McLean County Times

Illinois State University's volleyball team faced a challenging match against Drake, resulting in a four-set loss on Saturday night. The Redbirds now hold an 11-11 overall record and are 6-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), while Drake improved to 12-8 overall and 8-1 in the MVC.

In the first set, Drake took an early lead with two consecutive points. Illinois State managed to tie the score at 14 before Drake edged ahead again. However, Illinois State rallied back with Khenedi Guest delivering key kills that secured a 25-22 win for the Redbirds.

The second set saw Illinois State start strong with a 7-3 lead, prompting an early timeout from Drake. The Bulldogs responded by leveling the score at 7 and eventually pulled ahead with a decisive run, finishing the set at 25-18.

Set three began with Illinois State taking a narrow lead after trading points with Drake. A pivotal moment came when Drake went on a scoring run to gain momentum and maintain their advantage, closing out the set at 25-20.

In the fourth set, despite an initial two-point lead by Illinois State, Drake quickly countered with six consecutive points. Although Illinois State narrowed the gap later in the set, Drake ultimately secured victory with three final points for a 25-19 win.

Caitlyn Little led Illinois State's offense with 18 kills. Sammi Bunch recorded 19 digs, while Mekaila Aupiu contributed significantly with 45 assists. Notably, junior Aida Shadewald reached her milestone of over 1,000 career kills during this match.

Illinois State was outhit by their opponents (.176 to .250) and now holds a home record of four wins and five losses for this season. Looking ahead, they will face UIC and Valparaiso next weekend on away courts.

For updates on future matches and other information about Illinois State volleyball, fans can visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.