Illinois Falls to #2 Nebraska

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois fell to No. 2 Nebraska in straight sets on Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Huff Hall.

The Fighting Illini moved to 8-5 and 0-3 in league play this season. The Huskers improved to 13-1 and 3-0 in Big Ten action.

Raina Terry led the way for the Illini with her third double-double of the year, registering a match-high 13 kills to go alongside 10 digs.

Averie Hernandez tallied seven of her 11 kills in the second set, and she added one ace, which came on the opening serve of the match.

Christina Martinez Mundo recorded double-digit digs for the ninth time this season, notching a team-best 12 digs. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Illinois opened the match on a 4-0 run with Hernandez at the service line, but a 6-1 scoring stretch for the Cornhuskers saw the visitors take their first lead, 7-6. Nebraska added to its advantage via a 5-0 run, putting the away side in front by five points, before a 7-3 run from the Illini cut the hosts' deficit to a single point.

 A 4-1 stretch from Nebraska forced the Orange and Blue to take their first timeout, but it did not slow down the Cornhuskers, who took the opening set, 25-18.

Nebraska used a 4-1 run to begin the second set and take a three-point lead, but Illinois responded with a 4-1 stretch of its own to even the frame at five points apiece. Soon after, the Illini took advantage of a 6-0 run with Brooke Mosher at the line, jumping in front by four, 12-8. 

After the Huskers retook the lead, the Illini rode a 4-0 run with Raegen Reilly serving to establish a 21-19 edge. Hernandez tallied seven kills in the frame, but it was not enough as Nebraska closed the frame on a 6-1 run to take the set, 25-22, and a 2-0 edge in the match.

A back-and-forth start to the third set saw neither team lead by more than two early in the frame, but a 4-0 Illini run forced the Huskers to take a timeout with the Orange and Blue ahead, 9-7. 

Nebraska used a 5-1 stretch out of the brief intermission to grab a 13-11 advantage, and it eventually grew to 19-15, which forced an Illinois timeout.

The Illini reduced their deficit to three points, 20-17, but the Cornhuskers accounted for the final five points of the frame to take the set, 25-17, and the match, 3-0.

UP NEXT

Illinois will return to Huff Hall on Sunday for an in-state showdown against Northwestern. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.

NOTES

- Starters: Raina Terry, Brooke Mosher, Averie Hernandez, Cari Bohm, Ashlyn Philpot, Laynie Smith, and Christina Martinez Mundo.
- Raina Terry moved into second place in the program record books with 1,840 career kills, surpassing 2024 Illinois Hall of Famer Laura DeBruler. 
    - Terry sits third in career points with 2,173.5 thus far.
    - Terry registered her third double-double of the season and the 19th of her career.
- Christina Martinez Mundo finished with double-digit digs for the ninth time this season.
- Averie Hernandez amassed double-digit kills for the sixth time this year.
- The Illini wore sleeveless white jerseys for the first time this year.
- Illinois is now 1-1 at Huff Hall this season.
- The Illinois volleyball program is now 8-35-1 against Nebraska.
- Chris Tamas moved to 1-12 all-time against the Huskers.
- The Illini moved to 10-8 following the 18th iteration of Stuff Huff.
- Attendance was called at 4,352, a sellout.
    - That ranks as the fifth-largest home crowd in program history.
    - That is the largest attendance at Huff Hall since Oct. 4, 2014.