MADISON, Wis. – Illinois dropped its second five-set heartbreaker of the weekend at No. 8 Wisconsin on Sunday from the UW Field House. The Orange and Blue owned a 2-1 lead through three sets but the defending national champion Badgers outlasted the Illini for the five-set win.
Following back-to-back five-set losses to top-10 opponents, the Illini are now 7-7 on the season and 2-2 in Big Ten play. No. 8 Wisconsin improved to 9-3 overall and 3-1 in league contests.
First-set action saw the Illini trail by as many as five points at 9-14 before fighting all the way back to take the frame at 27-25 in front of 7,229 fans. Illinois pieced together a 5-0 run to knot the set at 14-14 and would own a 20-18 lead over the Badgers late in the frame. Wisconsin used a 3-0 run to take a 21-20 lead and would own a set point at 24-23 before the Illini tallied four of the last five points. Brooke Mosher and Raina Terry combined for 13 of Illinois' 20 kills in the frame while Diana Brown dished out 18 assists.
The opening frame saw 16 ties and seven lead changes.
Wisconsin evened the match at 1-1 after claiming the second set at 25-20. Illinois kept things even out to 8-8 but UW hit double digits first at 10-8 and continued to pull away. The Illini pulled within three at 18-15 and 23-20 but were unable to completely eliminate the deficit.
Illinois trailed for much of the early part of set three. Down 9-5, the Orange and Blue connected a 9-1 run on the serve of Caroline Barnes to flip the script and take a 14-10 lead. Wisconsin responded right back and evened the score at 14-14 and 16-16. Illinois owned as large as at 21-16 lead before claiming the 25-22 victory for a 2-1 lead in the match.
Set four saw the Illini leading early including an 8-4 advantage but Wisconsin quickly followed with a 7-0 run for a 13-10 lead. The Orange and Blue battled back to a 16-15 lead but a 4-0 Badger run forced an Illini timeout and would ultimately be the surge UW needed. Wisconsin tied the match at 2-2 with the 25-19 fourth-set win.
Illinois scored the opening point of set five but that would be its lone lead of the frame. The benches would knot the score at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 before a 3-0 Wisconsin run forced an Illini timeout at 6-3. UW led 8-4 at the switch with a Kennedy Collins solo block pulling the Orange and Blue within three on the next play. From there, the Badgers hit the gas and closed the match on a 7-0 run to claim the decision.
Brooke Mosher struck for a career-high 21 kills on .193 hitting and 57 swings. She tallied four digs, one block and an ace.
Raina Terry registered her first double double of the season with 19 kills and 17 digs to go along with three aces, three locks and an assist.
Diana Brown dished out 50 assists and tallied 18 digs to lead Illinois in both categories.
Four Illini finished with double-digit digs including Brown, Terry, Caroline Barnes (12) and Becca Sakoda (11).
Collins led the Orange and Blue at the net with six blocks to go along with her six kills.
As a team, Illinois recorded season highs in attacks (180) and digs (75).
Notes:
- Starters: Kennedy Collins, Diana Brown, Kyla Swanson, Kayla Burbage, Caroline Barnes, Raina Terry and Brooke Mosher.
- The Illini wore long sleeve blue jerseys for the third time this season and are now 1-2 when wearing those.
- Raina Terry secured her first double double of the season with 19 kills and 17 digs. She's up to 13 across her career.
- Diana Brown delivered her eighth double double of the season and 48th of her career. Brown racked up 50 assists and 18 digs.
-Four Illini earned double-digit digs including Diana Brown (18), Raina Terry (17), Caroline Barnes (12) and Becca Sakoda (11).
- Illinois Leads the all-time series 49-45-1 with Sunday's loss including a 17-24-1 mark all-time when playing in Madison, Wis.
- Illinois has gone five sets four times now on the 2022 campaign and is 0-4 in those matches.
- Attendance Sunday afternoon was called at 7,229.
