Oct. 1, 2014
Box Score (PDF)
Champaign, Ill. - The No. 16 Fighting Illini volleyball team dazzled on a big stage tonight, defeating No. 18 Minnesota, 3-0 (25-22, 32-30, 25-19), live on Big Ten Network. The win marks the Illini's seventh straight, including four consecutive 3-0 sweeps, as Illinois finishes the evening riding a 13-set winning streak. With the win, the Illini are the first team to three Big Ten victories, improving to 11-3 (3-0 Big Ten), while Minnesota falls to 11-3 (1-2 Big Ten).
"It was fun to play in a Big Ten-style volleyball match," said head coach Kevin Hambly. "It was physical, it was good blocking, good defense, both teams being scrappy, and even though it was a three-set match it felt like a five-setter."
Senior opposite hitter Liz McMahon had an impressive all-around night, leading the match with 19 kills, seven blocks and two aces, all season highs, while hitting an efficient .310.
"I thought I was just in a good rhythm with Lex (Viliunas)," said McMahon. "She was giving me tons of confidence, too. Being really aggressive was my focus."
Junior Jocelynn Birks was not far behind, tallying 17 kills, three aces and three blocks, as the pair combined for an impressive 36 kills in just three sets. Michelle Strizak contributed immensely off the bench, tallying five kills on nine swings after entering late in the second set to provide a key swing that erased Minnesota's second set point to tie the score at 24.
"I really liked how Michelle came in and was pretty clutch for us," said McMahon. "She did a great job on the block too, because their block was killing us. She got some really good touches and just her composure...She went for it on the swings."
On the defensive end, freshman Brandi Donnelly more than doubled any Minnesota individual with a total of 25 digs in the match, adding six assists, to help limit Golden Gopher pins Sarah Wilhite and Adrianna Nora to a combined eight kills, despite averaging 5.9 per set between the two of them entering night. Her 25 digs is the most for an Illini in a 3-set match since 1988 and ranks fourth all time overall.
"She was great," said Hambly of the first-year libero. "I asked her before the match, `are you ready to grow up tonight?,' because we knew that they would attack her with the serve, but also that the attack was complex. She had to see information that was new and make decisions based on that information.
"She had a lot of space to cover, more than we've put on her. As a defensive player, she has great range and she's really a great athlete. Tonight we tested her a little bit and she responded great."
"Brandi was awesome," McMahon added, "digging everything that went her way."
Manning the back line with Donnelly was sophomore Danielle Davis, who had 10 digs, while setter Alexis Villiunas posted her fourth double-double of the season with 28 assists and 12 digs. Fellow-setter Allison Palmer chipped in 18 assists.
At the net, the Illini totaled 10 blocks, led by McMahon's seven and six from Katie Stadick. Middle Anna Dorn added four block assists to go with Birks' three.
Minnesota's net defense was even stronger, as the Golden Gophers put together 16 blocks in the three-setter. Sisters Hannah and Paige Tapp were responsible for the majority of them, with eight and seven, respectively, and Adrianna Nora tallied six. Paige Tapp also led the team by hitting .545 with 13 kills, and Daly Santana had a double-double with 11 kills, 10 digs and two of the team's three aces. Setter Katie Schau tallied 33 assists, 12 digs and four blocks.
Minnesota opened the match with a 9-5 lead, then extended it to 13-8. However, Birks slammed a kill to make it 13-15, then stepped behind the service line to register three straight aces and give Illinois its first lead of the match, 16-15. Minnesota pushed back ahead 21-18 on an ace by Goehner, but a kill by Morganne Criswell put the momentum back in the Illini's direction, as the Orange and Blue would go on to use four kills and a block to take the opener, 25-22.
The break between sets one and two did not slow down the Illini one bit, as Illinois extended its 5-0 run from the end of the first by winning the first four points of the second to seize a quick lead. The Illini maintained that lead until a 6-1 run with the help of two kills by Paige Tapp put Minnesota on top, 16-13. The remainder of the set was a nail-biter, as two consecutive aces by McMahon, her first two of the year, tied the score at 22. Minnesota reached set point first, 24-22, but a kill off the bench by Strizak tied the score at 24, and after a marathon of set points by both teams, back-to-back blocks by Stadick finally closed the frame in Illinois' favor, 32-30.
"I was proud of how we stayed calm throughout that," said McMahon. "We were pretty confident and ready to go to battle as long as it took."
"Liz was just determined to win that set," said Hambly. "You could just see it from the plays she made from the service line, to the block, to hit. She just wanted to win really bad."
Despite allowing Minnesota four set points in the frame, Coach Hambly said he never thought he felt like they were going to lose the set.
"You looked in their eyes and you knew they were going to make it happen."
Illinois kept driving out of the break, opening up to a 5-1 lead and never looking back. A kill by Santana pulled Minnesota within two, 12-10, but that was as close as the Golden Gophers would get, as Illinois closed out the match with at 25-19 win in the third by the sound of a Birks kill.
"I thought we grew up a little bit tonight," said Hambly. "We've had teams down 0-2 and we've let up a little bit, and tonight we didn't do that. We had to make plays; we had to make adjustments and we did a great job of making those adjustments quickly."
The Illini complete the current homestand on Saturday, Oct. 4, with a visit by 2013 NCAA Runner-Up No. 6 Wisconsin. Illinois hosts the Badgers on IlliNOISE Night, beginning at 7 p.m. Complimentary general admission is available, while seating lasts, with your Illinois football ticket stub.
