BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Illinois earned a four-set win over WKU in the Hyatt Place Invitational finale at E.A. Diddle Arena on Saturday,
The Fighting Illini moved to 7-1 this season, while the Hilltoppers, who received votes in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, dropped to 4-6.
As a team, the Orange and Blue hit .267 with 63 kills. The squad also amassed 70 digs, 58 assists and 12 blocks.
Individually, Raina Terry added her second-straight double-double, tallying 19 kills and 14 digs. Averie Hernandez also impressed with 17 kills and 12 digs in the match. Defensively, Cari Bohm registered a career-best nine blocks, while Christina Martinez Mundo tallied 15 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Illinois got off to a slow start, trailing 6-1 in the opening frame. The Fighting Illini battled back, coming within one following a block by Terry and Bohm. But, at the media timeout, the squad trailed, 15-11. The Orange and Blue burned their final timeout of the set trailing, 21-15, but a 5-0 rally with Brooke Mosher serving got Illinois within one, 21-20. Despite WKU holding two set points, Illinois fought to tie the set at 24 apiece following a pair of kills from Terry. With the set knotted at 25, back-to-back blocks from the Orange and Blue powered the team to victory, 27-25.
In the second set, the Illini needed a timeout following a 5-0 run that left the Orange and Blue behind, 11-6. Another run by WKU left Illinois trailing by 10, forcing the team to take its final break of the set. The team chipped away at the Hilltopper lead, with a kill from Ashlyn Philpot reducing the deficit to six, but it was not enough as the Orange and Blue dropped the set, 25-19.
A 5-1 run to start the third set favored the Illini early and led to a WKU timeout. A 4-0 run capped off by a kill from Laynie Smith extended the Orange and Blue advantage, 14-6, before the Hilltoppers went to their final timeout. The Illini continued to cruise, and Terry's hot hand powered the team to set point before closing out the 25-13 triumph with a kill from the Ohio native.
Illinois fell flat to open the fourth, allowing an early 5-0 run to the Hilltoppers. The Orange and Blue charged back, stringing together a five-point run of its own to knot the match at six. A rally with Mosher serving helped the Illini take the 14-10 advantage, and a 3-0 run that included a block from Bohm and Smith led to a WKU timeout with the Fighting Illini leading, 17-12. The Hilltoppers added one last four-point run late in the set, but a kill by Mosher put away the 25-19 win in the fourth set and the victory for the Illini.
UP NEXT
The Orange and Blue head to the Lippy Invite next weekend. The team faces Missouri on Friday at 4 p.m. CT.
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 4-0 while donning those.
- The Illinois volleyball program is now 2-0Â against WKU.
- In the third set, the Illini hit .516 with 16 kills and no errors.
- Terry's 1,766 career kills currently rank the outside hitter in fifth place all-time.
- The Ohio native's double-double was her first of the season and the 19th of her career.
- Chris Tamas moved to 2-0Â all-time against the Hilltoppers.
- Attendance was called at 552.
