Sept. 2, 2011

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Illinois is now 42-5 at home in the last four years and Friday night a "Stuff Huff" crowd of 2,619 helped lift the Illini to a four-set hard-fought victory over Tennessee (3-1), a preseason nationally ranked team. The seventh-ranked Illini held off the Lady Vols 31-29, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19 in the first night of the State Farm Illini Classic to move to 4-0 on the season.

After playing three sets decided by deuce games, both teams were beginning to tire. The Illini proved their depth and it didn't help to have a pair of All-Americans hitting from the left side. In particular was the play of senior Michelle Bartsch who tallied 21 kills and 23 digs while hitting a robust .290. That marked just the third 20-20 performance by an Illinois player since 2002 and first since both Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley pulled the trick in 2008.

"Bartsch was great," said Illinois head coach Kevin Hambly. "She carried us in that fourth set when we were struggling. She was amazing, the `one shining light' that kind of held it together for us."

After three high offense sets, neither team hit for a high percentage in that fourth set. Illinois hit .049 while Tennessee dipped to -048.

That was stark contrast to the rest of the match, in particular the first set where the Illini and Lady Vols took turns belting highlight reel swings. Tennessee's Kelsey Robinson led all players in kills with 22 while Tiffany Baker hit .476 with 11 kills through three sets before Illinois held her without a point in nine attacks in the fourth.

Tennessee bettered Illinois in the serve-receive game early in that first set, scoring seven straight points to go up 9-4 and 10-7. From there it was pretty much a side out affair in a set that included 18 ties. Enter Jazmine Orozco late in the set. The sophomore was the big reason why the Illini staved off four set points. Down 28-27, Orozco scored from the right side then served an ace to pull the Illini front. Sophomore Erin Johnson (10 kills, 6 blocks) and Colleen Ward (15 kills) blocked the final point of the set.

"I put Jazmine in there because she is a closer," Hambly said. "She is cold-blooded and just gets after it,"

Illinois built leads late in sets two and three, only to see Tennessee fire back. Down 22-18 in the second, the Lady Vols scored three straight points before the Illini pulled it out. Illinois wasn't as fortunate in the third as Tennessee scored seven of the final nine points to take the match to a fourth set.

Both blocks were strong in the middle sets. Bartsch had a pair of solos while freshman Liz McMahon posted 10 on the evening. Tennessee out-blocked the Illini 12-10 overall.

Illinois played 12 players overall in a tight match. Sophomore Rachel Feldman played libero in the third set for Jennifer Bonilla, who battling the heat and Johnson called it a "seamless transition." The back row defense was strong for most of the match for the Illini with just four reception errors in 86 attempts while putting five players in double figures in digs - Bartsch (23), Ward (16), Jennifer Beltran (16), Feldman (14) and setter Annie Luhrsen (11 to along with 45 assists and four kills).

"I've said it before, but I like to potential of this team," Hambly said. "We have a lot of stuff to clean up. I thought overall it was just a medium performance, but that's as much a credit to how talented Tennessee is."

On the difference in the match, Bartsch said. "I think they are a really good team and it was hard to keep them off in three sets. It just came down to focus and working hard."

Illinois moves to 59-7 overall in the 28-year history over the State Farm Illini Classic. Going for their 21st classic title in that span, Illinois meets Houston (10 a.m.) and No. 21 Dayton (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday.