The Missouri State volleyball team opened the 2006 MVC schedule with a victory Saturday, defeating a much-improved Indiana State team by a 3-1 (30-14, 33-35, 30-27, 30-21) score at ISU Arena in Terre Haute. The Bears (8-2, 1-0) have now won 26 consecutive matches against the Sycamores (3-10, 0-2).

Game three proved to be the turning point in the match after Missouri State dominated the first game and a resurgent Indiana State squad took the second. The Sycamores came out after intermission with plenty of confidence and out-hit the Bears (.250-.229) in the third game. Indiana State would lead 18-15 before the Bears tied the match at 20-20 and the teams traded points up to 26-26. Missouri State got a kill from Shanda Harper to take the lead for good, and used three Sycamore errors to take the game, 30-27, and grab the momentum entering game four.

The Bears took the first three points in the fourth and final game and never looked back, hitting .237 in the finale to ISU’s .062 in the 30-21 win.

Missouri State appeared poised for a sweep early on, attacking at a .429 clip in a 30-14 game one victory. The Sycamores turned the tables in game two, however, hitting .317 to Missouri State’s .105, and fighting back from a 21-15 deficit to claim the 35-33 win and knot the match at 1-1.

The Bears had their best match of the year in terms of both blocking and serving. MSU recorded a season-high 20 blocks including five solo efforts, and added nine aces against just six service errors. The Sycamores served up just two aces with 15 errors in what was a key stat in the match.

Individually, Erin O’Connor (14-6-29) and Harper (13-4-29) reached double-figure kill totals for the Bears, while Sarah Lansing added nine putaways and a season-high 11 blocks. Katelyn Panzau led the team in assists (50) and digs (11), and freshman Sara Staubach provided a spark off the bench with five kills on 13 swings.

Missouri State hit .237 as a team to Indiana State’s .179.

The Bears play at Illinois State at 4:00 p.m. Sunday.