COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Senior Michelle Strizak and freshman Jacqueline Quade combined for 38 kills to lead the No. 24 Fighting Illini volleyball team to a 3-2 (25-18, 22-25, 30-28, 23-25, 16-14) win over Maryland on Sunday (Oct. 2) afternoon at the XFINITY Center Pavilion.
With the win, the Illini improve to 10-5 on the season and 3-1 in the Big Ten Conference, while the Terrapins fall to 8-8 and 0-4 in league play.
Strizak led the Illini with a season-high 20 kills on 46 attacks for a .283 hitting percentage, with Quade adding a career-high 18 kills in the win.
After taking a 2-1 lead with wins in the first and third sets, the Terps forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-23 win in the fourth frame.
The Illini jumped out quickly in the final set, taking a 5-2 lead on a kill from sophomore Ali Bastianelli and led 8-6 at the change following a kill from senior Katie Stadick. Despite the deficit, the Terps charged back to take a 13-11 edge on an Angel Gaskin score. UI then used a 5-1 run to secure a dramatic comeback after fighting off match point at 14-13 and winning on a ball handing error from Terp setter Taylor Smith.
The Illini block was out in full force as UI registered a season-high 17 stuffs to the Terps' nine, with Bastianelli once again leading the way with 11 on the day, while also totaling a season-high four service aces. Senior Naya Crittenden also posted a season-high six blocks in the win.
Sophomore setter Jordyn Poulter recorded 47 assists while orchestrating the Illini to a .212 hitting percentage.
Defensively, junior Brandi Donnelly notched 18 digs, with senior Danielle Davis adding 16 and freshman Caroline Welsh turning in 13.
Illinois continues its three-match road swing on Wednesday (Oct. 5) with a trip up to Evanston, Ill., to face Northwestern at 7 p.m. CT in Welsh-Ryan Arena.
