Final Stats

NORMAL, Ill. -- Missouri State struggled to solve Illinois State's offense Saturday as the Redbirds hit .432 as a team for a 3-0 Missouri Valley Conference win. ISU (17-7, 7-4) topped the Bears (15-8, 6-4) by set scores of 25-18, 25-11, 32-30.

The Bears made a valiant comeback in the third set and nearly extended the match as each club successfully defended four set points before ISU converted on its fifth try for the 32-30 win. Missouri State played catch-up for the majority of the set until gaining its first lead during a 4-0 run that produced set point at 24-22.

The Redbirds fought off three MSU set points before taking a 26-25 lead, and the Bears spoiled four ISU match point opportunities after that before Lynsey Wright and Ashley Ophoven stuffed an Illinois State attack to put Missouri State back on top, 30-29. ISU's Ashley Rosch evened the score at 30-all with a kill, and a Redbird block and MSU attack error ended the match in Illinois State's favor.

The first and second sets were nearly identical, as the Redbirds jumped ahead 9-3 in each one and finished with 18 kills and two errors in both frames to build their 2-0 lead in the match.

Lily Johnson led MSU with 10 kills, while Wright and Ophoven added nine apiece. Emily Butters had 12 digs, Kinsey Batten dished out 33 assists, and Tatum Marshall served two aces for the Bears.

ISU committed just eight attack errors in the match while accumulating 56 kills, while the Bears hit .198 with 41 kills and 18 errors.

Missouri State hosts league-leading Wichita State at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Bears topped the Shockers 3-1 earlier this season in Wichita.