CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Rutgers volleyball team nearly came out on top for a second set victory on Wednesday night at Huff Hall, but the host Fighting Illini pulled out the set and match win against the Scarlet Knights.
Illinois claimed a 25-16 opening set win and took the second set 26-24 in a frame that saw 11 ties and seven lead changes. Rutgers dropped the final set 25-17 as the Fighting Illini captured the 3-0 victory.
- Freshman Taylor Humphrey led the offense with nine kills while also collecting three blocks on defense.
- Classmate Bekah Williams tallied eight kills and five digs.
- Redshirt junior Lauren DeLo notched 20 assists.
- Graduate student Megan Vernon totaled four blocks, while junior Madyson Chitty had a team-high 10 digs.
- Rutgers led 4-3 in aces with four different Scarlet Knights scoring off the serve.
- SET 1 (16-25) | The Scarlet Knights trailed 7-5 when the hosts produced a 5-1 run to extend its lead. A Taylor Humphrey attack coupled with a pair of Illini errors kept the opening frame close with RU down 13-9, but another 5-1 burst pushed the Illinois edge to eight. Rutgers closed the gap with a 4-1 run including one of Williams’ three kills to set the score at 19-14. The Fighting Illini, however, outscored RU 6-2 to go up 1-0.
- SET 2 (24-26) | Rutgers led 23-21 down the stretch however the Fighting Illini pulled out the win behind a 5-1 run and an unsuccessful Scarlet Knight challenge…
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