#7 volleyball tops Tennessee, 3-1, at Stuff Huff
September 3, 2011 7:22 AM
Illinois is now 42-5 at home in the last four years and Friday night a "Stuff Huff" crowd of 2,619 helped lift the Illini to a four-set hard-fought victory over Tennessee (3-1), a preseason nationally ranked team. The seventh-ranked Illini held off the Lady Vols 31-29, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19 in the first night of the State Farm Illini Classic to move to 4-0 on the season.
After playing three sets decided by deuce games, both teams were beginning to tire. The Illini proved their depth and it didn't help to have a pair of All-Americans hitting from the left side. In particular was the play of senior Michelle Bartsch who tallied 21 kills and 23 digs while hitting a robust .290. That marked just the third 20-20 performance by an Illinois player since 2002 and first since both Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley pulled the trick in 2008.
"Bartsch was great," said Illinois head coach Kevin Hambly. "She carried us in that fourth set when we were struggling. She was amazing, the `one shining light' that kind of held it together for us."
fightingillini.com
After playing three sets decided by deuce games, both teams were beginning to tire. The Illini proved their depth and it didn't help to have a pair of All-Americans hitting from the left side. In particular was the play of senior Michelle Bartsch who tallied 21 kills and 23 digs while hitting a robust .290. That marked just the third 20-20 performance by an Illinois player since 2002 and first since both Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley pulled the trick in 2008.
"Bartsch was great," said Illinois head coach Kevin Hambly. "She carried us in that fourth set when we were struggling. She was amazing, the `one shining light' that kind of held it together for us."
fightingillini.com
Filed under: Illini Volleyball
