Nov. 26, 1999

CHAMPAIGN--The University of Illinois volleyball team had a rough night against 20th ranked Minnesota on Friday night at Huff Hall, losing in three games, 12-15, 6-15, 14-16, in front of 1,561 fans. It was a frustrating night for the Illini, as they built commanding leads in two of the three games, but could not put the Gophers away either time.

Illinois jumped out all over Minnesota, scoring the first six points of the match and building a 12-3 lead. But the Gophers chipped away at the deficit and ended up scoring nine unanswered points to win the first game.

After dropping game two, the Illini came out of the locker room refocused and outplayed Minnesota on the way to a 12-3 advantage. But just as in the first game, Illinois couldn't finish the job, as the Gophers again came from behind to win the final game.

"My hat's off to Minnesota, they came in as a very determined group," head coach Don Hardin said. "We started off strong, but obviously had trouble putting them away."

To try and spark his team, Hardin went with new lineup combinations in the third game. Freshman Anne Koester and junior Dena Schorn saw plenty of action.

"We were trying to find the right chemistry out there," Hardin said. "Dena did a nice job, and Anne came in and played great while she was in there. Our blocking and defense was pretty good tonight, but it wasn't enough."

Sophomore outside hitter Shadia Haddad was the only Illini in double figures with 12 kills. Illinois hit just .148 as a team, compared to Minnesota's .248. UM's Nicole Branagh led all players with 24 kills.

Illinois now sits at 15-10 overall and 11-8 in the Big Ten. The last regular season match of the year is tomorrow night at Huff Hall (7 p.m.) against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Tomorrow is senior night, as Tracey Marshall, Sara Sorrell, and Melissa Beitz play their final home match.