NORMAL, Ill. – The Green Bay volleyball team cruised to a three-set win over SEMO in their first match of the Redbird Classic before dropping a five-set thriller against hosts Illinois State. The 1-1 day moves the Phoenix to 2-3 on the year.
Tiffany Paalman was strong for the Phoenix, leading the team with nine kills on a .500 hitting percentage in game one and registering a double-double (11 kills and 10 blocks) in game two. Alexandra Zakutney led the GB attack in game two with a season-high 18 kills.
GREEN BAY 3, SEMO 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | Green Bay never trailed by more than five points and grabbed the advantage for good at 14-13 in a set that showcased four lead changes before the Phoenix took over in the second half of the stanza to win 25-19.
SET 2 | Green Bay carried momentum from a set-one win by earning a 25-23 victory in set number two. The Phoenix grabbed control of the set lead early on at 5-4 and never looked back. Green Bay led by as many as five points at 13-8 before closing out the set.
SET 3 | Green Bay sealed the sweep with a 25-15 victory in set number three. The Phoenix never trailed in the set.
GAME NOTES
» Angie Gromos registered a team-high six blocks.
» Paalman had a team-high nine kills for the Phoenix with a .500 hitting percentage.
» Green Bay got a team-high 17 digs from Calli Gentry.
» Green Bay attackers were helped by a match-high 30 assists from Gentry.
ILLINOIS 3, GREEN BAY 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | GB came out on top of a tight first set, winning 27-25 in a stanza that was tied five times and had one lead change. Green Bay got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four Illinois State attacks in the stanza.
SET 2 | Set two also went past 25, with Green Bay on the wrong end this time. GB dropped the second set in spite of a strong performance on the attacking side. Green Bay put together a .306 attack percentage with 16 kills.
SET 3 | Green Bay bounced back following the second-set loss to grab the third set and a 2-1 lead in the match. The Phoenix led from the first point on in the set to secure and rolled to a 25-18 victory. GB opened up as much as an eight-point lead at 23-15.
SET 4 | The hosts had a response in set four, evening the match a two after a 25-20 set win.
SET 5 | Green Bay and Illinois State went back and forth in the final set before the Redbirds finally won the stanza 20-18. The Phoenix couldn't endure a furious Illinois State rally in the fifth set, falling after leading 7-2 earlier in the set.
GAME NOTES
» Green Bay had four players in double figures in kills. (Zakutney, Cora Behnke, Gromos, and Paalman)
» Annelise Sparks had a team-high two aces in the loss.
» Paalman had a match-high 10 blocks..
» Green Bay got a team-high 18 digs from Kayla Lass.
» Green Bay attackers were helped by a match-high 53 assists from Gentry.
UP NEXT
GB will look to finish the weekend 2-1 when they take on Oral Roberts tomorrow at noon. Next weekend the Phoenix travels to Muncie, Indiana for the Ball State Tournament.
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