Illinois head coach Don Hardin has said more than once this season that outside hitter Michelle Bartsch doesn’t play like a true freshman. The statement took on added meaning at Huff Hall last weekend as No. 17 Illini beat No. 18 Michigan and Ohio State.

Bartsch contributed to a balanced offensive approach against Ohio State on Saturday, tallying 14 kills and eight blocks in the 25-18, 25-23, 25-21, 27-25 victory.

Sophomore outside hitter Laura DeBruler paced the Fighting Illini in the match with 15 kills and 13 digs. DeBruler credits Bartsch with taking pressure off her and anchoring the team.

“It’s awesome having a really strong right side and she’s an awesome player and she can put the ball away really nicely, so whenever it goes back there it does relieve some pressure from me because our setters can set anyone and we’re all capable of getting kills for our team,” DeBruler said. “And as a block too, she’s an incredible blocker. She’s really one of our key players on our team.”

Despite the strong performance by Bartsch, it was junior libero Ashley Edinger who stole the spotlight Saturday. Edinger made her mark in the Illini record books late in the second set, as she tallied her ninth dig of the night to move into first place on the career digs list.

“When we were playing, I wasn’t really thinking about it and then I heard our student section, you know, ‘Four more, three more,'” Edinger said. “I was laughing in my head, but I wasn’t focused on that. I was just focused on beating Ohio State.”

Edinger ended the night with 24 digs – 1,442 for her career – surpassing the previous record held by Tracy Marshall (1,426).

The win was a “gut-check” for Illinois after a marathon five-set victory against No. 18 Michigan on Friday.

“We were shot, we were spent, our adrenaline was out and we had to really manufacture energy for this one and that’s what makes it such a special win,” Hardin said.

The Wolverines held DeBruler to just .164 hitting, her lowest percentage of the season since Sept. 27 at No. 1 Penn State.

But Bartsch rose to the occasion, posting a career-high 21 kills while hitting .333 and recording nine blocks. She also had her first serves of the season with senior setter Lizzie Bazzetta struggling late in the match.

“(Bartsch) was key for us. We really went to her a lot today and she was not a true freshman,” Hardin said. “She got two really great serves for us, the next one after each one of them was in the bottom of the net, but she got the point to get us back at even score, which was real gutsy for her.”

While the Fighting Illini swept their weekend matches, No. 13 Minnesota dropped theirs, allowing Illinois to claim sole possession of second place in the conference.

And in order to maintain their second-place spot, the Illini will have to continue their balanced offensive attack at Minnesota on Saturday.

“I know a lot of people would be happy Minnesota lost, but to me, we want as many Big Ten teams as we can in the tournament,” Hardin said. “I suspect that a lot of the teams in the top-25 will drop a match this weekend like Minnesota did. I think that next weekend Minnesota is really important for us, so is Iowa.”