KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The Truman State University volleyball team hosted the hottest program in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), if not the nation, on Friday night in the form of Illinois Springfield. Catapulted by wins in the first two sets, the Prairie Stars pushed their winning streak to 11 with set scores of 25-18, 25-23, 15-25, and 25-13.

Truman (18-6, 8-4 GLVC) lost inside Pershing Arena for the first time this season (5-1) while Illinois Springfield (19-4, 10-1 GLVC) improved to 10-2 away from home. Friday, the Bulldogs were led by Ellie Kaat (15 kills), Jocelynn Livingston (15 kills), Savvy Hughes (45 assists), Meghan Gasper (two service aces), Lauren Wacker (18 digs), Holly Hildebrand (three blocks), and Natalie Brimeyer (three blocks).

UIS opened the match by scoring seven of the first nine points. After that, Truman was able to cut it to two, 8-6, and three on nine different occasions, but the Prairie Stars led by as many as eight at 22-14, 23-15 and 24-16 and held on for the set victory.

The second period was the closest of the match as it featured seven ties and two lead changes. The biggest lead that either team had was three and that was when the visitors led 8-5, 11-8, 12-9, and 13-10. Aside from that, it was truly a back-and-forth affair that the away team won by two to take a 2-0 match advantage.

Out of the intermission, the Bulldogs came to play in the third set. They opened the set with eight of the first 11 points and then used a small 5-1 run later to go up by seven, 14-7. After that, the Prairie Stars could never get closer than five (16-11) and the home team led it by as many as 10 (22-12 and 25-15).

Aside from Truman take leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the beginning of the fourth set, it was all about Illinois Springfield. At two junctures, the Prairie Stars led by 12, 18-6 and 25-13.

Next up, the Bulldogs will host McKendree on Saturday with first serve set for 3 p.m.

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