CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois volleyball swept Rutgers in a Big Ten match at Huff Hall on Friday.
The Fighting Illini improved to 18-9 this year with an 10-7 conference record. The Scarlet Knights dropped to 5-23 and remained winless in league play.
Illinois tallied 34 kills and a .311 hitting efficiency. The Orange and Blue held Rutgers to a -.033 hitting clip in the match the lowest hitting percentage for an Illini opponent this year.
Individually, Raina Terry shined in the victory, amassing 15 kills while hitting a season-best .560 for the day. Brooke Mosher commanded the offense with 22 assists.
Ashlyn Philpot finished the match with nine blocks, helping the team earn 13 roofs in the match. Cari Bohm, Averie Hernandez and Terry recorded three stuffs each. Christina Martinez Mundo tallied double-digit digs, earning 11.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Orange and Blue took a 10-5 lead early in the opening set following a three-point run with Raegen Reilly serving. The Illini continued to cruise, and a Scarlet Knight error allowed the Fighting Illini to hold the 15-9 edge at the media timeout. Rutgers rallied out of the break, coming within four of the Illinois advantage, 16-12. But the Illini remained strong, and a block from Hernandez and Philpot helped the team extend the lead, 20-14. A kill by Hernandez allowed the Fighting Illini to reach set point, and Laynie Smith put away the set, 25-18, with a kill of her own.
The Illini posted four blocks in the first nine points of the second set, earning the 7-2 edge. A 4-0 run capped off by a Hernandez kill off the dish from Mosher resulted in a Rutgers timeout with Illinois leading, 11-4. The Orange and Blue added four out of the break, extending the 11-point advantage before the Scarlet Knights burned their final timeout of the frame. The Fighting Illini dominated the remainder of the frame, ending the set on an 18-2 run for a 25-6 victory.
Illinois carried its momentum into the third set, taking a 12-9 lead following a four-point run with Hernandez behind the service line. Three-straight points for the Illini sent the Orange and Blue into the media break with the 15-10 edge. Rutgers then burned a timeout following a 3-0 run with Terry serving and the Fighting Illini ahead, 20-13. The team closed out the sweep with an 8-1 run and the 25-14 win.
UP NEXT
Illinois hosts UCLA at Huff Hall on Saturday night. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. on B1G+.
NOTES:
- Starters: Raina Terry, Brooke Mosher, Averie Hernandez, Cari Bohm, Ashlyn Philpot, Laynie Smith, and Christina Martinez Mundo.
- The Illini wore sleeveless white jerseys, moving to 1-2 while donning those this year.
- The Illinois volleyball program is now 17-1 against Rutgers.
- Chris Tamas moved to 10-0 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.
- Illinois posted six roofs in the second set and 13 stuffs in the match.
- The Orange and Blue posted double-digit roofs for the 14th time this year.
- The Illini's longest scoring run took place in the second set, when the team scored 10-straight points.
- The six points in the second set were the Illini's fewest allowed since Sep. 7, 2018, when the team topped Cleveland State in a set, 25-6.
- The Scarlet Knights' six points were the fewest points allowed by the Illini in a set in Big Ten play during the rally scoring era.
- Six points are the fewest allowed this year by any Big Ten team.
- The last time the team allowed single-digit points in a set was against Toledo on Sept. 6.
- The Illini held the Scarlet Knights to a -.033 hitting percentage, the lowest by an Illinois opponent this season.
- Attendance was called at 2,367.
