WICHITA, Kan. – Tabitha Brown and
Mikaela Raudsepp both had career nights, leading the Wichita State volleyball team past Illinois State 3-1 on Friday night inside Charles Koch Arena. The Shockers won by scores of 25-13, 28-30, 25-15 and 25-18.
Brown had a career-high 20 kills and had four blocks. Raudsepp hit .405 on her way to a career-high 19 kills, while also adding 14 digs.
Emily Hiebert and
Jody Larson had 37 and 24 assists, respectively.
Abbie Lehman's kill gave the Shockers a 3-1 lead early in the first set and Raudsepp's kill a little later kept the Redbirds at bay as Wichita State led, 9-7. Dudzinski's kill on an Illinois State overpass and kill a by
Tabitha Brown put the score at 12-8 and the Shockers led 15-12 at the media timeout. Hiebert's kill fueled a 9-0 run by the home team that won them the set, 25-13. Raudsepp connected on three kills in Wichita State's closing run in the first set.
The Shockers opened up a 3-1 lead early in the second set before two straight points by the Redbirds tied the set at three. Later, falling behind 12-9, Wichita State took a timeout. The Shockers eventually cut the lead to one, but two straight points by Illinois State stretched the visitor's lead to 17-14. The home team cut into the lead again, and a kill by Brown forced the Redbirds to take a timeout with their lead at 20-19. Dudzinski's block out of the timeout put the score at 20-all. A block by Brown and Lehman gave Wichita State a 23-22 lead, but Illinois State would not go away, going back ahead 25-24 to force Wichita State to take another timeout. The teams went back-and-forth through the remainder of the set with the Redbirds prevailing, 30-28.
Larson's kill gave the Shockers a 5-3 lead early in the third set. Back-to-back kills by Brown stretched the Wichita State lead to 9-4, forcing Illinois State to take a timeout. The Shockers continued to control the set, as a block by Lehman and Brown made the score 12-5. Another block, this time by Hiebert and Lehman, capped a 6-1 run by the Shockers and saw the home team push its lead to 18-7. Illinois State scored three straight points to cut the Shocker lead to 19-11, forcing Wichita State to take a timeout, but the Shockers went on to win the set, 25-15.
The Shockers opened the fourth set with three consecutive points, but Illinois State fought back to tie the set at five. Later, a block by Lehman and Raudsepp kept the score locked, this time at 11. Illinois State would take a 15-13 lead into the media timeout. Back-to-back kills by Lehman and a block by Hiebert and Lehman put the Shockers ahead, 19-17, forcing Illinois State to take a timeout. Wichita State went on to win the set, 25-18.
The Shockers are back in action on Saturday night inside Charles Koch Arena for a match against Indiana State. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
