by Mike Koon, Athletic Public Relations
In an age of stereo and high definition television, a strong still photo is still as much a part of our storytelling as it has ever been. That of course, is because it captures our emotion or our imagination, and freezes a moment in time.
Taking on that metaphor was the excitement generated in Huff Hall Saturday as Illinois completed a come-from-behind victory over top-ranked USC. A moment in time for a program looking to make a name for itself on the national volleyball scene. True the Illini have a lot of season ahead of them and a lot of goals to fulfill. The victory didn't earn them a Big Ten title or a berth in the Final Four. Still it was a night that few of the more than 3,000 people in attendance will soon forget.
A moment in time. USC is a squad trying to win an unprecedented third national title, a team that had won an NCAA record 52 straight matches, a team that has proven that it can win even when taken to the limit this year. The Women of Troy are more than just a number one team, but a program becoming a juggernaut in the volleyball world.
A moment in time. On a day when temperatures reached into the 80s outside, more than 3,000 fans packed Historic Huff Hall with a hope of witnessing a little history. Amidst a sporting landscape where professional athletes are often overpaid and egos run even higher, fans connected with a dozen or so college women playing for the sheer joy of competition. Illini Head Coach Don Hardin has adopted a "Get Connected" slogan for his program. That connection was no more apparent than this September evening. Virtually every one of the other 18 Illini sports were represented in attendance, including basketball coaches Bruce Weber and Theresa Grentz and many of their athletes. Students, faculty, and local dignitaries shared in the moment as well.
A moment in time. This year's Illinois team represents all that is good about college athletics. The team has volunteered together doing labor at nearby Allerton Park during what could have been a practice day in August and has adopted a local school to partnership with throughout the year. The team GPA has risen each year to an impressive 3.39 during the Spring semester.
A moment in time. A ferocious hitting and serving team was neutralized by a cagy group of back row players that sacrificed their bodies time and again to keep the ball in play. Illinois didn't win the hitting battle or the blocking battle statistically, but the Women of Troy did not convert a service ace. Even the novice volleyball fan appreciated the efforts of an often unsung group. This is like appreciating a pancake block from a maligned offensive lineman who opens the hole for a more heralded running back or a middle reliever in baseball making key outs and setting it up for the closer to receive his glory. They play a big role in victory, though.
Those point producers came in the form of outside hitters Rasa Virsilaite, who had the game of her career to date with a team-leading 14 kills, and the booming swing of junior Rachel VanMeter, the tournament MVP.
A moment in time. No strong team has a chance of making history without strong veteran leadership. This Illinois team has that in the likes of Erin Virtue, Lauren Harks, Jessica Belter, and Kathleen Bazzetta. Players who have gone through the trying season of 2002 when injury after injury brought a promising season to one of survival. The women who have bonded over time to lay the groundwork for what appears to be a strong future.
A moment in time. The young talent on this Illini team shown through in the victory. Middle hitters redshirt freshman Jen Hynds and sophomore Meghan Macdonald have answered the questions about the holes the team had to fill in the middle coming into 2004. Perhaps no bigger cheer outside of the one at the end of the match was resounded than when freshman Vicki Brown came back into the game to help thwart a would-be rally from the worthy opponent. Despite seeing limited time, Brown has become a crowd favorite with a contagious enthusiasm and youthful exuberance that matches the tenacity of her game.
A moment in time. Coach Hardin has often expressed his appreciation for Illinois Athletic Director Ron Guenther, who is dedicated to building a department the right way. If it comes down to investing in brick and mortar or people, this AD would take the latter. His philosophy has paid off with the success of several programs, including many on the women's side. The soccer team has reached the Top Ten, the women's tennis team has knocked off number one (Duke last year), and the softball team has reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in its short history. Although new facilities have been a big mark that Guenther will leave on Illinois, it has been the character of his staff that will ultimately leave the bigger mark. It has certainly been the character of the people that has helped build the volleyball program on campus.
A moment in time. Speaking of facilities, with all the new arenas donning the college campuses these days, one old character set the backdrop for the thrilling win. Over 50 years ago, the Mighty Giants from tiny Hebron won a state title and the Whiz Kids led the Illinois men's basketball team to the Final Four inside these hallowed halls. As if one could hear the echoes of past glories, the character of this old friend has proven to be a big advantage for those who have played here in more recent years as well. Illinois students make the short jaunt from nearby residence halls to form a frenzy of fans that sit nearly right on the court to lend their support. It's no wonder that Illinois has won nearly 80 percent of its home matches since 1985.
A moment in time. It's often in moments of crisis that Americans have turned to sport to get their minds off the serious problems they face. On the third anniversary of the attacks of September 11, what happened inside Huff Hall represented all the virtues that make up this great nation - hard work, dedication, unity, and shear determination. For two hours and 20 minutes, all that mattered was the balance of a sporting event, a much needed hiatus from a troubled world.
A moment in time. It's not unusual for an underdog to put a little scare into the favorite. It's another to pull out the victory. Nine months after watching Hawaii, a team that knocked Illinois out of the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 16 the night before, reach the Final Four, Illinois believed that it could not only compete with the nation's best, but come away victorious as well.
Even after taking game one against USC, 30-24, Illinois was out-scored 60-36 in the next two games. Just when it appeared the Women of Troy may be putting the final touches on win No. 53 in a row, the Illinois team put together a furious rally. Virsilaite and Belter fired missles from the outside. Hynds and Macdonald secured the net with blocks that brought the house to a thunderous roar as Illinois took game four, 30-27. When the teams broke the huddle for the fifth and deciding game, the crowd would not let the home team lose. In a short time Illinois built insurmountable leads of 6-1 and 9-2. The intensity of getting the job done couldn't help but turn into a few smiles on the Illini bench.
Many more battles are to come for this year's Illini team and hopefully more thrilling victories, but when Erin Virtue set up Rachel VanMeter's final put away on Saturday night and that moment was captured in time, it held a special meaning for a number of reasons in the lives of many who were there to experience the thrill of victory on that September evening.
