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FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Western Illinois volleyball team was
held to 24 kills in a 3-0 (19-25, 15-25, 9-25) loss to second-place IPFW
Friday night at Hilliard Gates Sports Center.
The Mastodons (18-9, 12-3 Summit League) posted 41 kills and a .425 attack
percentage, which is the highest mark by a Western Illinois opponent this
season. IPFW senior
Maya Schlindwein, who ranks second in conference play with 3.77 kills per set, had
a match-high 11 kills, and junior middle hitter Alli Hook posted seven kills on nine
attempts against the Fighting Leathernecks (8-18, 3-13 Summit League).
With former Leatherneck Ashley Baker (2003, 2005-07) in attendance, Brooke
Stittleburg had a team-high nine kills on 20 attempts to lead Western
offensively for the ninth time this season. The junior, who had 17 kills in the
previous meeting between the programs, also chipped in eight digs, one service
ace and hit .300 on the night.
Freshman Heather Smith had 15 assists and senior Ellen Miller chipped in a
team-high 10 digs and a season-high three service aces. It was Miller's tenth
straight double-digit dig performance.
IPFW had 14 kills and hit .310 in the first set, but did not
shake Western Illinois until a late 4-0 run widened their lead to 23-16. Sophomore Katie
Hosteng had three kills on six attempts, but the rest of the squad was held to
a .03 attack percentage in a 25-19 first set win for IPFW.
Western Illinois owned a 2-0 lead in the second set following
an Allison Gilbert kill and Stittleburg service ace, but IPFW captured 13 out
of the next 15 points to take control of the set. Stittleburg had four kills on
seven attempts in the set, but the Mastodons had four total blocks, two service
aces and hit .387 in a 25-15 win.
IPFW scored 10 of the first 11 points in the third set, and
recorded just one hitting error on 20 attempts in a 25-9 victory. Overall, IPFW
collected eight total blocks while Western had two, including Cait Egan's 65th
career solo block in the second set. The junior needs two more solo
blocks to move into sixth place all-time in program history.
Western Illinois is back in action Saturday afternoon as the
Fighting Leathernecks take on Oakland in Rochester, Mich. The match with the
third-place Golden Grizzlies starts at 4 p.m. CT.
