BOZEMAN, Mont. – With a 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-25-14) sweep of Air Force on Saturday (August 26) morning in Shroyer Gym, the Illinois volleyball team earned the 2017 Bobcat Classic Championship after going undefeated on the weekend.
Junior Ali Bastianelli was named the tournament MVP after totaling 27 kills on a .558 hitting percentage, 25 blocks and nine digs, while classmate Blayke Hranicka and sophomore Jacqueline Quade also garnered all-tournament honors for their efforts in the two-day event. Quade paced the Illini offense with 41kills on the weekend, to go along with 12 blocks and 11 digs, with Hranicka adding 20 kills and 13 blocks.
Quade led the Illini (3-0) against Air Force, registering 12 kills and four blocks, while junior Jordyn Poulter posted 24 assists in leading the Illini to a .250 hitting percentage – including a .367 clips in the third.Â
In a more competitive second set, the Falcons stayed close throughout the period, but the Illini sealed the win by taking the last four of five points as Freshman Morgan O'Brien served up an ace for set point.
Leading by two at 9-7 in the third set, the Illini again used an 11-2 run to propel them to a 20-9 lead on the serve of Poulter and sophomore Caroline Welsh. A kill from freshman Kylie Kuyava-Deberg then finished off the set at 25-14 and gave the Illini the 3-0 victory.
The Illini continued their strong play at the net and out-blocked the Falcons, 13.0-3.0 with Bastianelli leading the way with seven stuffs and redshirt-freshman Beth Prince and Hranicka adding four each.
Donnelly put up a match-high nine digs, while the Illini defense held Air Force to a .000 hitting percentage, including negative percentages in the first and third sets.
The Illini continue nonconference tournament action next weekend when they travel to Louisville, Ky., for the Cardinal Classic and will take on Kent State, Western Kentucky and host Louisville on September 1-2 in Cardinal Arena.
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