MINNEAPOLIS - After a strong start, Illinois lost a tough five-set match to defending national champion Nebraska in the NCAA national semifinal (22-25, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-11).
In front of 17,808 fans at the Target Center in Minneapolis, the Fighting Illini jumped out to a two-set lead. The Cornhuskers battled back to tie the match and force a fifth set.
"Words can't express how proud I am of this group," said head coach Chris Tamas. "We have been beating expectations ever since we kind of started this a couple years ago. Two years ago we were picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten, finished tied for fifth, made it to the Sweet 16. This year we're picked to finish fifth preconference, able to have a really great season. I told them in the locker room, This goes down as one of the all-time best teams that I've been around. Continually beating expectations, put the challenge to them every day to just work their tails off. They did that."
The Illini were led by double-double performances from a pair of All-Americans - junior Jacqueline Quade and senior Jordyn Poulter – with Quade coming within one kill of her career-high with 28 kills on a .237 hitting percentage and 13 digs, while Poulter registered 46 assists, 14 digs, four service aces and three blocks on the night.
Junior Beth Prince joined Quade in double figures with 10 kills, while senior Ali Bastianelli had a match-high five blocks in her final match as an Illini.
Defensively, sophomore Morgan O'Brien paced all players with 27 digs, while freshman Taylor Kuper added 14 digs. Â
Illinois ends one of its most successful seasons in program history, finishing with a 32-4 record.
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