CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Missouri State hit a blistering .404 - the fifth-highest percentage in MVC Tournament history - Thursday evening for a 25-20, 25-13, 25-16 win over fifth-seeded Southern Illinois in the tournament's opening match at the McLeod Center.

The No. 4 Bears improved to 20-11 overall, their 15th 20-win season in the last 16 years, and advanced to play top-seeded Illinois State (24-5, 18-0) at 5 p.m. Friday.

The Bears began the match on fire offensively, scoring kills on 10 of their first 13 attempts before Simone House and Andrea Beaty teamed up for a block and Tatum Marshall served an ace for a 12-8 lead. The Salukis countered to lead 16-14 after a 5-0 run, but committed three consecutive attacks errors to give MSU the 21-19 advantage. Lily Johnson hit back-to-back kills for a 24-20 lead, and House and Lynsey Wright finished it off with a block as the Bears hit .464 in the frame.

Four kills from Johnson helped the Bears to a 9-2 lead in the second set, and an ace from the MVC Freshman of the Year put MSU ahead 12-3. The Salukis pulled to 13-7 when two kills from Olivia Brand, a block by House, and a Beaty kill gave the Bears a 17-7 advantage. SIU got no closer than seven points after that as MSU hit .342 with 17 kills compared to .105 for the Salukis.

Missouri State fell behind 10-6 in the third period before out-scoring the Salukis 19-6 for the balance of the set. Beaty had two kills and Johnson added three during an 8-1 run that put MSU ahead 14-11, a Brand kill gave the Bears a 19-13 lead, and Marshall scored the final point with her second ace of the match.

Johnson led the Bears with 16 kills on a .344 attack efficiency, passing Kathy Crotty, Katie Werges and Joleen Meservy for seventh on MSU's single-season list with 475 kills on the year. It was also Johnson's 12th consecutive match with at least 10 kills, the longest such streak at MSU since 1999.

Brand hit .381 with 11 kills, moving her past Susan Ruch and Linette White for 12th in school history with 1,138 career kills. Wright added nine kills on .467 hitting and Beaty hit .583 with eight kills in a balanced offensive effort.

Maddy Hogan finished with a match-high 14 digs to become the 22nd player in school history with 1,000 in a career, and Kinsey McCarter posted her 11th double-double of the season with 41 assists and 13 digs. McCarter also moved into a tie for 10th on the MSU single-season list with 1,312 assists on the year.