UIS Volleyball (0-2) faced a tough start at the Ferris State Invitational, falling to Emporia State (2-0) and Ferris State (2-0) in straight sets at Bulldog Arena.
In the opening match against Emporia State, UIS managed to push the third set to extra points but ultimately lost 3-0, with a final score of 25-19, 25-13, 27-25. The Prairie Stars opened play with steady momentum, leveling the score at 2-2 early in the first set, thanks to a service error by Emporia State and an attack error by Krizanic.
Makenna Cox contributed two key kills, reducing the deficit to 10-11 and again to 15-19, helping UIS remain competitive. Despite strong performances by Cox and a service ace from
Eva Huerta late in the set, Illinois Springfield could not overcome Emporia State's advantage.
 Emporia State surged to an early 7-1 lead in set two, capitalizing on multiple errors from the Prairie Stars. However, Illinois Springfield found a brief momentum shift with Cox contributing three kills, narrowing the gap to 9-4. Despite the rally, Emporia State extended its lead to 18-5, and ended the set 25-13.
In the third set, Illinois Springfield mounted a significant challenge, narrowing the gap to 22-21 with a series of strategic plays, including a kill by
Madi Siefken and a block by
Alexis Schwartz and Cox. The Prairie Stars took a late lead at 24-23 after capitalizing on Emporia State errors, but the momentum shifted back, allowing Emporia State to secure the set at 27-25.
Siefken led UIS with eight kills and nine assists, while also recording three block assists. Cox added nine kills and 13 digs, alongside a service ace.
Khadijah Blue made her presence felt with six kills in her first collegiate game, achieving a .300 hitting percentage and contributing to three block assists.
Marley Christy facilitated the offense with a team-high 10 assists and collected eight digs.
Later in the afternoon, UIS faced off against the host team Ferris State, ranked No. 10 in NCAA Division II. The Prairie Stars began the first set with momentum, securing the first two points through a kill by Cox and a block by
Kendall Johnson and
Alexis Schwartz. However, Ferris State shifted the score to 14-5, aided by successful attacks from Gabby Piazza and Emily May. Despite a brief rally from UIS, Ferris State concluded the set with a decisive 25-12 victory.
In the second set, Illinois Springfield showed resilience by tying the score at 7-7, thanks in part to service aces from Christy. They briefly took the lead at 8-7, but after a back-and-forth battle, Ferris State regained momentum, finishing the set 25-20.
The third set began with UIS securing the first point, but Ferris State established control with effective plays from Piazza and Lyndsey Urick. Illinois Springfield managed to add points through Cox and Schwartz, but a series of service and attack errors hindered their ability to close the gap, leading to a 25-10 set win for Ferris State.
Cox led the scoring effort for UIS against Ferris State with seven kills and three blocks. Christy recorded seven assists along with two service aces, while Siefken showcased her versatility with three kills and seven assists.Â
The Prairie Stars now prepare to meet No. 3-ranked MSU-Denver on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. CT.
