Illinois Springfield (12-11, 4-6 GLVC) defeated Upper Iowa (6-18, 4-7 GLVC) in straight sets on Friday night at TRAC, with set scores of 25-22, 25-18, and 25-15. The Prairie Stars recorded 43 kills and six service aces to secure the victory.

The opening set was a back-and-forth battle between two teams fighting for GLVC standings position. Neither side gained much separation until late, when UIS closed it out with key plays — a kill and service ace from Makenna Cox, a Madison Siefken kill, and a block by Lexie Vick. Kendall Johnson added several timely kills that kept the Prairie Stars even before they pulled away to take the set 25-22.

UIS carried its momentum into the second set, sparked by three straight service aces from Makenna Cox to take a 5-1 lead. Upper Iowa tried to respond with kills from Martha Pace and Lydia Imbrogno, but the Prairie Stars maintained control, extending their advantage to 19-13 after a 7-4 run. Erica Sledge set up several key attacks during the stretch, including a kill from Lexie Vick and two from Cox to close out the set, 25-18.

UIS jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the third set, fueled by two kills from Makenna Cox with assists from Erica Sledge and Tuana Yuce. After Upper Iowa briefly tied it at 3-3, the Prairie Stars regained control behind a kill from Madison Siefken and never looked back. UIS broke the set open with a 9-1 run, spreading the offense among multiple hitters to build a double-digit lead.

Cox and Siefken continued to apply pressure, while Johnson and Vick added timely points at the net. The Prairie Stars closed out the match with a kill from Vick and a service ace by Siefken to take the set 25-15 and complete the sweep.

Sledge orchestrated the offense with 32 assists, contributing significantly to the team's distribution. Cox led in scoring with 16 kills, four aces, and a total of 20 points, showcasing her versatility on the court. Yuce was effective defensively, recording 15 digs to support the back line. 

"The team has been focused on being resilient and taking it one game at a time." said head coach Laura Ulrich. "Finishing strong and playing some of our best volleyball at this point in the season is key to building confidence and making a run at the end of the year. Let's execute and celebrate our seniors well tomorrow!"

Up Next
The Prairie Stars will close their home slate on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. Senior Day matchup against Truman State.