JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College volleyball team started Midwest Conference play with an emphatic 3-0 win (25-21, 25-10, 25-20) over Knox College on Wednesday night. Three Lady Blues had at least 12 kills and
Elizabeth Ganley notched 45 assists in the win. IC improves to 11-3 (1-0 MWC) on the season.
The early going of the first set was very back-and-forth until Illinois College reeled off four points in a row to turn a 15-14 deficit into an 18-15 lead.
Maddie Ramsey had six kills in the set and Ganley assisted on all 19 of IC's kills. Knox was twice able to pull within a point late in the set, but the Lady Blues had the answer each time to take a 1-0 lead.
The second set was all Illinois College right from the start. The Lady Blues scored the first four points of the set and led 8-2 when Knox used its first timeout. With the score 17-10, IC rolled to eight straight points to quickly take a 2-0 lead. Ganley's lone kill of the match got the Lady Blues back on serve and Knox committed five attack errors down the stretch before
Rebecca Shields ended the set with an ace that caught the tape and trickled over the net.
Illinois College once again scored the first four points of the third set, but this time Knox was able to rally and eventually take the lead on the Lady Blues. The Prairie Fire had their last lead at 19-18 and the score was tied at 20-20 before IC again pulled away late in the set.
Brenna Dameris had two straight kills to give the Lady Blues the lead and that was followed by a kill from Shields. A block from Shields and
MacKenzie Heinz gave IC the match point and Ganley delivered an ace to bring the match to a close.
Ramsey ended with a match-high 14 kills and
Ali Pankey added 13 on the night. Dameris smashed down 12 kills and had a team-best .409 hitting percentage.
Brooke Brandis led the defensive effort with 16 digs and
Cheyanne Jockisch chipped in with 13.
Action continues back at Sherman Gymnasium on Saturday as Illinois College hosts Lawrence University at 1 p.m.
