MINNEAPOLIS – Illinois volleyball fell to Minnesota at Maturi Pavilion on Friday night in straight sets.
With the loss, the Fighting Illini dropped to 16-13 this year with an 11-8 record in Big Ten play. The Golden Gophers, who received votes in the lated American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, improved to 16-11 this season with a 12-7 league mark.
Raina Terry led the way offensively, tallying a match-high 18 kills. Brooke Mosher recorded 27 assists and was a dig shy of a double-double. At the net, Cari Bohm paced the squad with five blocks. Caroline Barnes logged 22 digs, just the seventh time in her career the junior has posted 20 or more digs.
How it happened
The Fighting Illini got off to a slow start, allowing the Gophers to score the first five points of the match. Struggles continued for the Orange and Blue, with Minnesota posting a 3-0 run, putting the Illini behind, 12-5, before Illinois called for a timeout. A 3-0 rally that included an ace from Barnes helped the Orange and Blue come within a pair, leading to Minnesota's first timeout of the frame with the Illini trailing, 15-13. Back and forth, the teams battled with Terry leveling the set at 17 with an ace, but a 3-0 turn for Minnesota led to the Illini's final break of the set, down 20-17. The deficit proved to be too much for Illinois to overcome as the team fell, 25-20, in the opening frame.
In a set that included 10 ties and four lead changes, Minnesota held the early one-point edge over the Orange and Blue at the media break. Looking to stall a 3-0 Minnesota run, Illinois used a timeout trailing, 18-15. Back-to-back blocks by Illinois helped the team come within a pair, 21-19, leading to a Gopher timeout. However, the Fighting Illini were unable to regain the lead, dropping the second set, 25-21.
An early 3-0 run with Jessica Nunge behind the service line helped Illinois gain the 8-5 edge in the third set. However, a 3-0 turn for the Gophers put the Fighting Illini behind, 10-9, before the team called for a timeout. Minnesota built back a 16-12 advantage following a 3-0 rally, leading to the final Illinois break of the set. The Gophers maintained all the momentum out of the timeout, and despite a kill from Terry to fend off match point, Illinois fell in the third set, 25-17.
Up Next
Illinois heads to Northwestern for its regular-season finale at Northwestern. First serve from Welsh-Ryan Arena is slated for 7 p.m. on B1G+.
Notes
- Starters: Brooke Mosher, Raina Terry, Kayla Burbage, Kennedy Collins, Lily Barry, Cari Bohm and Caroline Barnes
    - Illinois moved 6-5 with this lineup.
- The Illini wore long-sleeved navy jerseys, moving to 4-3 while donning those.
- The Illinois volleyball program moved to 39-45-1 against Minnesota all time.
- Head coach Chris Tamas owns a 1-10 mark against the Gophers.
- In three-set matches, the Illini are 5-7.
- Illinois served six aces in the opening frame.
- Terry added an ace to bring her career total to 164, which ranks fourth in the Illini record books.
- Barnes tallied double-digit digs for the fifth straight match.
- Attendance on Friday night was called at 5,008.
