James Durrant Assistant Athletic Director/Compliance & Student Services | Illinois State University Athletics Website
James Durrant Assistant Athletic Director/Compliance & Student Services | Illinois State University Athletics Website
Illinois State volleyball team secured their first Missouri Valley Conference win of the 2024 season by defeating the Belmont Bruins in five sets on Saturday night. The match, held in Normal, Illinois, saw the Redbirds improve their overall record to 6-9 and their conference record to 1-1.
Sophomore Caitlyn Little led the team with a career-high 20 kills and eight digs. Freshman Ruth Ziegler contributed 12 kills, while junior Aida Shadewald added 11 kills. Senior Mekaila Aupiu also had a standout performance with a career-best 48 assists and seven digs.
The set scores were as follows: Illinois State defeated Belmont with scores of 19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 21-25, and 15-8.
In addition to Little's performance:
- Sammi Bunch led the team in digs with 15.
- Bunch also recorded three service aces.
- Maggie McCrary led in total blocks with five.
Illinois State outhit Belmont with a hitting percentage of .247 compared to Belmont's .204. This victory marked Illinois State's first five-set match win since last October when they defeated Bradley. The Redbirds now hold a perfect all-time record of 4-0 against Belmont.
Next week, Illinois State will play away games against Missouri State and Southern Illinois as part of their MVC schedule.
For more updates on Illinois State volleyball, visit GoRedbirds.com or follow the team on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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