BOZEMAN, Mont. – Behind career performances from junior Ali Bastianelli and sophomore Jacqueline Quade and a double-double effort from junior Jordyn Poulter, the Illinois volleyball team earned a 3-1 (25-17, 22-25, 25-9, 25-21) win over host Montana State in the second match of the Bobcat Classic on Friday (August 25) night at Shroyer Gym.
For the second-straight match, Quade led the Illini with a career-high 19 kills on 36 swings for a .389 hitting percentage, while also tying her career-high with five blocks. Bastianelli also turned in a career-high with 17 kills on 25 attacks and only two errors for a .600 hitting percentage to go along with a match-high nine stuffs.
Poulter registered the first Illini double-double of the season and her 11th of her career with 48 assists and a match-high 15 digs, while setting the Illini offense to a .288 clip, including a .481 mark in the fourth set.
The Illini continued where they left off in the nightcap as junior Blayke Hranicka and freshman Kylie Kuyava-Deberg combined for a block for the early 8-3 lead in the opening set. Back-to-back points from Bastianelli, combined with an MSU service error put the Illini up 17-9, before another pair of blocks from redshirt-sophomore Beth Prince, Quade and Hranicka gave UI a 21-13 edge. Quade then finished off the set with a kill down the line as the Illini took set one, 25-17.
It was a different story in the second set as the teams went back and forth before three-straight blocks gave the Illini some separation at 12-9. Leading at 17-16, the Illini took advantage of a pair of Bobcat errors coupled with a Quade kill to go up 20-16, but the hosts battled back behind a 9-2 run to take the second set, 25-22.
The Illini made quick work of the Bobcats in set three, as a 10-1 run broke a 5-5 tie to put UI up 15-6. From there, UI held control of the set, before finishing with seven-straight points to give the Illini a 2-1 advantage in the match, capped by a service ace from freshman Morgan O'Brien.
Looking to close out the win, the Illini jumped on the Bobcats early in the fourth, scoring the first nine out of 10 points. MSU closed within four at 14-10, but three-straight points gave the Illini some breathing room at 17-10. With the Illini leading 23-17, the home team fought back to 23-20 on back-to-back UI hitting errors. The two teams then traded points as a Bastianelli kill sent the Illini to the 25-21 set win and a 3-1 match victory.
The Illini were strong at the net, totaling 17 blocks to MSU's four, while also out-digging the home team, 49-38, to hold MSU to a .104 hitting percentage for the match.
Hranicka added nine kills and six blocks for the Illini, while senior Brandi Donnelly posted 12 digs in the win.
The Illini wrap up play at the Bobcat Classic on Saturday (August 26) morning with an 11:30 a.m. CT match against Air Force.
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