CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Sophomore Jacqueline Quade registered a match-high 14 kills, but the Fighting Illini volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 16-25, 20-25) decision to No. 12 Wisconsin on Friday (November 17) night in Huff Hall.
Junior Ali Bastianelli posted nine kills on a .368 hitting percentage and a team-high six blocks for the Illini (18-10, 9-8), while redshirt-sophomore Beth Prince added nine kills on the night.
Junior Jordyn Poulter directed the Illini offense with 37 assists and also turned in five blocks and five digs in the setback.
Senior Brandi Donnelly led the Illini defense with a match-high 18 digs.
It was all Illinois to start the match as a back-to-back Prince kills followed by back-to-back Badger attack errors put the home team ahead 9-4 early in the first. After Poulter and Bastianelli combined for a block to make it 15-10, Wisconsin (18-8, 9-8) used four-straight points to cut the advantage to one at 15-14. The Illini responded with an 8-3 run – including four-straight points to start the run – to take a 23-17 edge on a kill from freshman Tyanna Omazic. The two teams then sided out, before a Quade kill gave the Illini a 25-20 set one victory.
It was a back-and-forth start to the second as the Badgers took an 10-7 lead on a block, but the Illini came back to knot things at 14-14 on a Quade kill. With the score tied at 20-20, the Badgers took the next four points to build a 24-20 edge. After the Illini fought off three set points, a Lauren Gillis kill evened up the match heading into the break.
In another close start, neither team had more than a two-point advantage until an Illini service error put the Badgers up 12-9 midway through the stanza. A Quade kill kept UI within two at 14-12, but an 8-2 run then gave the visitors a 22-14 advantage. The two teams then traded points before a Badger service ace sealed the third, 25-16.
After an Omazic stuff made it 5-3, the Illini continued to hold the lead at 12-9 following a Badger attack error. Wisconsin then used a 6-2 run to pull ahead at 15-14. After a UW service error tied things again at 15-15, the visitors strung together five-straight points to take a 20-15 edge. A Quade kill cut the Illini deficit to 21-17, but back-to-back Wisconsin kills stalled the rally as the Badgers went on to win the fourth, 25-20 and take the match, 3-1.
The Illini continue play this weekend on Saturday (November 18) as they face off against No. 7 Minnesota at 7 p.m. CT in Huff Hall.
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