WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Despite Raina Terry's third 20-kill match of the year, Illinois volleyball fell to UCF in its second-straight five set match of the week at Holloway Gymnasium.
The Fighting Illini dropped to 5-5 with the loss on Friday. The Knights, who are receiving votes in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, improved to 8-2 on the year.
Despite the defeat, the Orange and Blue tallied 54 kills and a .216 hitting percentage. Defensively, the team logged 10 blocks and 48 digs. Kennedy Collins recorded her 400th career block during the match, posting one solo roof and three block assists during the match. Terry's 22 kills led the way offensively while Jessica Nunge contributed with a season-high 11 kills.
How it happened
The match began with the Fighting Illini taking an early 14-9 lead following a 4-0 run with Lily Barry behind the service line. Illinois extended its advantage to 18-12 following a UCF timeout, leading to the Knights final timeout of the set. Five-straight points for UCF stalled the Illini offense with the Orange and Blue ahead 23-20, but Terry put away set one with a kill from the outside, giving Illinois the 25-21 victory.
Illinois struggled in the second set, with a 5-0 run by the Knights leading to an Orange and Blue timeout with the team trailing 10-5. The Knights continued to stymie the Fighting Illini, holding a a seven-point advantage. But the Orange and Blue did not go away quietly with a Kayla Burbage kill sparking a 5-0 rally that led to a UCF timeout with Illinois behind 18-16. Battling back-and-forth, Terry collected a kill off the dish from Brooke Mosher before back-to-back Nunge kills closed out the 25-23 comeback in the frame.
A 4-0 turn favoring UCF led to Illinois burning a timeout, trailing 14-10 in the third set. The Knights continued to hinder the Illini, with an ace from the opposition resulting in the Orange and Blue's final timeout of the set trailing 18-11. The defect proved to be too much to overcome and the team dropped the third set, 25-15.
The Illini faltered early in the fourth frame, trailing 13-6, before taking a timeout. The struggles continued with Illinois falling behind 19-10 before using its final timeout of the set. While Terry's 20th kill of the match fended off set point, Illinois fell 25-18, forcing a fifth set.
Illinois battled in the final frame, but a 4-0 rally favored UCF, leading to an Illinois timeout with the Orange and Blue trailing, 9-4.  Three-straight points for the Illini including a kill from Cari Bohm cut the deficit in half for Illinois, but the team used its final timeout following back-to-back Knight scores. The Fighting Illini stalled the Knight's match point with a pair of points, but the Orange and Blue fell 15-10 in the final set.
Up Next
Illinois begins Big Ten action at Indiana on Wednesday. First serve against the Hoosiers from Big Ten Network is slated for 7 p.m. CT.
Notes
- Starters: Brooke Mosher, Raina Terry, Kayla Burbage, Kennedy Collins, Caroline Barnes, Cari Bohm and Lily Barry
- The Illini wore long sleeved orange jerseys, moving to 0-2 while donning those.
- The Illinois volleyball program moved to 1-2 against UCF.
- The Orange and Blue moved to 0-3 in five-set matches.
- Vanessa Pan added three aces for a new season best.
- Attendance on Friday was called at 253.
