INDIANA STATE STILL LOOKING FOR FIRST ROAD WIN OF SEASON, FALL AT SIU 3-1
Sycamores return home next weekend for two more Missouri Valley contests
CARBONDALE, ILL. – The Indiana State Sycamores battled well through the first two sets, had their problems in the third and came close to earning a win in the fourth set but remained winless on the road for the season with a 3-1 (27-29, 27-25, 8-25, 21-25) setback to the Southern Illinois University Salukis Saturday in a Missouri Valley Conference contest.
The Sycamores, who lost a five-set battle at Evansville on Friday, came out strong in the opening set, a set that featured 21 ties and 12 lead changes. Southern Illinois had a three point lead twice in the second, the last at 22-19.
Two kills by senior Jodilynne Stoker and one from junior Ana Maira Charun tied the set at 22 ahead of an SIU timeout. The Salukis came out and took back the lead before senior Stephanie Volden tied the score at 23 with a kill and then put ISU on top 24-23 with a service ace.
The Sycamores could not get the set point after the Salukis took their second timeout of the set as the Salukis came back to knot the score at 24. ISU had another chance for the set win after moving out in front 25-24 on an SIU attack error but the Salukis were able to knot the score at 25. A kill by Stoker gave the Sycamores their third chance at the set win but SIU got the point to event the set at 26.
Southern Illinois took the advantage off a Sycamore error and it was Indiana State’s turn to deny set point as the set was tied at 27 after an SIU error. Southern Illinois was able to get the advantage back and this time held off the Sycamores to take the opening set 29-27.
The second set was just as hotly contested as the opening set with 10 ties and three lead changes. The Sycamores trailed through much of the first half of the set, taking their first lead on a Stoker error and two SIU errors at 14-12. ISU stayed in front the rest of the set although Southern rallied to knot the score at 18 and again at 21 ahead of an Indiana State timeout.
Two kills by Stoker and an SIU error put ISU on top 24-21 before SIU took a timeout. Indiana State failed on three straight attempts at set point as the Salukis rallied to knot the score at 24. A Volden kill put Indiana State back on top but the Sycamores still could not close the deal as SIU came back to tie the set for the final time at 25. Indiana State scored the final two points including one on a kill by sophomore Stacy Qualizza to win the second set 27-25.
The early portion of the third set was just as tight as the first two sets with Indiana State trailing 6-5 early in the set. Southern Illinois rolled off 18 unanswered points to take command of the set and went on to take the 25-8 win and a 2-1 set lead in the game.
The Sycamores needed a win in the fourth set to continue the game to a fifth set for the second straight night. The set was tied six times with two lead changes. Indiana State had their only lead of the set at 8-7 after a Charun kill. Two straight points by SIU was followed by a Volden kill that knotted the set at 9-all.
That was the last tie of the set as Southern Illinois scored two straight ahead of an Indiana State timeout. The Sycamores stayed close and trailed 19-18 after a Volden kill and block by Qualizza. The Salukis were able to hold off Indiana State after that to take the set 25-21 and win the game 3-1.
Stoker had had a double-double with 18 kills and 16 digs to lead the Sycamores. Two other Sycamores had a double-double with senior Whitney Fromm getting 19 assists and 10 digs while sophomore Shelbi Fouty had 16 assists and 12 digs. Charun had 11 kills while sophomore Kiya James had 17 digs. Volden and Qualizza had five blocks each while freshman Shea Doran had four blocks.
The Sycamores finished with a .122 hitting percentage with just 46 kills in 180 attacks. Southern Illinois hit at .242 with 66 kills in 182 attacks.
Indiana State falls to 5-13 overall and 1-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference with the loss. The Sycamores will host Northern Iowa at 7 p.m. (ET) next Friday in the ISU Arena. ISU will also entertain Bradley at 7 p.m. (ET) next Saturday.
