Volleyball Takes Down Simpson and Anderson to Cap Undefeated Weekend

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Simpson Box Score (PDF)
Anderson Box Score (PDF)

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College volleyball team claimed a pair of victories on Saturday at the Illinois College Invitational, downing Simpson College in four sets and Anderson University in three sets to improve to 3-0 on the young season. At the conclusion of the tournament, Maddie Ramsey and Elizabeth Ganley were named to the All-Tournament Team after a pair of big performances on Saturday.

The Lady Blues go to Principia College in Elsah, Ill. next weekend for three matches. First up is a Friday doubleheader with matches against Hannibal-LaGrange University at 4 p.m. and Lincoln Christian University at 6 p.m.

Illinois College 3, Simpson 1
(25-20, 20-25, 25-15, 25-12)
Though the Lady Blues were slightly sluggish to start the morning off on Saturday, a second-set loss to Simpson ignited the offense and led to a four-set win over the Storm. Three players ended with double-digit kills in the match for IC, led by Ramsey with 13 kills and a .481 hitting percentage.

With the match all even at 1-1, the third set was tied at 13-13 until a Simpson attack error opened the door for eight unanswered points from Illinois College. Of those final 12 points in the set for the Lady Blues, Ali Pankey had two kills, a block and an ace to help secure the 2-1 lead in the match.

The tone for the fourth set was established early on with five straight points for the Lady Blues. Ganley had a pair of aces and Madison Klanke was in on both a kill and a block. With the score 10-8, Illinois College once again scored eight in a row to put the set out of reach. 

In addition to Ramsey's 13 kills, Pankey ended with 11 and Abbie Horstmann had 10. Ganley had a double-double of 44 assists and 10 digs, while Madie Budd led the defensive effort in the back row with 21 digs.

Illinois College 3, Anderson 0
(25-14, 25-17, 30-28)
Though Anderson entered on the heels of its first victory of the season, a four-setter over Knox College, the Lady Blues had a fairly easy time against the Ravens until a down-to-the-wire third set. Ramsey was nearly unstoppable, producing 18 kills on 26 attempts without an error for a .692 hitting percentage.

With the score 10-8 in the first set, Illinois College ran off seven points in a row to grab control. Ramsey and Brenna Dameris each had a pair of kills in that stretch as the Lady Blues took an early 1-0 lead in the match.

Anderson had its biggest lead of the second set at 12-8 before a strong Illinois College comeback. Once again, the Lady Blues scored seven unanswered at one point, turning a 13-11 deficit into an 18-13 edge. The Ravens closed to within 20-17 before a Ramsey kill got IC back on serve. Pankey proceeded to serve three straight aces before a Reagan Gifford kill made it 25-17 and gave the Lady Blues a 2-0 advantage. 

Illinois College had Anderson doubled up at 16-8 midway through the third until the Ravens came alive late to nearly force a fourth set. The score would wind up tied at 28-28 when Brooke Troyer served a ball into the net to make it 29-28 and Klanke ended a long rally with a kill to close out the match at 30-28.

Dameris and Pankey complemented Ramsey's big afternoon with nine and eight kills, respectively. Ganley had 42 assists and seven digs, while Budd ended with 14 digs.