CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois volleyball faced Michigan State in a Big Ten match on Sunday afternoon at Huff Hall, topping the Spartans in a five-set thriller.
The Fighting Illini improved to 6-6 on the year with a 1-1 record in league play. Michigan State dropped to 9-4 this season and 1-1 against conference opponents.
As a team, the Illini hit .243 with 70 kills and 53 assists on the day. The team's 17 blocks were a season-high for the Orange and Blue.
Raina Terry owned a 25-kill performance, the fourth time this year she has tallied over 20 kills.
Kennedy Collins posted a solid outing, recording a season-best in both kills and blocks with 19 and nine, respectively. The Zion, Ill., native also owned an impressive .680 hitting percentage for the match.
Brooke Mosher added her sixth double-double of the year when she tallied 46 assists and career-best 17 digs.
Cari Bohm's seven total blocks tied her career-high.
How it happened
Illinois battled in the opening frame, and back-to-back kills by Collins helped the Illini gain the 13-10 edge. The Orange and Blue built on its advantage with Terry putting the ball away before MSU called its final timeout of the set with the Illini ahead, 18-14. The Spartans rallied late, scoring three-straight as the Fighting Illini clung onto set point, but a service error by the opposition gave the Fighting Illini the 25-23 victory in the opening set.
MSU held the momentum early in the second frame, taking a 7-4 lead over the Illini following a 4-0 rally. The Orange and Blue battled back, with a solo stuff from Collins helping Illinois come within a score and forcing Michigan State to use a timeout. A pair of kills by Terry led to MSU's final timeout of the frame with Illinois behind, 20-19. Despite fending off a Spartan set point, Illinois dropped the second set, 26-24.
Looking to rebound in the third set, a 3-0 scoring run for Illinois resulted in an MSU timeout with the Illini ahead, 11-6. Another 3-0 swing for the Orange and Blue led to the Spartans' final timeout of the set with Illinois holding the 14-8 edge. Michigan State chipped away at the Illini advantage, tying the set at 22 before Terry snapped the rally with a kill from the outside. However, MSU concluded the set scoring three-straight points, taking the frame, 25-23.
The fourth set proved to be a back-and-forth battle with 17 ties and nine lead changes. A 3-0 swing favored Michigan State, culminating in an Illinois timeout while trailing, 19-17. The Illini continued to fight, with a Spartan service error and a kill by Terry knotting the set at 20 apiece. Clutch kills from Terry and Collins closed out the frame, sending the match to a decisive fifth set following the 25-22 Illini triumph.
Illinois jumped out to hold the early 5-3 edge in the fifth following kills by Collins and
Sarah Bingham. Illinois clung to a four-point advantage following a kill by Bohm, resulting in a Spartan timeout. With Mosher behind the service line, Illinois built up the 12-6 lead, but a 4-0 turn for Michigan State followed before a break for the Illini squad. Terry tallied a kill to give the Fighting Illini match point before Collins put away the 15-13 fifth-set victory.
Up Next
Illinois returns to Huff Hall for a match against No. 13 Penn State on Friday. First serve on the Big Ten Network is slated for 8 p.m. CT.
