Volleyball Falls to Illinois State at Tiger Invitational

Saturday, September 3

Columbia, Mo.

3:00 PM

University of Utah

4-2

Illinois State

4-3

Utah

Illinois State

Volleyball Falls to Illinois State at Tiger Invitational

9/3/2016 6:49 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Trueman notches career-high 20 kills in the loss.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Junior Carly Trueman tallied a career-high 20 kills and freshman Bailey Choy notched a double-double with 43 assists and 10 digs, but it was not enough as the Utah Utes (4-2) fell in five sets (23-25, 25-18, 15-25, 25-18, 13-15) to the Illinois State Redbirds (4-3) Saturday afternoon at the Hearnes Center.

The Utes dropped the first set 25-23, but managed to come back and take the second set 25-18 behind sophomore Berkeley Oblad's five kills and three total blocks.

The Redbirds overpowered the Utes in set three, totaling 15 kills to Utah's nine kills and out-hitting the Utes .414 to .069.

The Utes came back to force a decisive fifth set though, after taking the fourth frame 25-18. Juniors Eliza Katoa and Tawnee Luafalemana both recorded four kills each, while Katoa and Oblad collected a pair of blocks in the set.

Both teams virtually traded points throughout the first half of the final set until ISU took a two-point lead to go up 9-7. The Utes battled back and tied the set 12-12 with a block from Luafalemana, but ISU called a timeout to disrupt the Utah momentum.

Trueman recorded a kill out of the break to go up 13-12, but the Redbirds followed with three straight kills to take the set, 15-13, and the match.

Trueman, who posted a team-best 48 kills on the weekend, hit .333 and had five digs to go along with her career-high kill-total. She bested her previous career-high of 15 kills, which she set against California back on Nov. 19 of last season.

Choy totaled 103 assists, while averaging 7.92 assists-per-set on the weekend. The true freshman also tallied 23 digs, while posting a pair of double-doubles in the tournament.

Utah, who went 2-1 on the weekend, will be back in action next weekend at the Portland Invitational. The Utes will open play at the tournament next Friday, Sept. 9, against Texas State.