BOULDER, Colo. – In the final match of the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge, the No. 17 Fighting Illini volleyball team took host Colorado the distance, before ultimately falling in an intense fifth-set battle, 3-2 (17-25, 25-18, 15-25, 25-18, 17-19), on Sunday (Sept. 4) at the Coors Events Center.
Freshman Jacqueline Quade led the Illini (2-3) with 12 kills, pushing her streak of matches with double figure kills to five, while sophomore setter Jordyn Poulter registered a career-high nine kills on 13 swings and no errors for a .692 hitting percentage to go along with 45 assists, seven digs and four block assists.
Trailing 2-1 in the match, the Illini rallied in the fourth to send the match to the fifth set where the Buffs jumped out to a 4-1 lead after opening the period with three-straight points. A block from sophomore Ali Bastianelli and Quade evened the score at 6-6, before another stuff from Poulter and senior Katie Stadick gave UI its first lead of the set at 11-10. A 4-1 mini run then gave CU match point at 14-12, but a Poulter and Stadick block combined with a Buff hitting error tied things up at 14-14. From there the two teams traded points as the Illini fought off five match points, before CU converted on its sixth try at 19-17 as a kill from senior Naya Crittenden went long.
After an early 4-4 tie in the opening set of the match, the Buffs jumped out to a quick 9-5 lead, which they would not relinquish. The Illini closed to within three at 10-7, but an 8-3 run pushed the edge to 18-10 as CU took the first frame.
It was another fast start for the Buffs in set two, but a service ace from senior Michelle Strizak knotted the score at 9-9. With the set tied for the third and final time at 13-13, the Illini scored the five of six points to grab an 18-14 advantage. CU closed within two at 19-17, but three-straight UI points, capped by a Buff hitting error sealed the 25-18 set two win.
It was all Colorado in the third as an 8-0 run early in the set pushed the Buff lead to 12-4 before sophomore Blayke Hranicka enter the match to make her Illini debut and stopped the run with her first kill in the Orange and Blue. Despite this, the Illini would not be able to recover as the match moved to a must-win fourth set for the visitors.
Three-straight Illini points started the fourth frame, before the Buffs came back to even the score at 7-7 on an Alexa Smith kill. Trailing by one at 11-10, the Illini scored the next four of five points to take a 14-12 lead. Propelled by two challenge calls that helped move the momentum back into Illinois' favor, the Illini took a 19-14 edge following a Bastianelli and Quade block. UI then finished the fourth with a 5-1 run, highlighted by three kills from Crittenden.
Stadick and Bastianelli joined Quade in double figures with 10 kills each, with Stadick pacing the Illini with nine blocks and Bastianelli adding six in the match.
Junior Brandi Donnelly tallied her second-straight match with at least 20 digs and finished with 22 on the night for her 21st match with 20 digs or more.
As a team, the Illini posted a .245 hitting percentage and outblocked the Buffs, 16-10. UI also totaled five service aces in the match, but were hampered with nine service errors.
Illinois continues its nonconference tournament action next weekend when the Illini travel to Eugene, Ore., for the Nike Invitational hosted by the University of Oregon in Matthew Knight Arena on Sept. 9-10.
