COLLEGE PARK, Md. – A five-set thriller favored Illinois as the Fighting Illini topped Maryland in a Big Ten battle at the XFINITY Center Pavilion on Friday night.
The Fighting Illini improved to 9-10 on the year with a 4-5 Big Ten record. The Terrapins dropped to 13-8 overall and 3-6 in league play this season.
The Orange and Blue hit .209 during the victory with 50 kills and 47 assists. The team tied their season best with 17 blocks and also added nine service aces in the match.
Jessica Nunge paced the squad with a season-best 15 kills on .308 hitting during the triumph over the Terps. Kayla Burbage also added double-digit kills, posting 10 in the match. Kennedy Collins led the way with nine blocks, the second time this year she’s tallied nine roofs. Brooke Mosher notched a squad-best 17 digs and 36 assists.
How it happened
Illinois began the match going point-for-point with the Terps, but a 3-0 rally with Caroline Barnes behind the service line helped the team hold the early 13-8 advantage. Back-to-back kills from Nunge led to Maryland’s final timeout with the Fighting Illini ahead, 18-12. The Terrapins strung together a 4-0 run before the Illini burned a timeout, clinging to the 22-18 lead. Raina Terry’s kill from the outside put Illinois at set point, and a block from the senior and Collins closed out the 25-21 win in the opening frame.
Both squads kept the second set close, with…
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