CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois began its conference slate with a sweep of Oregon at Huff Hall on Friday night. Improving to 6-4 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play, the Fighting Illini handed the Ducks, who were receiving votes in the most recent AVCA poll, their second loss of the campaign.
With the win, the Orange and Blue prevailed in their Big Ten opener for the first time since 2022 while securing a sweep in their first conference match of the season for the first time since 2017. The victory also marked the program's 500th all-time Big Ten win.
Taylor de Boer finished in double figures for the eighth time this year, logging a team-high 15 kills at a season-best hitting percentage of .429. Also adding two digs and a block, de Boer has now led the Illini in kills in seven matches this season.
In her Big Ten debut, Alyssa Aguayo amassed 10 kills at a .286 clip, also tacking on five digs. Auburn Tomkinson hit at an efficient .389, going for nine kills, three blocks, and two digs.
Kayla Burbage filled the stat sheet with eight kills and three blocks while hitting at a .889 clip. Defensively, Kenna Phelan and Kenzie Cogan both collected a team-best seven digs. Vivian Campbell and Averie Hernandez led the way from the service line with two aces apiece.
The Illini registered a season-best .362 hitting percentage as a team while holding Oregon to a .194 clip, its second-lowest mark this season.
The Ducks stormed out to an early 10-3 lead, forcing the Illini to use a quick timeout. That advantage expanded to eight shortly after, but Illinois began chipping away via a 4-1 run to trim its deficit to four, 15-11. Oregon soon extended its edge up to nine, 22-13, but the hosts continued to battle, going on a 6-0 run to cut the Ducks' lead to three. Eventually reducing that advantage to just one, the Illini fended off two set points and closed the frame on a 4-0 run, including a 13-2 overall scoring stretch to end the set, to take the opener, 26-24.
With the sides trading points early in the second set, the home side pieced together a 4-0 run to turn a two-point lead into a 16-10 advantage behind two aces from Campbell. Oregon orchestrated a 3-1 run to cut into the Illinois edge, but the Illini closed the set strong, winning the final six points to establish a two-set advantage, 25-15.
Another big early run, this time via a 5-1 margin, gave the Orange and Blue a 11-5 edge as they looked to finish off the sweep. A 4-0 Illini run shortly after lengthened that lead to eight, 15-7, though the Ducks used four straight points to halve their deficit. Illinois concluded the night with a 5-1 run, though, claiming the final frame by a 25-18 mark en route to the sweep.
NOTES
- Taylor de Boer logged a team-high 15 kills while adding two digs and a block.
- Had double-digit kills for the eighth time this season.
- Led the team in kills for the seventh time.
- Her .429 hitting percentage set a new season-best tally.
- Has a block in three of the last four matches and in six matches overall.
- Made multiple digs for the fourth time this season.
- Alyssa Aguayo amassed 10 kills at a .286 clip, also tacking on five digs.
- Has 10+ kills in eight of her 10 career collegiate matches.
- Has double-digit kills in back-to-back matches.
- Has 5+ digs in nine of her first 10 collegiate appearances.Â
- Auburn Tomkinson hit an efficient .389, going for nine kills, three blocks, and two digs.
- Finished with at least eight kills for the seventh time this season.
- Has multiple digs in six matches this season.
- Had at least three blocks for the fifth time.
- Has at least three blocks in back-to-back matches for the first time in her career/this season.
- Made multiple blocks for the ninth time this season.
- Her .389 hitting percentage is the second-highest in her career.
- Kayla Burbage filled the stat sheet with eight kills and three blocks.
- Has at least three blocks in each of the last five matches.
- Has at least three blocks in eight outings this season.
- Has multiple blocks in seven straight matches and in nine appearances overall.
- Tallied at least eight kills for the third time this season.
- Swung at an efficient .889 clip.
- Kenna Phelan collected 27 assists, seven digs, an ace, and a block.
- Had at least seven digs for the eighth time this season.
- Averie Hernandez totaled four digs and two aces.
- Had multiple aces for the third time this season.
- Has posted back-to-back matches with multiple aces.
- Â Vivian Campbell posted three digs and two aces.
- Had multiple aces for the fifth time this season.
- Has an ace in three straight matches and in six of the last seven contests.
- Kenzie Cogan ended the night tied for a team-high with seven digs.
- Her seven digs are a new career-best.
- She entered the night with just one dig in her collegiate career.
- Illinois hit a season-best .362 as a team while holding Oregon to a .194 clip.
- The Illini's .362 hitting percentage is their best since registering a .371 percentage at UIC on Sept. 5, 2023.
- The Illini's .362 hitting percentage is their best against a Big Ten opponent since registering a .383 percentage against Indiana on Nov. 12, 2021.
- The Illini won their Big Ten opener for the first time since 2022.
- Illinois earned a sweep in its conference opener for the first time since 2017.
- Head coach Chris Tamas moved to 155-98 overall during his time at the helm of the Illini.
- The Illini moved to 3-3 all-time against Oregon.
- Illinois is 3-0 when playing the Ducks at home.
- The Illini defeated Oregon for the first time since Aug. 30, 2008, snapping a two-match skid.
- Illinois is now 4-0 in three-set matches this season.
- The Illini moved to 1-1 when wearing white long-sleeved jerseys.
- Illinois is now 2-1 at Huff Hall this season.
- Attendance was called at 3,316.
UP NEXT
The Illini hit the road for their first conference away match of the 2025 season, traveling east for their second top-10 showdown of the year to take on #10 Purdue on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. The contest will air nationally on Big Ten Network.
