JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College volleyball team kept up its winning ways, making quick work of Lawrence University by a score of 3-0 (25-13, 25-10, 25-17). IC had a season-high 10 blocks against the Vikings and limited their opponents to a -.009 hitting percentage for the match. The win lifts the Lady Blues to 12-3 (2-0 Midwest Conference) on the season.
After Lawrence started the match with two straight points, Illinois College quickly went to work, scoring 10 of the next 11 points. It became apparent early on that it would be IC's day as both
Brenna Dameris and
Ali Pankey had digs fly over the net and land where no Lawrence player could track them down. A brief run from Lawrence got the IC lead down to 13-11, but the Lady Blues promptly reeled off five points in a row, with Dameris providing three kills in that stretch. With the score 18-13, Illinois College scored the final seven points of the set.
Madison Klanke had a pair of kills in that run, while the front row of Klanke,
MacKenzie Heinz and
Rebecca Shields at one point had three blocks in a row.
The second set was all Illinois College. The Lady Blues zoomed out to an 8-1 lead after four aces and a pair of kills from Heinz. The Vikings never got closer than six points after that and the lead peaked late in the set at 24-8.
Lawrence put up its biggest fight in the third set. Though Illinois College again went ahead early on, 6-1, the Vikings battled back, tying the score at 9-9 and going on to lead as late as 14-13. With the score tied at 16-16, the Lady Blues finally put things away. Dameris had the go-ahead kill and an attack error made it 18-16. Lawrence earned one last side-out to pull within one at 18-17, but the final seven points belonged to IC. Dameris had a kill and an ace, while Klanke had two kills, including the match-winner.
Klanke led Illinois College with 10 kills in the match. Dameris had eight and Heinz added seven.
Elizabeth Ganley provided IC with 28 assists and a team-high 15 digs. Pankey had 10 digs and four block assists. Shields led the Lady Blues at the net with one solo block and four block assists. Heinz added one solo block and three block assists.
Illinois College will venture back into non-conference play on Oct. 2 with a road trip to Blackburn College. The match in Carlinville is slated for a 7 p.m. start.
