TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Missouri State volleyball teamed grabbed its 20th win of the season Friday evening with a 25-20, 25-20, 25-21 sweep of Missouri Valley Conference rival Indiana State in Terre Haute, Ind.
The Bears (20-9, 13-4 MVC) have now reached the 20-win plateau for 11 consecutive seasons, the eighth longest streak of 20-win seasons nationally entering 2009. Six of the seven teams ahead of the Bears on that list have reached 20 wins already this season.
Missouri State and the Sycamores (7-24, 3-14) traded big runs early in the first set for a 9-9 tie before ISU went on a 5-2 spurt to force MSU to use its second timeout with the score at 14-11 in favor of the home team. The Bears scored the next four points after the stoppage to lead 15-14 and used a 3-0 run capped by
Sara Staubach’s kill to lead 20-16. MSU was not challenged after gaining the four-point cushion.
MSU scored the first two points of the second set and led by as many as three points before the Sycamores took the lead at 9-8. Back-to-back kills from
Kelley Michnowicz and another from
Addie Foley put the Bears ahead for good 11-9. ISU scored the next point to pull within one but got no closer as the Bears used a 5-0 run late for a comfortable 21-14 lead. Foley had six kills without an error to lead MSU in the frame.
The Bears faced an 8-4 deficit in the third set but reeled off four points in a row, including two aces from
Melissa Gmur, to tie it up and prompt the Sycamores to call a timeout. Michnowicz landed a kill to complete the 5-0 run and give MSU its first lead. A 4-0 Missouri State run following a 10-10 score put the Bears briefly in command, but ISU fought back for another tie at 15-15. MSU scored the next two points and the Sycamores pulled within a point on six occasions and tied the set once more before the Bears scored the final three tallies for the win.
Missouri State finished with a .225 hitting percentage to ISU’s .153. Foley led all players with 12 kills, Michnowicz added nine on .364 hitting and Staubach and
Calli Norman had eight apiece.
Cara Hackmann had 21 digs to lead three Bears in double figures.
Shelby Strang had 13 digs and Gmur added 12 to go with four kills, two aces and 33 assists.
The Bears finish the regular season Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. match at Illinois State (12-16, 7-10).
