Aug. 20, 2005
Final Stats
Champaign, Ill. - Despite some new faces and battling some injuries, the Illinois team has been making some great strides over the first two weeks of practice. The Illini got a chance to face some outside competition for the first time in the annual Alumni Event Saturday night at Huff Hall.
In front of a crowd of 612, Illinois played two games against the Alumni, winning 30-27, 30-24 before playing one game of intra-squad scrimmage. Rachel VanMeter had 13 kills and hit .321 to pace Illinois offensively, before totaling 11 kills in the intra-squad game.
Kayani Turner had a solid effort as well. After missing all of last season with a knee injury, Turner is showing how talented she can be. In the two games vs. Alumni, Turner totaled seven kills and hit .357. Meghan Macdonald had six kills and hit .714.
"We were a little bit shaky at first," said Illinois Head Coach Don Hardin. "The alumni were competitive with the setting of Wilson."
Heather Wilson Horn, who played for the Illini from 1997-2000, had 19 kills overall and led an alumni team that hit .224. Sue Webber was impressive with a team-high 11 kills and a .286 attack percentage. Melissa Vandrey added nine kills in 20 swings.
Middle blocker Jen Hynds and outside hitter Rasa Virsilaite have been nursing injuries. Hynds did not play battling a shoulder problem. Virsilaite, just played back row, but could be cleared to play full out next week.
It is clear, with the addition of freshman Lizzie Bazzetta, that Illinois has two strong setters. Bazzetta had 19 kills and sophomore Stephanie Obermeier 12 on the night with Bazzetta also adding three digs.
"They have been making each other better," Hardin said of the setters. "They know that they are competing against each other and week by week, they exchange positions. I told them to make my job hard and they have so far. Any good program has at least two setters."
"I'm willing to do anything for this team. Any way it goes, I'm willing to go with it," Bazzetta said afterward.
"I feel more confident on the floor this year," said Obermeier. "Last year gave us a chance to gain the experience I needed."
Sophomore Vicki Brown was a crowd pleaser once again with some thundering kills - nine combined in the intra-squad match and five vs. the Alumni.
Illinois is six days away from the season opener at Illinois State, which is Aug. 26 in Normal. "It's going to be an incredible test," Hardin said. "They are a very experienced team with a great environment to play in."
