are tied for ninth in a single match in program history and rank third in program history for matches during the 25-point rally scoring era.
- Knapp's six aces were the most by a Sycamore since Emma Kaelin notched seven aces against Austin Peay on Sept. 1, 2023.
- Kira Holland (15) and Hadley Hardersen (14) accounted for nearly half of Indiana State's 59 kills in Thursday's match.
- Hardersen's 14 kills tied her career high, which was set against SIU Edwardsville during the opening weekend of the 2025 season.
- Indiana State's 11 service aces were its most in a match this season, and the most by the Sycamores in a match since also serving up 11 aces in a five-set win over Chattanooga on Sept. 19, 2025.
- Indiana State's 21 service errors were the most for the Sycamores in any match dating back at least through the 2006 season.
- Despite the loss, Indiana State finished with more kills (59-56) and a higher hitting percentage (.211-.185) than Milwaukee in Thursday's match.
- Indiana State's eight total blocks were the Sycamores' most since their season-opening win over Navy, when the Trees finished with 11.
Up Next
Indiana State and Milwaukee square off for a second time Friday evening inside ISU Arena, with first serve set for 5 p.m.
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.
- #MarchOn -
