Sept. 17, 2011

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD -

The Missouri State volleyball team won its fifth consecutive match overall and improved to 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference Saturday with a 25-19, 25-17, 25-17 sweep of Indiana State at Hammons Student Center.

The Bears (9-3, 2-0 MVC) held the Sycamores (7-5, 0-2) to a .117 attack efficiency while hitting .246 themselves and served a season-high seven aces without being aced once by the visitors.

Missouri State used a balanced effort in the first set with six players recording a kill to cruise to victory after seizing control early at 6-2. The Bears blocked four Sycamore attacks in the period and held ISU to .065 hitting.

Indiana State opened the second set by turning its first six attacks into kills on the way to an 8-4 advantage, but the Bears answered with an 8-0 run that ended on two Kaitlin Jaeger kills and two Karen Rivatto aces. Jaeger had six kills and no errors in the set as the Bears went on another big run with a 6-0 spurt to pull away from a 16-13 score.

The Bears scored the first three points of the third set and ISU closed to two points on seven occasions but never got closer. MSU used a 4-0 run at 16-14 to lead by six before pulling away.

Jaeger matched a career-high with nine kills and shared team high honors with Calli Norman. Ashley Mason had 17 digs, Shelby Strang added 11 and Carly Thomas had 10 along with 32 assists. Rivatto and Strang each had two aces.

The Bears return to action next Friday (Sept. 23) with a 7 p.m. match at Wichita State.