ISU vs. Creighton

Indiana State women's volleyball put up a tough fight Friday night in the ISU Arena against the Creighton Blue Jays.  The Bluejays swept the Sycamores 0-3, final set scores 21-25, 9-25, and 19-25.

Set one did not start out in the Sycamores' favor, with the Bluejays starting things out with a seven point rally bringing the score to 0-7.

Finally, a service error followed with a service ace by sophomore outside hitter Monique Morris put the Sycamores on the board with two.  

A five point rally by Creighton set ISU back 6-17, but the Sycamores did not give up.  A three point rally, consisting of a Morris kill, a kill by junior middle blocker Shea Doran, and a service ace by sophomore setter Loni Mackinson brought ISU to 9.  

The Bluejays snuck in two more points before ISU came back with another three point rally, bringing them within eight.  The Sycamores finished their score at 21 with a Morris kill.  A Sycamore error ended set one, 21-25, Creighton.

The Bluejays started set two out with a three point rally.  

A Bluejays error ended the rally, putting the Sycamores on the board with one.

ISU could not hold on.  The Bluejays got a huge lead with a nine point rally ending with Bluejays' error.  

The Sycamores kept fighting with a kill by Morris, a kill by senior middle blocker Stacy Qualizza, and a service ace by senior defensive specialist Kiya James.  

ISU's final point came from a Bluejays error, the set ending at 9-25, Creighton.

Creighton was first on the board again for set three, but the Sycamores came back with a three point rally consisting of a kill by Qualizza and two Bluejays errors.  

After a tie score at three, broken by the Bluejays, ISU never gained back control.  ISU stayed close not letting the Bluejays get a lead of more than five.  

The Sycamores ended their score with a two point rally including a Morris kill, bringing their score to 19.  

A service error ended set three at 19-25, Creighton, 0-3 overall.

"We weren't connecting well together, we didn't have very much energy and one person's mistake lead into another," Shelbi Fouty, senior setter, said.  

Morris led the team with 11 kills.  Mackinson lead the team with 24 assists and James lead with 12 digs.

 

ISU vs. Drake

ISU took on the Drake Bulldogs Saturday night to wrap up the at home weekend.  ISU won the game 3-1, final set scores 29-27, 20-25, 25-13, and 25-17.  This made for ISU's third win in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).

"We wanted to redeem ourselves from [the Creighton match].  We just wanted to get another conference win to keep us in the running towards the tournament," said Fouty.  

Drake was first on the board for set one, but ISU shut them down with a four point rally, including three kills Qualizza, all assisted by Fouty, putting the score at 4-1..  The Sycamores held Drake off with three point rallies after three point rallies.  

At 14-9, Drake stepped up and a three point rally followed by a four point rally, tied the game at 16.  The tie was broke by a kill from junior outside hitter Morgan Dall assisted by Fouty.  

Drake stayed in it, tying the game at 17 and breaking the tie to take a short lead.  

The score tied eight more times; ISU gained back the lead after breaking a tie at 22. 

The Sycamores broke the final tie of 27 with two Qualizza kills, both assisted by Fouty, ending set one 29-27, ISU.

"We knew if we pushed hard we could take it and just keep fighting," said freshman middle blocker Samantha Kersting.  

Set two started out with a kill by Doran, putting the Sycamores on the board first.  

Drake took the lead with a three point rally, followed by another three point rally.  ISU fought back to tie the score at 7, but the tie was broken with a five point rally from the Bulldogs, broke by a Dall kill.  Another kill by Dall brought the score within one at 16-17, but the Bulldogs came back with another five point rally.  

ISU's final point came from a Qualizza kill assisted by Fouty.  A service error ended set two 20-25, Drake.  

A kill by Morris put ISU on the board first in set three, but Drake came back to tie the score at 2.  

Drake broke the tie but a Qualizza kill tied the score again at 3.  The Sycamores then took the lead which they never lost.  ISU broke a tie at 8 with a three point rally followed by a two point rally, including two kills by Morris, and a kill by Dall.  

Drake fought back with a four point rally to tie the game one last time at 12.  The Sycamores broke the tie with a 10 point rally, consisting of three Qualizza kills, two Morris kills, and a kill by Fourty, putting ISU in a huge lead of 22-12.  Drake slipped in one more point before ISU shut them down with a three point rally, including a kill and service ace by Morris.  Set three ended at 25-13, ISU.

"We were talking to each other and we knew we were going to win this game, we weren't going to let anything stop us, even if we get an error we are just going to get the next play," Fouty said.  

ISU kicked set four off with a seven point rally, including two Qualizza kills, two Morris kills, and a kill by Dall.

Drake fought back within two, but ISU stayed in the lead with a 5 point rally.  Drake brought the score within three, but an ISU 7 point rally put them in a lead that the Bulldogs could not catch.  The rally included a Doran kill, a Dall service ace, a kill by Fouty and a kill by Morris, putting the score at 19-10.  

A service ace by Morris ended set four at 25-17, ISU, and the night at 3-1, ISU.

"I am excited that they are still in the hunt for the conference tournament and they just have so much more to work for," Head Coach Traci Dhal said.

Dall lead the team with 18 kills, followed by Qualizza at 17 and Morris at 16.  Fourty lead with 49 assists and senior defensive specialist Kiya James lead with 25 digs.

Fouty recorded her 1,600th career assist in the game and now has 1,646 which ranks her eighth on the ISU all-time list.

This brings ISU 11-13 on the season and 3-10 in the MVC.

ISU travels the Evansville Friday, then travels to Southern Illinois on Saturday.  Both games begin at 8 p.m.