Sept. 12, 2006
Results
Champaign, Ill. -
Illinois completed a demanding non-conference season at 9-1 with an impressive 30-21, 30-19, 23-30, 31-29 victory over visiting Dayton at Huff Hall Tuesday night. The loss was the first against an unranked opponent for the Flyers, who hold a win over No. 18 Arizona and whose only three previous losses came to No. 12 Louisville, No. 14 Purdue and No. 22 LSU. Vicki Brown put on a show in the first two games and finished the match with 21 kills and a .438 attack percentage.
Dayton simply did not have an answer from Brown who hit 1.000 in the first game with seven kills and followed that by putting away her first three attacks in the second game. Through two games Brown was hitting a robust .714 with 12 kills. The junior had a little help from her friends, namely outside hitters Kayani Turner, who had 11 of her 18 kills in the first two games, while hitting .409 through two games, and Stephanie Alde, who had 10 of her 16 kills in the first two games.
Lizzie Bazzetta topped 60 assists for the third consecutive match and was able to distribute the ball to the hitters because of sensational passing with four Illinois players having double-digits in digs - Ashley Edinger (26), Bazzetta (!5), Beth Vrdsky (12) and Amy Palash.
The scenario was familiar for Illinois. Saturday against Wichita State, the Illini took the first two games with ease only to see the Shockers storm back to win in five. On this night Illinois fought through to claim the victory.
Dayton made some adjustments against Brown and Turner, mainly with the block, in the third game, posting five team blocks and taking control of the game midway through.
It looked as if the Flyers were going to do the same in the fourth game, up 16-12 at one point, but Illinois responded with an 11-3 run to push in front 23-19. Dayton fought off two game points to tie the game at 29-29. A pair of tough rallies ending in Illinois points sealed the deal. First Bazzetta hit a tip shot over on two to make it 30-29, then with Edinger serving a tough ball, the Illini had a big attack with Meghan Macdonald finishing off the match.
"I have trust in my teammates that they can put the ball away even when I'm not in the game," Brown said. "I was glad that I could contribute as much as I did tonight, but I couldn't have done it without our passers or Lizzie."
"It was easy for me to spread the ball around because every hitter was putting the ball down," Bazzetta added. "Vicki was just amazing tonight."
Faye Barhorst was tough for Dayton with a team-high 18 kills and a .571 attack percentage. Dayton had 14 blocks all told for the night as the Illini, who hit .485 and .432, respectively, in the first two games, managed to connect at a .196 and .104, pace, respectively, in the final two games.
Illinois used an aggressive serve in key situations with 12 aces, three off a season high, led by four aces from Palash and two apiece from senior Stephanie Obermeier, Bazzetta, and Edinger.
Illinois is idle until opening Big Ten play on Sept. 22 against Wisconsin. The 9-1 start includes five victories over conference champs from a year ago, including the victory Tuesday over the defending Atlantic 10 titlists.
