Illinois Volleyball Tripped Up by #15 Minnesota

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois volleyball team drpped a four set Senior Night heart-breaker to #15 Minnesota at Huff Hall on Wednesday.

The Fighting Illini fell to 18-11 overall and 10-9 in conference play. The ranked Golden Gophers improved to 19-10 on the season and 12-7 in the Big Ten

Raina Terry led the way for the Illini recording 20 kills for the sixth time this season, to go along with two blocks and six digs. Laynie Smith contributed with 14 kills of her own, reaching the double-digit kill mark for the 12th time in her career while hitting .321. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Christina Martinez Mundo and Smith gave the Illini an early lead, recording a pair of aces and a pair of kills respectively to go up 4-0. Minnesota battled knotting things at 8-8, before Illinois surged back in front with a 4-0 run forcing the opposition to burn their first timeout of the set, trailing 12-8.
 

Out of the break the Orange and Blue kept their foot on the gas as they extended their lead to go up 20-12. With Illinois ahead 22-15, the Golden Gophers fought back to make it 24-20 before a Smith kill ended things in the first as Illinois took it 25-20.

The teams kept things close early in the second before Minnesota broke it open with a 7-2 run to give them a 12-6 lead, forcing Illinois to call their first timeout. With the Gophers leading 17-13 they went on a 5-1 run, extending their lead to eight. The Illini cut into the Gopher lead trailing 24-18 but couldn't overcome the deficit as an Illinois error ended the set at 25-18. 

Minnesota built an early lead in the third, using back-to-back aces to go ahead, 5-2. With the Illini trailing 10-7, a kill by Smith jump started a 10-2 run, that included back-to-back aces by Martinez Mundo, and was capped off by a Terry kill to make it 17-12. The visitors came back with a run of their own going ahead 23-20 as Illinois called their final timeout of the period. Out of the stoppage, the Gophers protected their lead taking the set 25-22. 

Down two sets to one, the Orange and Blue came hot in the fourth leading 12-6 as Minnesota called for a timeout. Out of the break, kills by Terry and Smith allowed Illinois to extend their lead to 10, before a Gopher run forced an Illini time out still ahead 16-9. Minnesota continued to put pressure on Illinois, trailing 22-20 when the Illini called their final timeout.

Ahead 23-21 Terry tallied her 20th kill of the match bringing the Illini to set point before Minnesota stormed back to tie things at 25-25. Ultimately, Illinois was unable to stop the Gopher comeback as Julia Hanson recorded her 22nd kill of the match to end the 27-25 defeat. 

UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini will head to Bloomington,  Ind.,  to face Indiana on Friday. First serve is slated for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+.

NOTES:

• Starters: Raina Terry, Brooke Mosher, Averie Hernandez, Cari Bohm, Ashlyn Philpot, Laynie Smith, and Christina Martinez Mundo.
• The Illini wore long-sleeved white jerseys, moving to 7-2 while donning those.
• The Illinois volleyball program is now 39-46-1 against Minnesota.
• Chris Tamas dropped to 1-11 all-time against the Golden Gophers.
• The Illini never trailed in the first set.
• Raina Terry posted 20-plus kills for the sixth time this season and the 26th time in her career.
• Laynie Smith ended with double-digit kills for the 12th time in her career.
• Attendance was called at 2851.