MADISON, Wis. – The No. 24 Fighting Illini volleyball team has three players reach double figures in kills, but it was not enough as Illinois put up a fight against No. 2 Wisconsin, before falling 3-1 (25-15, 18-25, 26-24, 25-19) on Saturday (Oct. 8) night at the UW Field House.
The Illini move to 11-6 on the season and 4-2 in the Big Ten Conference, while the Badgers improve to 14-1 and 6-0 in the league.
Senior Naya Crittenden led the way with a team-high 13 kills on 29 attacks and four errors for a .310 hitting percentage, while classmate Michelle Strizak turned in 12 kills on 30 swings and no errors for a .400 clip. Sophomore Ali Bastianelli also reach double digits and equaled a career-high with 11 kills on 24 attacks and only three errors for a .333 hitting percentage, while adding five blocks and a service ace.
It was all Wisconsin in the opening set as the Badgers raced out to a 7-2 lead on back-to-back service aces. The Illini closed within five at 15-10 following a UW service error, but three-straight points pushed the lead to 18-10. With the Badgers leading 24-13, the Illini fought off two-straight set points, before UW finished it off for the 25-15 set one win.
The two teams traded points in the second, before a Strizak kill followed by block from both Strizak and senior Katie Stadick gave the Illini their first lead of the match at 8-6. After a Badger kill cut the advantage to one point, the Orange and Blue took control of the set with a 13-3 run, including streaks of four and five-straight points. With the Illini leading at 23-13, the Badgers scored the next four points to come within 23-16, but kills from Strizak and Crittenden finished off the set to knot the match at 1-1.
Out of the break, the home team pushed ahead at 7-3 on a service ace, but the Illini battled back to even the score at 9-9 after head coach Kevin Hambly won a challenge on a ruling that a kill from Crittenden was not touched by the Badgers. The call was overturned and the Illini gained the momentum with a Bastianelli ace giving UI a 15-12 edge. Holding onto a 23-17 lead and only two points away from taking a 2-1 advantage in the match, the Illini were thwarted by a Badger comeback as UW finished the set with a 9-1 run to win the third, 26-24.
In a back-and-forth fourth set that saw nine ties and two lead changes, neither teams took more than a two-point lead until the Badgers went ahead by three at 19-16 on a Kelli Bates kill. After a Crittenden score closed the gap to 19-17, Wisconsin then converted five of the next six points – including back-to-back aces – to set up match point at 24-18. A Tionna Williams kill then ended the match in favor of the home team.
As a team, the Illini registered a .248 hitting percentage, including back-to-back sets with marks over .300 in the second and third. Sophomore setter Jordyn Poulter orchestrated the Illini offense with 44 assists, while also contributing four blocks on the night.
The Illini totaled six team blocks to the Badgers' seven, and were just edged in digs, 65-60. Junior libero Brandi Donnelly came one dig of her career-high with 25 against UW, marking the 23rd time in her career that she has registered 20 digs or more in a match.
The Badgers, who hit at a .329 clip, were led by Tionna Williams with 18 kills and a .708 hitting percentage.
Following a three-match road swing, the Illini will be back in Huff Hall for a four-game homestand, starting with No. 21 Michigan State on Wednesday (Oct. 12) at 7 p.m. CT.
