ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Illinois College volleyball team ended the regular season on Tuesday night with a strong 3-0 sweep (25-21, 25-21, 25-19) on the road over Webster University. The Lady Blues will head into the Midwest Conference Tournament on Friday afternoon with an overall record of 21-7.
Following a quick opening burst from Webster to take a 5-1 lead in the first set, Illinois College began its comeback and tied the match for the first time at 11-11 before going up, 16-15, on consecutive kills from
Ali Pankey and
Elizabeth Ganley. With the score tied at 20-20, Ganley handed out assists to four separate players as the Lady Blues notched five of the final six points of the set to win, 25-21.
The Gorloks rebounded early in the second set and were winning up until the Lady Blues scored six straight, turning an 8-6 deficit into a 12-8 lead.
Madison Klanke had two kills in that stretch to help IC take the lead for good. The cushion would grow to as much as five points later in the second set and though Webster cut it to two points on two occasions late in the set, the Lady Blues had enough of an edge to hold on and take a 2-0 lead.
Another six-point swing turned the third set around for Illinois College. Trailing 13-9, three kills and a block assist from
Brenna Dameris in short order helped give the Lady Blues a 15-13 lead. Webster would rally and tie the score at 17-17, but the Lady Blues dominated the closing stages with eight of the final 10 points. Klanke had three kills in that stretch, including the final point of the match.
Both Pankey and Ganley ended the night with double-doubles. Pankey had 14 kills and 15 digs, while Ganley had 45 assists and 13 digs.
Madie Budd led IC with 17 digs on the night and
Reagan Gifford added 12 as well. Joining Pankey with double-digit kills were Dameris and Klanke with 11 apiece.
Illinois College faces St. Norbert College on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Mount Vernon, Iowa in the first of two MWC Tournament semifinals. Grinnell College at Cornell College will follow at 7 p.m. with the two winners squaring off in the MWC Championship match on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
