ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis posted a season-high .315 attack percentage and out-blocked Illinois State 10-3 on its way to a 3-1 victory over the Redbirds in the finale of the Billiken Invitational Saturday afternoon at Chaifetz Pavilion.
 
Several Billikens stood out offensively. Addy Brus registered a match-high 16 kills, followed by Tea Kalajdzic with 13, Trinity Luckett with 10 and Delaney Rice with nine. All-Tournament selections Luckett and Kalajdzic hit .600 (10-1-15) and .440 (13-2-25), respectively, while Rice checked in at .318 (9-2-22). Abby Lynn had 22 assists and Kate Aupperle collected 14.
 
Saint Louis recorded a double-digit block total for a fourth straight match, led by Kayla Jansen's match-high six and Luckett's four. Carlie Rodgers turned in 12 digs and Brus notched nine.
 
The Billikens went 2-1 in the tournament to even their season record at 3-3.
 
Saint Louis def. Illinois State 25-23, 25-18, 16-25, 25-19
Set 1 – After the match was tied for an eighth time at 10-10, Illinois State built a 16-12 lead with a 6-2 run. Saint Louis answered with its own 6-2 spurt to forge an 18-18 tie. The Redbirds nudged ahead again and led 23-22 before the Billikens claimed the set by scoring the final three points.
 
Set 2 – SLU jumped out to a 6-0 lead and never looked back. The Billikens led by as many as nine points twice before settling for the final score.
 
Set 3 – Saint Louis held an early 6-4 lead, but Illinois State got back in the match by outscoring the Billikens 21-10 the rest of the way.
 
Set 4 – The Bills went on top for good at 2-1 and built a 12-3 cushion. The Redbirds made it close with an 11-4 flurry that narrowed the lead to 16-14, but SLU steadied the ship by scoring the next two points and closed the set and the match convincingly.
 
Up next for the Billikens is Missouri State's Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational in Springfield Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 12-14. SLU will face Weber State (Thursday, 3 p.m.), UT Arlington (Friday, 3 p.m.) and Missouri State (Saturday, 1 p.m.).