MADISON, Wis. – Illinois volleyball saw its six-match winning streak snapped at #2 Wisconsin on Saturday night as the Fighting Illini fell in straight sets at the UW Fieldhouse.
The Fighting Illini moved to 13-11 on the year with an 8-6 mark in Big Ten play. The ranked Badgers improved to 22-1 overall this season and 13-1 in league play.
Brooke Mosher tallied a team-best 19 assists and eight digs in the loss. Raina Terry led the way with nine kills and a pair of service aces.
How it happened
Illinois got off to a slow start with the opposition scoring the first five points of the match. The struggles continued for the Illini, with the Badgers taking a 12-4 lead before a timeout was used by the Orange and Blue. The deficit grew to 10 points before the Fighting Illini burned their final break of the set, down 17-7. Despite a late four-point rally by the Illini with Kennedy Collins behind the service line, the team dropped the opening frame, 25-13.
The Fighting Illini battled point-for-point to start the second set, but a 3-0 run by the Badgers led to an Illinois timeout trailing, 12-9. The break did not stall Wisconsin, with the opposition adding seven straight before the Orange and Blue called for its final timeout of the set. Illinois allowed five-in-a-row to the Badgers to end the 25-13 defeat in the second set.
The struggles continued in the third frame, with the Badgers holding the 15-9 edge at the media break. A late 3-0 run by Wisconsin led to an Illinois timeout, down 20-12. The deficit was too much to overcome, and the team fell, 25-12.
Up Next
The Fighting Illini remain on the road for a match at Iowa on Friday. First serve from B1G+ is slated for 6 p.m.
Notes
– Starters: Brooke Mosher, Raina Terry, Vanessa Pan, Kennedy Collins, Jessica Nunge, Cari Bohm and Caroline Barnes
– This is the first time Illinois has used this starting lineup.
– The Illini wore long-sleeved anthracite jerseys, moving to 1-2 this year while donning those.
– The Illinois volleyball program moved to 49-48-1 against Wisconsin all time.
– Head coach Chris Tamas owns a 2-11 record against the Badgers.
– Illinois dropped to 2-5 in nationally televised matches.
– The Fighting Illini moved to 3-6 in three-set matches.
– Terry tallied two aces in the match, giving her 153 for her career and ranking fifth all-time in the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at University of Illinois Athletics…