By: It was a successful start for first-year Head Coach Kristy Duncan and the Lady Blues on Wednesday in Sherman Gymnasium, starting the new season with an overpowering 3-0 win against Robert Morris (Springfield).
Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – New year, new coach, new attitude. The Illinois College volleyball team won its season opener for the first time since 2009 on Wednesday night in Sherman Gymnasium, getting contributions up and down the lineup in a 3-0 (25-21, 27-25, 25-14) sweep of visiting Robert Morris (Springfield).
Holly Crocher led the Lady Blues with 12 kills and a .417 hitting percentage, while five different players had double-digit digs in the match.
The Lady Blues led wire-to-wire in the first set, with Robert Morris able to pull even only once, at 15-15. From there, IC reeled off four consecutive points and
Erin Satterlee ended the set with one of her four kills on the night to give her team a 1-0 lead.
The second set was much more of a test for Illinois College. Robert Morris promptly got out to a 4-0 advantage in the set and led for much of the way. As the stanza neared its conclusion, the teams were tied at 22-22, 23-23, 24-24 and 25-25.
Lisa Lowry put the Lady Blues ahead for good with a kill and the set ended with a Robert Morris attack error.
Illinois College then took it to a deflated Eagle team in the third set. Robert Morris was forced into a timeout after an attack error gave IC an 11-5 lead. An ace by Lowry put the Lady Blues up by double-digits at 20-10 and the set and the match ended with a kill from
Hailey Feigl that made it 25-14.
In addition to her 12 kills, Crocher added two aces, one solo block and two block assists.
Erin Washington chipped in with seven kills.
Maurissa Moulton had a double-double of 22 assists and 11 digs, while
Courtney Louveau had 15 assists and 11 digs.
Illinois College travels to Rose-Hulman this weekend and will face Ohio Wesleyan, Defiance and Anderson in addition to the hosts on Sept. 6-7.
