CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Illinois dropped its season opener to South Dakota State, 3-1, on Friday afternoon at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The Jackrabbits won the opening two frames before the Illini bounced back by prevailing in the third set. SDSU ultimately claimed the fourth set to take the match.
Taylor de Boer led the way for the Illini with a career-high 15 kills on a .344 clip off the bench.
Auburn Tomkinson, making her first collegiate appearance, logged 10 kills and two aces. She added six digs and two total blocks.
Freshman Alyssa Aguayo posted a double-double in her first college match, collecting 10 kills and 19 digs.
Kenna Phelan marked her Illini debut with a career-high 48 assists. Taryn Kirsch, donning the libero jersey in her first-ever collegiate match, finished the afternoon with 16 digs and five assists.
Ashlyn Philpot amassed nine kills and two blocks, while Kayla Burbage celebrated her return with eight kills and three blocks.
Neither side led by more than two during the early stages of the opening set, with a 3-0 Illini run giving the Orange and Blue a 9-7 edge. With the teams continuing to trade points, an ace from Phelan gave the Illini a 16-13 advantage, their largest of the frame. A 4-0 scoring stretch from the Jackrabbits gave SDSU a 19-18 lead, though the Illini battled back to establish a 23-22 edge. South Dakota State recorded the final three points of the frame and took the first set, 25-23.
The Jackrabbits carried that momentum into the second frame, taking an early 8-4 lead. That advantage climbed up to six shortly after, but a 6-1 Illini run, including four straight points with Averie Hernandez serving, cut their deficit to just one. Illinois was unable to tie the frame, though, and South Dakota State took the second set, 25-22, and a 2-0 lead in the match.
SDSU pulled out to a 10-0 advantage to open the third set, but back-to-back aces from Vivian Campbell cut into that deficit. A 3-0 stretch from the Jackrabbits re-established a nine-point edge, but the Illini found a response with Tomkinson at the service line. Behind two aces and two kills apiece from de Boer and Burbage, a 9-0 Illini run knotted the frame at 13-13.
Illinois went in front for the first time at 15-14, but a 5-1 Jackrabbit run gave SDSU a 19-16 edge. Following an Illini timeout, the Orange and Blue pieced together a 4-0 run to post a 20-19 lead. De Boer registered the final four points of the set, helping Illinois claim the frame, 25-23.
The Illini used a 5-1 run early in the fourth set to post a four-point advantage, though the Jackrabbits battled to tie the frame at 9-9. With neither side able to pull away, South Dakota State put together a 5-0 run to go ahead, 20-14. Though Illinois was able to cut its deficit in half, it was not enough as SDSU took the frame, 25-20, and the match, 3-1.Â
Notes
- Taylor de Boer totaled 15 kills on a .344 clip.
- Her 15 kills set a new career-high, surpassing her previous best of three.
- Alyssa Aguayo registered a double-double with 10 kills and 19 digs in her collegiate debut.
- Alyssa Aguayo is the first true freshman to record a double-double in their collegiate debut (and in the season opener) since Laura DeBruler in a four-set win vs. Bowling Green on Aug. 24, 2007.
- Auburn Tomkinson logged 10 kills, six digs, two aces, and two total blocks in her first-ever college action.
- Kenna Phelan's 48 assists marked a new career-best tally.
- Her 48 assists are the most by an Illini setter since Brooke Mosher tallied 50 against Ohio State on Nov. 15, 2023.
- A total of six players made their Illini debuts against the Jackrabbits.
- The Illini moved to 1-1 all-time against South Dakota State.
- Illinois moved to 7-2 in season openers under Chris Tamas.
- The Illini dropped to 0-1 when wearing white long-sleeved jerseys.
- Illinois fell to 0-1 in neutral-site matches this season.
Next Up
The Illini head south to close the weekend in Nashville for the inaugural Broadway Block Party at Bridgestone Arena. Illinois will battle Vanderbilt in the final match of the six-team tripleheader, with first serve set for Sunday at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
