Illinois volleyball hit the road for the second straight weekend, looking to pick up their third and fourth consecutive victories.
Most of the time, when a team goes on the road for an extended period of time, you expect a lapse or some sort of slump. The Illini defied that narrative, winning all four of their matches during this road stint and only dropping two sets total.
This past weekend, Illinois took down two struggling Big Ten squads. Ohio State is still searching for answers, while the Wildcats have shown flashes but have been very inconsistent.
The Illini rolled into Columbus to face an Ohio State team still hunting for their first Big Ten win. The Buckeyes came out swinging, controlling much of the first set. Illinois flipped the script late, grabbing their first lead since 4-3 on a Phelan/Philpot double block to make it 20-19. Taylor de Boer sealed it with back-to-back kills for a 25-22 win.
Set two was rough. Illinois couldn't find their rhythm, committing 11 attack errors and hitting a measly .026. Ohio State's Reese Wuebker (20 kills on the night) went off, with six kills in the set, as the Buckeyes tied the match with a 25-20 win.
The Illini bounced back in set three, hitting .304 with 18 kills and just four errors. Kayla Burbage took over late, notching a block and two kills as part of a 4-0 run to clinch the set, 25-21. She finished with nine kills, her third time hitting that mark this season.
Neither team led by more than three points in the fourth set. Illinois pulled out a 26-24 win in extra points. de Boer (17 kills) and Alyssa Aguayo (13 kills) led the way, with de Boer hitting 17+ kills for the sixth time this season and Aguayo reaching double-digits for the 12th.
The team racked up at least 50 kills for the eighth time this year to go along with a season-high 73 digs, led by Kenna Phelan's 21, a career-best for the transfer setter.
Illinois def. Ohio State (25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 26-24)
Next up, after a day off, the Illini faced in-state rival Northwestern in Evanston. The Wildcats, fresh off a five-set win over Michigan, put up a fight but couldn't keep up. Illinois controlled the match, though Northwestern kept it close.
The Wildcats led early in set one, but Illinois took over at 14-13 and never looked back, taking the set 25-22. The Orange and Blue hit an impressive .316 with 16 kills in the first.
Set two saw the Illini pull away with an 8-2 run, fueled by a pair of aces and kills from four different players, to lead 20-12. Northwestern battled back, winning the latter part of the set, 10-5, but it was too little to late. Illinois closed it out 25-22.
Set three was a barn burner. The Cats jumped out to a 7-3 lead, but Illinois' outside hitters took over. Aguayo put down seven kills in the set, while de Boer tallied six of her own to combine for 13 of the team's 19 kills in set three.
The Wildcats had set point twice, but an Aguayo block and a clutch Ashlyn Philpot kill tied it at 25. Illinois scored the next two points to seal the sweep in extra points, 26-24.
de Boer led with 14 kills, while Aguayo added 12, hitting ,423 with just one error. Five other Illini chipped in at least two kills to round out a very balanced attack,
Illinois def. Northwestern (25-22, 25-22, 26-24)
Illinois finds themselves alone in second place in the Big Ten just behind the juggernaut, Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Orange and Blue are rolling, winning seven of eight in the Big Ten and eight of their last ten overall.
The Illini finally return to Huff Hall after two weekends on the road. On Friday, they face a familiar foe in No. 11 Purdue, a team they've already beaten on the road this season. Illinois will look to sweep the season series at 7:00 p.m. CT on Big Ten Plus.
On Saturday, they host a slumping Michigan team, which has dropped four of their last five Big Ten matches and is winless on the road in conference play. That one is also at 7:00 p.m. CT on Big Ten Plus.