NORMAL — Illinois State's volleyball team overcame a big challenge by becoming the first No. 3 seed to win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, beating top-seed Northern Iowa in three sets on its home court for the title.
The Redbirds (22-11) face Wisconsin (22-6), the No. 4 national seed and Big Ten Conference champion, in an NCAA Tournament first-round match at 7 p.m. Friday at UW Field House in Madison, Wis.
The other portion of the four-team sub-regional features UCLA (18-11) against Notre Dame (19-9) at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
The winners square off at 6 p.