Jays enjoy big weekend

Junior middle blocker Kelly Goc (No. 12) skies for a spike in the face of two Illinois State players as freshman setter Maggie Workman (No. 2) looks on. The Jays topped the Redbirds 3-1 on Saturday after making quick work of Indiana State, 3-0 the night before

By KEVIN KLAMAN
Sports Reporter

When the Creighton Pep Band showed up to Saturday’s game dressed for the upcoming holiday, they weren’t the only intimidating group on the court.

The Creighton volleyball team provided their costumed fans with a thrilling Halloween-weekend experience as they rallied to beat the Illinois State Redbirds, 3-1.

With the win, the Jays completed a regular-season sweep of Illinois State for only the second time since Creighton’s program was reinstated in 1994. The win was also the team’s 17th, one shy of tying the single-season record set in 2004.

The Jays fell just short in the first game of the night but fought hard in the next three, winning the fourth with a nail-biting 34-32 finish.

Sophomore Jessica Houts led the team with a career-best 27 kills supplied by 64 assists from sophomore Korie Lebeda as the Jays out-killed, out-dug and out-aced the Redbirds.

An outstanding defensive effort saved the Jays from a dismal hitting percentage. Creighton’s .195 was just lower than Illinois State’s .198, marking the first time in Creighton’s 76 games that the team with the lower percentage won the match.

Saturday’s win concluded another successful weekend of volleyball at home after the Jays beat Indiana State on Friday.

Creighton bounced back from a disappointing loss last weekend to Drake by sweeping the Sycamores in three games.

Junior Abby Baumann led the team with 18 kills while also recording the second-highest hitting percentage of her career. Sophomore Amanda Cvedjlik added three aces. Cvedjlik has at least one ace in nine straight games and 17 of the last 18 games.

The two wins snapped a two-game road funk that dropped the Jays from their perch atop the Missouri Valley Conference.

They are now tied with Missouri State in third place.

The Jays battle Bradley next and then will have a chance to move a step closer to their competition when they play the top three teams in their next three games.

Coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth said she is excited about the position the team now holds.

“We have opportunities in front of us,” Booth said. “I like the fact that we control our own destiny.”

However, Booth knows that no game should be taken for granted.

“Bradley is a young team. They are much improved since the last time we played them. We can’t forget the importance of every game.”

The Jays hope to continue their success against Bradley under the direction of Booth. They are 6-1 against the Braves since Booth came to Creighton in 2003.