The Illinois State volleyball team opened its 2025 season with a decisive victory over DePaul, sweeping the Blue Demons in three straight sets on Friday night in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Redbirds won by scores of 25-19, 25-23, and 25-15.
In the first set, Illinois State held a slim lead at 13-11 before scoring five consecutive points to extend their advantage to 18-11. The team maintained control to secure the opening set win.
During the second set, ISU trailed DePaul 14-8 but responded with a six-point run and took nine of the next ten points. Although DePaul regained a narrow lead at 20-19, Illinois State closed out the set with strong play, ending on a kill from Hannah Reichensperger for a 25-23 win.
The Redbirds carried their momentum into the third set, building an early 9-4 lead and maintaining it throughout for a final score of 25-15.
Illinois State now holds a record of 25 wins and two losses all-time against DePaul and has won their last four matchups. Aida Shadewald led all players with 12 kills in the match and is now just 47 kills away from moving up to nineteenth place on the school’s all-time kills list. Hannah Reichensperger contributed seven kills and tied for most blocks in the match with five. Both Shadewald and Arianna Rossi recorded nine digs each.
Audrey Clark led in assists with sixteen while Ella Craggs added eleven in her collegiate debut. Clark also delivered two aces during the match. In addition to Craggs’ debut, both Clark and Rossi played their first matches for Illinois State.
With this win, Illinois State improves its overall record in season openers to 27 wins and 26 losses. The sweep marks their first opening-match sweep since defeating UC Santa Barbara in 2017 and only their fifth such result since the year 2000.
The Redbirds will continue tournament play in Kalamazoo as they face Western Michigan tomorrow at 5 p.m.
