University of Illinois
0-0
Gonzaga
0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga | 15 | 16 | 12 | 0 |
| Illinois | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Illini Dominate Gonzaga in Chris Tamas’s Head Coaching Debut
August 25, 2017 | Volleyball
Junior Ali Bastianelli leads Illini with nine kills and nine blocks
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Illinois volleyball team opened the Chris Tamas era with a dominating 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-12) win over Gonzaga in the opening match of the Montana State Bobcat Classic as the first-year Illini head coach earned his first career collegiate victory Friday (August 25) morning at Shroyer Gym.
"We're really proud of the team effort today," said Tamas. "It was a nice first match and really well-played as a team. We had good serving and passing today, so that really helped us get off to a good start with holding [Gonzaga] to a low hitting percentage and us hitting a really good percentage. We look at things from a team perspective and we hit really well as a team today."
The Illini were efficient on the offensive side of the ball, registering a .434 hitting percentage, including a .522 clip in the final set. Sophomore Jacqueline Quade paced the Illini with a team-high 10 kills, while junior Ali Bastianelli posted nine kills on 11 swings and no errors for an .818 hitting percentage to go along with nine blocks.
Kid Block on the stuff and the #Illini take set one! ???????? pic.twitter.com/1pYAUjo6SY
— Illini Volleyball (@IlliniVBall) August 25, 2017
It was a back-and-forth start to the match as redshirt-sophomore Beth Prince got the Illini started with a kill. From there the Illini settled into a rhythm with a Bastianelli kill on a slide play giving UI a 16-10 lead. Following an attack error, the Illini strung together five-straight points to take control at 21-11, before a Bastianelli block sealed set one, 25-15.
And it's @blaykehranicka again with a kill to give the #Illini a 2-0 lead in the match! pic.twitter.com/HKcdpt8WCE
— Illini Volleyball (@IlliniVBall) August 25, 2017
The Illini continued the momentum from the opening set to jump out to a quick 5-1 edge following a Bastianelli kill. Gonzaga would get as close as 13-7, but an 8-3 Illini run – capped by an ace from senior Brandi Donnelly – put the set out of reach at 21-10. Junior Blayke Hranicka then finished it off with a kill for a 25-16 set two win.
That's an #Illini victory! CONGRATS to @coachtamas for his first career head coaching win!#WeWillWin ?????? pic.twitter.com/daPCdtOAQ4
— Illini Volleyball (@IlliniVBall) August 25, 2017
The offense continued to thrive in the third period as Poulter quarterbacked the Illini to a .522 hitting percentage, while an early block party – including three Bastianelli stuffs – powered the Illini to quick 12-2 lead. It was all Illinois the rest of the way as a kill from freshman Kylie Kuyava-Deberg made it 20-9, before a Zaga hitting error gave the Illini the set and the win.
Poulter led the Illini attack with 35 assists and added four blocks in the win, while Donnelly recorded a team-high 10 digs.
Freshman Kylie Kuyava-Deberg, Morgan O'Brien and Tyanna Omazic made their Illini debut in the match, with Kuyava-Deberg earning her first career start in the Orange and Blue.
As a team, the Illini totaled 12 blocks on the day to Gonzaga's two, while the Zags hit just a .021 hitting percentage in the match.
The Illini continue play at the Bobcat Classic as they take on host Montana State on Friday night at 8 p.m. CT.
For more Fighting Illini volleyball news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniVBall on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.
