The fifth-seeded Illinois State Redbirds stunned the fourth-seeded and tournament host Missouri State Bears in the first match of the quarterfinal round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Friday morning in Hammons Student Center, three games to none. The ISU scores were 30-26, 30-20 and 30-28.
    The Bears are thus swept out of the tournament with their fourth loss in their last six matches and must now await the results of the remainder of the tourney and Sunday’s NCAA selection show to determine their chances for postseason play. The Bears dip to 25-7 for the season while Illinois State climbs to 20-10.
   The setback came on the heels of a 3-1, 3-0 Missouri State regular season sweep of Illinois State. After reaching the MVC finals the past four years in a row, the Bears fail to get past the quarterfinal round for the first time since 1997. MSU did not play in the 1998 MVC meet. It also marks the first time the Bears have suffered a 3-0 sweep at home since losing to Kansas State in Hammons in the first weekend of the 2005 season.
   Illinois State led almost throughout. The last times the Bears were tied were at 22-22 in the first game, 5-5 in game two and 10-10 in the third game. ISU ran off five straight points from the 22-22 tie in the first game and went on to win by four. A 5-0 Redbird run in the second game pushed a 9-8 ISU lead into a 14-8 advantage and the Bears didn’t get closer than five points thereafter. And, in the final contest, the Bears trailed between three and five points most of the match before coming back from a 28-23 deficit to close to 28-27 and 29-28 before the Redbirds closed out the match.
   Illinois State hit .410, .171 and .273 in the sweep for a .282 match percentage to .124 for Missouri State. The Bears were at .192, .000 and .163 in the three games.
   Katie Seyller led the way for the Redbirds with a .471 match as MC Richmond had 11 kills and three other Redbirds had eight or more. Erin Lindsey had 41 assists.
    For Missouri State, Jamie Adams came away with 12 kills and Sara Staubach added 10. Katelyn Panzau had 34 assists.
