NASHVILLE - The Lipscomb University volleyball team wrapped up the Lippy Invitational presented by the Nashville Sports Council and Women in Sports Committee with a thriller with the University of Illinois. However, despite the Bisons taking the 2-1 set lead, it was the Fighting Illini that walked out of Allen Arena on Saturday with the five-set win. 

Final Score: Illinois 3, Lipscomb 2 (25-17, 22-25, 18-25, 25-15, 15-10)
Location: Allen Arena
Records: Lipscomb (3-8), Illinois (8-2)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After the Fighting Illini came off a five-set loss to Missouri on Friday, the Bisons kept pace with them in the opening set. A Berkley Mischler spike gave the home team the early 6-5 lead. 

Later in the frame, coming off a media timeout, Illinois used back-to-back aces to take the 17-12 lead. 

Kills by Courtney Jones and Jada DiVita cut the deficit to 18-14, but it was not enough, as the Fighting Illini took the opener, 25-17. 

Despite Illinois taking four of the first five points in the second set, Lipscomb went to work on offense. A Berkley Mischler strike made it a 9-9 contest. 

Later, following a DiVita kill to make it an 11-11 affair, that led to a quick 5-0 run to reclaim the lead for good. The Illini made it interesting, evening the set at 21 points apiece, but an Illinois service error and an ace by Sophia Hudepohl helped Lipscomb to even the match at a set apiece. 

The momentum stayed with the Bisons, as they picked up the third set win, 25-18, holding the Illini to 10 kills and a .156 swing percentage. On the offensive end, the home team posted 15 kills, including six from Jones. 

Illinois made it a 19-18 deficit late in the frame, but the Bisons won the final six points to cruise to the third set win and lead the match 2-1. 

The Illini came out swinging in the fourth set, getting out to a 10-2 lead en route to a 25-15 victory thanks to 12 kills on a .417 attack mark. 

Forcing the fifth set, Illinois and Lipscomb went back-and-forth. However, tied at nine, the visitors won six of the final seven points to win the contest, 15-10. 

The Bisons are wrapping up an 11-match non-conference slate that featured five teams that participated in the 2023 NCAA Championship: Arizona State, BYU, Georgia Tech, Kansas and Missouri. 

Additionally, six non-conference foes, the teams listed above and Kansas State, were listed in the top 60 in the NCAA's Rating Percentage Index last season. 

QUOTABLE
Hear from head coach Brandon Rosenthal post match.

LIPPY INVITE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Jordan Iliff, Missouri (MVP)
Marina Crownover, Missouri
Janet deMarrais, Missouri
Raina Terry, Illinois
Christina Martinez Mundo, Illinois
Courtney Jones, Lipscomb

KEY STATISTICS
Courtney Jones led the Bisons with 19 kills, missing her career high by one. She committed five errors on 50 total swings for a .280 percentage. She also had two service aces. 

Addi Pelham matched her career best in kills with 11 and added four block assists. 

Meg Mersman inches closer to the 1,000 career kill plateau. Adding 10 on Saturday, she is 18 away from achieving the milestone. The graduate student also posted three block assists. 

Libby Steinhart set a new career-high in digs with 22, while Sophia Hudepohl had a season-best 43 and added 11 digs for 22nd career double-double.

UP NEXT
Following one of the toughest non-conference schedules in recent program history, the Bisons will now turn to ASUN play on the road next weekend, starting with Eastern Kentucky at 5 p.m. CST.