CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini fell at home to #25 Penn State in four sets in the program's Huff Hall Centennial match on Sunday evening.
Alyssa Aguayo posted her eighth double-double of the season with 14 kills and a career-high 24 digs while finishing with a .419 hitting percentage and only one error.
Auburn Tomkinson tallied 14 kills at a .312 clip. She also added five digs and made two blocks.
Taylor de Boer totaled 14 kills, her 13th Big Ten match this season with double-digit kills.
Ashlyn Philpot finished with eight kills, five blocks, and four digs, while Averie Hernandez amassed a season-high seven kills and 11 digs.
Kenna Phelan registered her seventh double-double of the campaign with 50 assists and 10 digs. Surpassing 2,000 career assists during the match, Phelan also notched four blocks, an ace, and a kill.
Gabby Dean logged a career-high six kills while making her first collegiate start. She also equaled her career-best mark with two blocks and made one dig.
Taryn Kirsch accounted for 12 digs, five assists, and an ace, while Kenzie Cogan secured nine digs and a kill.
NOTES
- Auburn Tomkinson tallied 14 kills at a .312 clip while adding five digs and two blocks.
- Finished with 10+ kills for the eighth time this season.
- Hit over .300 for the fifth time.
- Totaled at least five digs for the fifth time this season.
- Taryn Kirsch accounted for 12 digs, five assists, and an ace.
- Had 10+ digs for the 11th time this season.
- Amassed five assists for the eighth time.
- Taylor de Boer totaled 14 kills.
- Now has double-digit kills in 13 of the Illini's 14 Big Ten matches.
- Has 10+ kills in 20 matches this season.
- Kenna Phelan registered 50 assists, 10 digs, four blocks, an ace, and a kill.
- Tallied the second 50-assist performance of her career/of the season.
- Logged her seventh double-double of the season and the 13th of her career.
- Had 4+ blocks for the third time this season.
- Averie Hernandez amassed seven kills and 11 digs.
- Set a new season-high with her seven kills.
- Made double-digit digs for the seventh time this season.
- Gabby Dean totaled six kills, two blocks, and a dig.
- Set a new career-high with six kills.
- Has multiple kills in back-to-back matches.
- Equaled her career-high with two blocks.
- Has multiple blocks in back-to-back matches.
- Ashlyn Philpot finished with eight kills, five blocks, and four digs.
- Tallied at least five blocks for the seventh time this season.
- Her four digs are her fourth-most in a match this season.
- Alyssa Aguayo posted 14 kills and 24 digs while finishing with a .419 hitting percentage and only one error on 31 swings.
- Accumulated double-digit kills for the 16th time this season/in her career.
- Had only one error for the fourth time this season.
- Her 24 digs set a new career-high.
- Had 20+ digs for the first time in her career.
- Her 24 digs are the most by an Illini this season.
- The Illini recorded a season-high 77 digs in the match.
- Illinois' 77 digs are its most since posting 83 in a five-set win at Rutgers on Oct. 29, 2021.
- Illinois' 77 digs are its most in a four-set match since registering 83 at #19 Creighton on Sept. 11, 2021.
- Head coach Chris Tamas moved to 161-105 overall during his time at the helm of the Illini.
- Illinois moved to 13-53 all-time against Penn State.
- The Illini are now 4-5 in four-set matches this season.
- Illinois is now 3-5 at Huff Hall this season.
- The Illini moved to 1-2 when wearing white long-sleeved jerseys.
- Attendance was called at 3,753.
UP NEXT
Illinois (12-11, 7-7 B1G) wraps up its three-match homestand next weekend against Washington and #11 Wisconsin at Huff Hall. The Fighting Illini will host the Huskies on Friday at 6 p.m. before battling the Badgers on Saturday at 8 p.m. for Stuff Huff. Both contests will stream on B1G+.
