CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Behind dominating performances from seniors Michelle Strizak and Katie Stadick and sophomores Jordyn Poulter and Ali Bastianelli, the Fighting Illini volleyball team rolled to a three-set win over Maryland on Friday (Nov. 18) night at Huff Hall.
With the win, the Illini improve to 15-13 and 8-9 in the Big Ten Conference, while the Terrapins fall to 11-18 and 3-14 in the league standings.
Strizak paced the Illini with a match-high 14 kills to go along with nine digs, while Stadick was efficient with 11 kills on 15 attacks and only one error for a .667 hitting percentage, equaling her season high. Stadick started the match on fire, connecting on the first seven opportunities she had.
Sophomore Jordyn Poulter turned in her second double-double of the season and the 10th of her career with 37 assists, match-high 12 digs and four blocks. Classmate Ali Bastianelli was in control at the net with a match-high nine blocks and added nine kills on 16 swings and only two errors for a .438 hitting percentage.
Following a back-and-forth start to the match, the Terps grabbed the first significant lead of the opening set at 13-9. The Illini pulled within one at 14-13 with back-to-back blocks, before taking the lead at 19-17 with four unanswered points on three-straight Stadick kills and capped by a kill from senior Naya Crittenden. The Orange and Blue then pushed their edge to 22-18 on a Strizak and Bastianelli block after using a 12-4 run to take control midway through the stanza. An ace from senior Danielle Davis then set up set point at 24-19, before a block from Bastianelli and Poulter gave the Illini an early 1-0 lead.
In a tighter second set that saw 10 ties and five lead changes, neither team grabbed more than a two-point lead until the Illini reeled off five-straight points – including back-to-back blocks to cap the run - to take a 22-16 advantage. The two teams traded points before a Stadick kill put the Illini up 2-0 in the match with a 25-19 set win.
Out of the break, a Quade and Bastianelli block finished off a 4-0 mini run from the Illini to break a 4-4 tie in the third. A Terrapin service ace closed the gap to one at 9-8, but the Illini responded with a 12-5 run to take control at 21-13. Maryland then stormed back to take a 25-24 lead with its own 12-3 run – including fighting off two Illini match points at 24-22 and 24-23. After a Strizak kill knotted things at 25-25, Bastianelli then wrapped things up with a kill, before teaming with Poulter for the decisive block.
As a team, the Illini registered their sixth-highest hitting percentage of the season with a .315 mark in the match, while holding the Terrapins to a .137 average. UI also outblocked UMD, 11 to three, in the win.
Defensively, junior Brandi Donnelly contributed 11 digs, with freshman Caroline Welsh adding nine on the night.
Illinois finish off its 2016 home schedule on Saturday (Nov. 19) when they welcome in No. 24 Ohio State at 7 p.m. CT in Huff Hall. Saturday's match will serve as Senior Night as the Illini honor eight seniors, including Strizak, Stadick, Crittenden, Danielle Davis, McKenna Kelsay, Allison Palmer, Katie Roustio and manager Maddie Siambekos, following the conclusion of the contest.
