Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Butler volleyball team won their seventh-straight match on Tuesday night with a 3-1 decision over Indiana State (25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 25-18). Makayla Ferguson and Brooke Gregory each posted a double-double to help the Bulldogs secure the win.

Ferguson set the tempo with a match-high 39 assists to go along with 10 kills. Her stat line was complete with six digs, a block and one service ace. The junior setter was aggressive with the ball against the Sycamores by registering her 10 kills on 15 attempts to post a .600 attack percentage. BU as a team hit .236.

Gregory was in the box score with 10 kills and 13 digs while the ususal suspects led Butler in the kill and dig categories. Anna Logan posted 20.5 points with 18 kills and three blocks. The terrific sophomore added eight digs, two assists and a service ace. The backbone of the BU defense was once again Taylor Takeda who tallied 19 digs on the night.

Christina Porada got Butler off to a fast start by serving the first five points of the opening set. The Sycamores would make some adjustments to get within three points at 7-4, but a nice 3-0 BU run would increase the cushion and force Indiana State into a timeout. The strategy paid off as Indiana State cut the deficit to one at 14-13. Butler would counter with a second 3-0 scoring run pushing the scoreboard to 17-13 before the second ISU timeout of the set.
 
Butler was the first team to reach 20 points, but back-to-back service aces from Indiana State would pull the Sycamores back within two at 20-18. In the end, the Bulldogs would lead from start to finish. Ferguson made a great play out of a BU timeout to get to set point and a block from Klingensmith and Logan would lift BU to victory 25-21.

The Sycamores controlled the action early in set two allowing Indiana State to open up a 10-6 advantage. Butler recovered by going on a 5-2 scoring run which led to an ISU timeout. The turning point in the set came soon after with Indiana State going on a 4-0 run. The scoring spree increased the visitor lead to 21-15 and allowed the Sycamores to go into the break tied at 1-1.

Set three was all Butler early with the Bulldogs holding a 7-2 edge over Indiana State before the Sycamores would call for a timeout. The stoppage worked as Ferguson sent her serve into the net to stop the scoring run. The second ISU timeout of set three would come with Butler leading 13-7. The lead would grow to 22-13, before a 4-0 run from Indiana State would force Butler into a timeout. The Sycamores scored out of the stoppage, but Logan would counter with a kill. Attack errors would finish off Indiana State allowing BU to go up 2-1 with a 25-20 win.

The fourth and final set was never in question as BU jumped out to a 5-1 lead. The scoreboard would move to 11-5 before an ISU timeout and the Bulldogs would double up the Sycamores 12-6 at the midway point. Logan would push Butler to match point and moments later a block from Bri Lilly and Rillian Dennis would clinch the victory.

The Bulldogs will host the 2016 Butler Invitational this weekend at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Northern Kentucky, Loyola and Arizona will make up the tournament field.