Cindy Harris Executive Associate Athletic Director/Compliance & Student Services | Illinois State University Athletics Website
Cindy Harris Executive Associate Athletic Director/Compliance & Student Services | Illinois State University Athletics Website
Illinois State volleyball concluded the Billiken Invitational with a loss to Saint Louis on Saturday afternoon. The Redbirds, who leave Missouri with two wins, now hold a 3-4 record early in the 2024 season.
Sophomore Caitlyn Little and senior Mekaila Aupiu were named to the Billiken Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Despite a competitive effort, Illinois State was defeated by Saint Louis in four sets: 23-25, 18-25, 25-16, 19-25.
In the first set, Illinois State led 15-12 at the media timeout but ultimately fell as Saint Louis finished on a 5-2 run. The second set saw Saint Louis take an early lead and maintain it despite Illinois State's resilience, ending at 25-18.
The Redbirds responded in the third set with a strong performance, leading by as much as nine points and winning 25-16. However, Saint Louis secured victory in the fourth set with a decisive run between scores of 5-3 and 15-6. Despite a brief comeback from Illinois State, Saint Louis closed out the match with a final score of 25-19.
Key statistics for Illinois State included Aida Shadewald with 15 kills, Sammi Bunch with 22 digs, Mekaila Aupiu with 33 assists, and Hannah Reichensperger leading total blocks with three. Freshman Khenedi Guest achieved a .600 hitting percentage with nine kills off 15 attacks without errors.
Illinois State will next compete at the Panther Invitational hosted by UW-Milwaukee. They are scheduled to play against Saint Thomas on September 13 at 11:00 a.m. CT, Milwaukee on September 13 at 7:00 p.m. CT, and Iowa on September 14 at noon CT.
For updates on Illinois State volleyball, visit GoRedbirds.com or follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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