The Illinois Springfield volleyball team defeated Upper Iowa 3-1 (25-14, 18-25, 25-18, 25-19) on Saturday afternoon in Fayette, Iowa. The victory boosts the Prairie Stars to 11-4 overall and 3-1 in GLVC play, while Upper Iowa drops to 6-8 and 1-2 in conference.

Match Recap

• Set 1: UIS took control early in the match, dominating the opening set with a .273 hitting percentage. Makenna Cox and Eirini Glynou combined for 11 kills, with Glynou contributing 6 and Cox adding 5. Erica Sledge played a pivotal role, adding 15 assists to enhance the offensive performance.The Peacocks struggled offensively, posting a negative hitting percentage with seven attack errors, allowing UIS to cruise to a 25-14 win
• Set 2: Upper Iowa responded in the second set, finding their rhythm offensively and hitting .345 while limiting mistakes to just three attack errors. Despite a competitive start, the Peacocks pulled away late, capitalizing on UIS miscues to claim the set 25-18, evening the match at 1-1
• Set 3: In a tightly contested third set, the Prairie Stars regrouped and delivered an efficient performance, hitting .333 with just two errors. Cox and Glynou continued to lead the charge offensively, helping UIS regain momentum. UIS pulled ahead late in the set to secure a 25-18 win, reclaiming the match lead at 2-1
• Set 4: In the fourth set, the Prairie Stars built early momentum, taking an 8-5 lead with key kills from Makenna Cox and Kendall Johnson. Upper Iowa fought back to tie it at 16, but UIS regained control with a service ace from Carly Michels and a block by Madison Siefken and Kendall Johnson. Erica Sledge sealed the set with an ace, securing a 25-19 win and a 3-1 match victory for the Prairie Stars

Key Performers

• Makenna Cox had a standout performance with 17 kills and 15 digs, hitting .310
• Eirini Glynou contributed 15 kills, 7 digs, and 3 aces while hitting .256
• Kendall Johnson added 8 kills and 5 blocks
• Erica Sledge led the team with 39 assists and 7 digs
• Carly Michels and Madison Siefken recorded 5 blocks apiece
• Anna Laincz anchored the defense with 17 digs

Stats at a Glance

• Kills: UIS 49, UIU 49
• Hitting Percentage: UIS .265, UIU .174
• Assists: UIS 45, UIU 47
• Service Aces: UIS 10, UIU 8
• Digs: UIS 54, UIU 56
• Blocks: UIS 10, UIU 6

Up Next
The Prairie Stars have a bye next Friday before traveling to Quincy, Ill., for a matchup against the Quincy Hawks on Saturday. Quincy was ranked No. 24 nationally in the latest AVCA poll.