SPRINGFIELD -- The Missouri State volleyball team swept Southern Illinois Saturday at Hammons Student Center to complete the first half of the Missouri Valley Conference schedule with a 7-2 league record and 16-4 overall mark. The Bears got progressively better each set, winning a disjointed first set by a 26-24 score before taking the next two periods 25-21 and 25-13.

    A back-and-forth first set began with MSU runs of 3-0 and 5-1 and a 6-1 SIU spurt to make it 9-7 Missouri State. The set was then tied 10 times to 24-24 when Cara Hackmann scored a kill and an ace to put it away. Christine McCartney had six of her match-high 12 kills in the set and Abby Padlock had 12 digs.

    Missouri State used an 8-0 run to lead 10-2 in the second set before the Salukis (12-7, 3-6 MVC) slowly came back and got within two at 20-18. Kelley Michnowicz had three kills in the closing stages that gave the Bears leads of 22-18, 23-19 and 24-21 and had five kills on five swings in the second set.

    The Bears held the Salukis to a .084 team hitting percentage through two sets and turned up the defense even more in the third, keeping SIU below the .000 mark for most of the period. Southern Illinois closed the set with a .030 hitting figure and finished the match at .071. Missouri State led 11-1 in the third and cruised to the win, hitting .292 as a team.

    Missouri State blocked nine SIU attacks, with Calli Norman leading the way with five to go with 10 kills on .348 hitting. Bethany Fuller and Shayla Patrick had a part in four blocks apiece. MSU served five aces and was only aced twice by the league’s top serving team. Padlock finished with 23 digs.
   
    The Bears open a three-match road trip Friday at 7 p.m. at Illinois State. Missouri State swept the Redbirds (12-9, 2-6) at home on Sept. 25.