McLean County Times

Illinois State University’s volleyball team lost to the University of Cincinnati in four sets on Saturday, with scores of 14-25, 25-21, 19-25, and 15-25. The match was played in Normal, Illinois.

Freshman Ne'Khaela Rogers recorded a career-high 14 kills for the Redbirds. This performance made her the ninth player on the team this season to have a match with double-digit kills and the seventh different player to lead ISU in kills over their first eight matches. Rogers also set a personal best with an attack percentage of .407.

Junior Caitlyn Little matched Rogers with 14 kills and added 10 digs, marking her second double-double in three matches. Her kill total tied her season high.

Other notable performances included Khenedi Guest, who finished with 11 kills—her fourth match this season reaching double digits—and contributed three blocks for the eighth time this year. Guest posted an attack percentage of .348, making it her fourth consecutive match above .300.

In her first collegiate start, Ella Craggs led ISU with 25 assists and narrowly missed a double-double by recording nine digs. Oliwia Caputa tied a career mark by tallying 16 digs for the third time in her career. Arianna Rossi led all players with 20 digs—her second match this season reaching that milestone and fifth with at least 19 digs.

Audrey Clark distributed 22 assists for ISU, notching at least five digs for the seventh time this year.

Cincinnati took control early in both the first and fourth sets, opening those frames on significant scoring runs that Illinois State could not overcome. The Redbirds’ only set win came after they pulled ahead midway through the second frame and held off Cincinnati to take it by four points.

Illinois State will conclude its participation in the Linda Herman Volleyball Classic against Illinois at 2 p.m., which will be each squad’s final game of the weekend.