If senior outside hitter Morganne Criswell is the Illinois volleyball team’s spark plug, junior outside hitter Jocelynn Birks is its engine.

Although Birks doesn’t average the highest hitting percentage among the Illini’s outside hitters, she has been consistent in racking up kills.

“(I’ve played) pretty well,” Birks said. “I think obviously there’s always room to improve so I’m going to keep working, but I think I’ve done an OK job.”

Birks has led the team in kills each of the past two seasons, totaling 500 and 510 kills in 2013 and 2012, respectively. She has already amassed 103 kills in eight matches this season, which is yet again the most on the team. 

Her kills per match has also been impressive this season, as she’s achieved double digit kills in six of the eight matches the Illini have played and has already recorded a 20 kill match this year.

“I just try to do as much as I can,” Birks said. “When I get set, I try to put the ball in a good spot. And they’re doing a good job of getting me the ball in a good spot.”

Birks’ hitting efficiency has dropped this season, as both she and the team have had to adjust to the 6-2, a new rotation system. Her kills and play overall has remained mainly consistent.

Head coach Kevin Hambly said that Birks hasn’t played as well so far this season partially because of the system change and also because of the amount of the offense that runs through her.

Birks has had the most total attacks in each of the past two years for the Illini, with 1,584 attacks in 2013 and 1,458 attacks in 2012. So far this season, Birks continues to lead the team in attacks with 254, 49 more than senior opposite side hitter Liz McMahon. 

“I think she’s carrying a big load for us in a lot of things,” Hambly said. “She’s the only one that’s out there all the time.

“Jocelynn gets a big volume of attacks and that’s partly why I think her hitting efficiency is a little bit lower, but I think she would say she can be better. She’s made some mistakes. And part of that is the 6-2. She was used to hitting off one setter and she has made a lot of errors off of the other setter that she hasn’t played with.”

Hambly said that because the 6-2 calls for outside hitters to work with two setters, it has been harder for Birks to adjust. Hambly then added that Birks and the other main setter for Illinois, Allison Palmer, have been working to find a rhythm and that Birks’ play in the match against Washington State, in which she hit .323 and had 16 kills, may lead to more efficient performances in the future.

Although the change in system has caused more attacking errors for Birks early on, she said she still likes the system and feels that it will work for the Illini moving forward.

“It gives us a lot more options, and we can have Ali (Stark) hitting in the front row, which is good for us so I really like it,” Birks said. “Both Palms (Alison Palmer) and Lex (Alexis Viliunas) are doing a good job setting.”

On top of being the Illini’s primary offensive threat, Birks is also one of the only frontcourt players who is nimble enough to rotate and play the back line. Birks has been a leader to the younger Illini and a mentor to frontcourt players like sophomore outside hitter Katie Roustio.

“Her work ethic is great,” Roustio said. “She’s always pushing us to work harder in the gym, in practices and she just knows how to be a great all-around player. Whether it’s passing or hitting and blocking, we kind of look to her on the court to do all those parts. Off the court she’s there for everyone.”

Birks has also developed a deep connection with junior setter Alexis Viliunas. Viliunas and Birks met through club volleyball and have been playing together since Viliunas was 12.  

“It’s pretty easy to set her just because I can set a not perfect ball and she can still score on it,” Viliunas said.

Moving forward, the Illini will need to sure up the rhythm between Palmer and Birks to have success as the season progresses. But with Birks and Viliunas already being in rhythm from years of playing together, and with Birks gaining confidence with each positive performance, it seems as if the Illini’s most consistent scorer and one of the team’s best players will continue to be just that.

“Nothing really gets to her,” Viliunas said. “She’s always been like that. Sometimes shows emotion, sometimes doesn’t — but when she’s pumped up, she gets going and that really helps the team a lot, and people ride off her energy and her consistent attacking.”

Nicholas can be reached at [email protected].