Nov. 27, 2004

Final Stats

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois closed out the 2004 regular season with a convincing 30-21, 30-22, 30-25 victory over Iowa in front of 1,313 at Huff Hall. The Illini now await word on an NCAA berth. The announcements are at 5:45 p.m. CST Sunday on ESPN News. The Illini move to 19-10 overall and 11-9 (fifth place) in the Big Ten. Iowa closes out its season at 10-22, 2-18 in the Big Ten.

Before the match Illinois honored its four seniors - Erin Virtue, Kathleen Bazzetta, Jessica Belter, and Lauren Harks. Collectively the four women have helped the team to two NCAA tournaments and likely a third, won 79 matches, including 11 over ranked opponents, and sent Illinois into the Top Ten in the country at one point this season. The Illini are 24-4 at Huff Hall in the past two seasons as well

"I think they have been one of the better senior classes in quite a few years, especially at Huff," said Illinois Head Coach Don Hardin. "They have elevated our program and our expectations these past few years. The senior class has really started Illinois' return to national prominence. As we continue to rise, I will always think of them as the group who brought it back."

Iowa hung around for awhile in each of the three games and did not really threaten. Illinois hit .298 for the evening, led by 14 kills and a .478 attack percentage from Jen Hynds. Rasa Virsilaite and Rachel VanMeter added 11 kills as well.

The Illini also had a great match defensively, out-digging the Hawkeyes, 63-52, led by Bazzetta's 19. Bazzetta now has 961 digs for her career and has a chance at 1,000 if Illinois can advance in the NCAA Tournament. Virsilaite's 11 digs give her the ninth double-double of the season. Harks added 10 digs while freshman setter Stephanie Obermeier led the club with 48 assists.

Iowa, meanwhile, hit just .107, including -.103 in the first game. Stacy Vitali and Carolyn Giese paced Iowa with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.

For Illinois, the victory gives the Illini some momentum heading into the post-season. The campaign has been full of ups and downs, but thanks to the resiliency of the club, more ups than downs. Illinois pulled off one of the biggest wins in the program's history in September with the upset of then No. 1 USC. Then the Illini suffered through a season-ending injury to Virtue, the loss of Jen Hynds for eight matches, and other setbacks. Yet they managed to rebound to defeat Ohio State, when the Buckeyes were 19-0, then nearly won again against the seventh-ranked Buckeyes in Columbus.

Coach Hardin says that through it all, the team has stuck together and still achieved in the second half of the year. "I think we are struggling a little bit with our battered confidence," he admitted. "Right now we are kind of like a boxer that's been out with a contender who got brutalized and is trying to come back and gain confidence. If this group regains its confidence and composure I think they will rise above the level they were at when they beat Ohio State."

Illinois will be seeking its 15th NCAA bid, including the third in the past four seasons.