Aug. 23, 2008

Final Stats

Champaign, Ill. - Last year, Illinois head coach Don Hardin nicknamed Laura DeBruler, "Debutler" for her outstanding debut in an Illinois uniform. This year another freshman, Michelle Bartsch, was impressive in the annual Alumni Match. Bartsch had 11 kills and hit .562 as the Illini downed the Alumni 25-7, 25-16, 25-18 in front of a crowd of 587 at Huff Hall.

"Michelle has amazing arm speed," Hardin said afterward. "She did some amazing things out there and didn't play like a freshman."

DeBruler followed with nine kills while hitting .318 as Illinois out-hit the Alumni, .322-.023. Illinois used a 6-2 system using both sophomore Hillary Haen (14 assists) and senior Lizzie Bazzetta (11 assists). The two were instrumental in getting the middles involved as sophomores Abby Nelson and Johannah Bangert added five kills apiece.

Haen served the first five points of the first set and assisted on kills by DeBruler and Bartsch in the run. The lead reached 16-4 before the end of the first rotation. Nelson served the final five points for an easy victory.

Paced by three blocks from Shelly O'Bryan and eight kills from Rachel VanMeter, the Alumni were more competitive in sets two and three. In fact the Alumni bolted to a 4-0 advantage in the third set on kills from VanMeter and Lydia Gard and an ace from Melissa Vandrey. The Illini came back to take the lead for good, however, at 8-7 on an ace from Haen and never looked back. Blocks from O'Bryan and Gard kept the Alumni within 20-16, but three straight points from Illinois, the last on a block from DeBruler and Bangert helped avoid the potential spoiler.

Defensively, junior Ashley Edinger and DeBruler paced Illinois with eight digs while Haen had two of the Illini's four aces.

"The match really helped us going into the State Farm Illini Classic next weekend," Hardin said. "The two ranked teams next weekend will only help us get ready for Big Ten. We have to play better volleyball and that is what this weekend is all about - lifting our level of play."

Illinois opens the tournament Friday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. against North Carolina in the "Stuff Huff" promotion. The round robin event also included 11th-ranked Oregon and 23rd-ranked New Mexico State.