Everything was in place for a Purdue team that is currently one of the best squads in the country. A ruckus home crowd, an eight-game win streak, and a dominating front line.
However, what they did not plan for was an Illinois volleyball team that arrived in West Lafayette with a chip on their shoulders. The Illini are eager to punch their card for the NCAA tournament in back-to-back years. That drive proved too much for Purdue to handle.
The Illini took the first game after a tense back-and-forth. Then, the dominance Purdue is known for took over in game two. Illinois was unfazed.
Illinois shrugged off the one-sided result and battled in game three when it looked like Purdue was going to cruise to a 2-1 lead. The Illini relied on timely kills and good defense to snatch game three from Purdue.
Game four was a battle of stars on both sides. The offensive combination of Kenna Wollard, Grace Heaney, and Lindsey Miller for Purdue against the offensive powerhouses of the match, Taylor de Boer, sophomore standout Ashlyn Philpot, and Auburn Tomkinson.
However, Purdue did not account for the defensive wild cards of the match, Taryn Kirsch and Kenna Phelan. Kirsch finished the match with a career high 21 digs along with five assists. Phelan recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 39 assists and 10 digs. Their stout defense and the Illini's timely offense were enough to squeak out a 26-24 win in game four, securing the win for the Orange and Blue.
The victory marks the first win against a nationally ranked top 10 opponent in four years. Now, the Illini will take their three-match winning streak to Madison, Wisconsin, to face the No. 7-ranked Badgers on Thursday night. As Illinois gets into the meat of the Big Ten schedule, there is little time to celebrate milestones. Is Illinois emerging as a dark horse in the Big Ten this season? Time will tell. The next step to that next level runs through Madison on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. CT.