MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Illinois volleyball team secured their second win of the day at the Klotsche Center on Friday evening, a 3-0 sweep of Milwaukee (25-18, 25-21, 25-23) to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Sophomore Raina Terry led the Illini in kills with 13, while also picking up a pair of aces from the service line and seven digs. Kennedy Collins added eight kills and Megan Cooney notched six on the evening. Diana Brown was productive again in the second match of the day for the Illini as she registered a match-high 32 assists for a total of 80 assists over the first two matches of the season.
The Illini came out firing on all cylinders in the first set against the Panthers, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. While Milwaukee was able to hang around for the first half of the set, the Orange and Blue pulled away to win the first, 25-18.
Despite getting off to a slower start in the second period, the Illini battled back from a 17-11 deficit and took the lead, 19-18 late in the second set. Multiple kills by Kennedy Collins and Raina Terry allowed the Illini to take a five-point, 24-19 lead over the Panthers and ultimately take the second set, 25-21.
Milwaukee got off to another strong start to the third set, but the Illini were once again able to stay close enough to keep themselves within striking distance. The Illini trailed 17-20 when Megan Cooney came up with a kill to swing the momentum in the favor of the Orange and Blue, who went on a 3-0 run to knot the score at 20, before pulling away to take the third and final set, 25-23.
UP NEXT
Illinois will take on Valparaiso in the third and final match of their opening weekend at the Panther Invite in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The match will begin at 5pm CT.
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