Illinois Volleyball takes the court at Huff Hall looking to notch their fifth win of the young season.
The Illini are off to a 4-3 start this season with just two non-conference contests left before diving into the gauntlet of Big Ten play. The Orange and Blue are riding momentum into Saturday after a dominant sweep of in-state foe Illinois State.
Illinois kicked off their season losing to South Dakota State before they settled in beating Vanderbilt and Notre Dame in back-to-back games. They've also earned a victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats while taking losses to #3 Louisville, and Miami (FL).
Iowa State (8-1) started their season with five straight victories before falling to Northern Iowa. In their latest outing, the Cyclones edged out a five-set thriller in the Cy-Hawk Series against Iowa. They'll take on Eastern Illinois in Champaign before they turn their attention to Illinois.
Players to Watch
Taylor de Boer has been the consistent No. 1 option for the Illini, leading the team with 96.5 points, 3.54 kills per set, and an impressive .290 hitting percentage. She'll have to continue her dominance if Illinois wants to pick up a win in their first home match of the season.
Freshman outside hitter Alyssa Aguayo has been a revelation for Illinois in her first season of collegiate volleyball. The Arizona native has finished with double-digit kills in six of seven matches, notching double-doubles in four of those contests.
The Cyclones boast their own standout freshmen in Alea Goolsby, who averages over eleven kills per game and leads the team with 114 points. The powerful outside hitter aims to spoil Illinois' homecoming on Saturday night.
Series History
Illinois and Iowa State have clashed seven times in total, with Illinois holding a 6-1 advantage. Their most recent matchup last season in Ames saw Illinois complete the reverse sweep to secure a victory. The Illini have won the last three encounters.
How to Watch
Catch the match at 5:30 PM CT on Big Ten Network, marking Illinois’ third nationally televised game this season and their first on BTN.
Prediction
Expect a tightly contested battle. Illinois will rely on its pin hitters to maintain their strong start and look to see improvement out of their backcourt. The Illini should seize an early lead thanks in part to the Huff Faithful, taking the first set and building a 2-0 advantage, having won the second set in five of their last six matches. Iowa State will fight back to claim the third, but Illinois will close it out in the fourth to secure their first home win of 2025.