photo courtesy of Illinois State Athletics Looking to continue their recent success against the No. 23 ranked Missouri State Lady Bears proved too daunting for the Illinois State women's basketball team. A brutal first quarter by ISU that saw the Lady Bears lead 24-9 showed too much to overcome for the Redbirds. Beginning the game in a zone defense allowed Missouri State to tear through the Redbirds shooting 52%. […]
Story contributed by Jake Fogal NORMAL, Ill. - Following a .500 start through the first two weeks, the 1-1 (3-3 overall) Illinois State volleyball team heads to Terre Haute, Ind. to take on the 1-1 (1-2 overall) Indiana State Sycamores on Sunday and Monday. The Redbirds have split meetings with Marquette, Cincinnati, and Bradley, last being in action on Monday, as they were swept by the Braves. The Redbirds may be without three seniors against the Sycamores. […]
Story by Jake Fogal Image courtesy of goredbirds.com A first set win turned disaster for the Illinois State Redbirds, who dropped its next three sets to the Cincinnati Bearcats, falling apart in the process. Head coach Leah Johnson when talking about the fourth set, attributed the loss more to what Cincinnati did right compared to what the Redbirds did wrong. “I can’t really explain set four.” Johnson said. “They [Cincinnati] had a rhythm. It wasn’t that […]
Image courtesy of goredbirds.com Story by Jake Fogal NORMAL Ill.- Playing in their third match in four days, the Illinois State volleyball team made quick work of the Bradley Braves on Monday, sweeping their I-74 rival 3-0. Bradley had a night filled with errors, as crucial moments towards the end of each set cost the Braves. Kaylee Martin led the attack with 10 kills, but the Redbirds dominance was led on ISU’s front row defense. […]
Phot courtesy of goredbirds.com Story by Jake Fogal NORMAL Ill.- Bouncing back, a skill set that will be of the utmost importance for any volleyball squad suiting up in the Missouri Valley this season was put on display by the Illinois State Redbirds on Saturday, as they took down No. 20 Marquette in five sets. A day prior, the Redbirds found themselves swept by the Golden Eagles. In the fall of 2019, ISU and Marquette met in […]
Photo courtesy of goredbirds.com Story by Jake Fogal NORML, Ill.- On the heels of winning a Missouri Valley Conference title, the Illinois State Redbird volleyball team has its eyes locked on repeating. Feeling more confident than ever, head coach Leah Johnson enters her fourth season in an audibled spring season. Johnson holds a 65-and-33 record and has the utmost confidence that this team could do some special things in 2021. “This is a team that is pretty special and has a lot of potential. When […]
Photo courtesy of goredbirds.com NORMAL- An empty Redbird Arena set the stage for the return of Illinois State’s women’s basketball team, dropping Saint Xavier 61-48 in the team’s 2020-21 season debut. The raucous fake crowd noise and supportive cutouts made for an atmosphere that was anything but normal, yet instead hopeful. “I am so thrilled that our team got to compete today. Tomorrow it would have been nine months since we played at Indiana State, […]
Photo courtesy goredbirds.com NORMAL, Ill. - Ahead of their first official practice of the 2020-21 season, the Illinois State women’s basketball team has been voted fifth with 223 votes in the Missouri Valley Conference’s preseason poll. Coming off of a 19-10 (11-7 MVC) season, the Redbirds have surpassed their preseason rank in each of Head Coach Kristen Gillespie’s four years with the program. Sitting in front of the Redbirds is Missouri State in first (360 votes), Bradley (328 […]
