The UIS volleyball team (11-10, 3-5 GLVC) edged Drury (13-9, 3-4 GLVC) in a five-set thriller on Saturday afternoon, winning 23-25, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 15-11.

"What a way to end the weekend!" said head coach Laura Ulrich. "I'm so proud of the team and their resilience. They stepped up when their backs were against the wall and came together as a team. I'm looking forward to continuing to push through this last stretch of conference play."

The Prairie Stars capitalized on their opponent's early attack errors to take a 4-2 lead. Despite cleaner hitting and a service ace from Kendall Johnson, Drury rallied to tie it at 11-11. The teams traded points as UIS built an 18-14 lead behind kills from Johnson and Madison Siefken, but the Panthers finished strong to take the set 25-23.

In the second set, UIS showed grit after Drury jumped out to a 6-1 lead. The Prairie Stars chipped away, fueled by a service ace from Makenna Cox and a block from Madison Siefken and Alexis Schwartz to narrow the gap to 16-11. Despite the push, Drury held control and closed out the set 25-20.

The Prairie Stars found their rhythm midway through the third set, breaking a 9-9 tie with strong blocking from Lexie Vick and Makenna Cox that sparked a four-point run. Steady offense from Johnson and Cox, both fed by Erica Sledge, helped UIS stay in control down the stretch. Johnson's final kill sealed a 25-19 set win, keeping the Prairie Stars alive and setting the stage for a reverse sweep.

The Prairie Stars opened the fourth set with a strong response after an early Drury lead, using a balanced offensive effort to move ahead 5-3. UIS maintained its momentum as Makenna Cox and Kendall Johnson continued to deliver key points throughout the set. Drury tied it late at 22-22, but the Prairie Stars closed with composure, capped by a Johnson kill to take the 25-23 win and force a decisive fifth set.

In the fifth set, Illinois Springfield seized momentum early behind key plays from Madison Siefken, who delivered two kills assisted by Erica Sledge to even the score at 3-3. Cox and Johnson added crucial kills to push UIS ahead 8-6, and the Prairie Stars held their lead with steady offense. Sledge continued to orchestrate the attack, while Vick and Siefken came up with a final block to close out the match. UIS secured the 15-11 win in the fifth to complete the reverse sweep.

Cox led the way with 20 kills on 51 swings, hitting .314 while also posting a team-high 23 digs. She was one of four Prairie Stars to record double-digit kills. Sledge guided the offense with 45 assists, while Siefken added 16 points on 11 kills and three service aces. Vick anchored the front line with six total blocks.

Up Next
UIS has a bye next Friday before hosting Quincy at TRAC on Saturday afternoon. Fans are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costumes!