Coming into the Creighton Classic, the Illinois volleyball team’s biggest challenge this season had been closing out matches.

Up until last weekend, the Illini had struggled winning matches that lasted longer than three sets.

That all changed this past weekend when Illinois held off Creighton and Colorado and won in four sets in each of its first two matches before sweeping South Dakota.

Despite the fact that Illinois was able to bounce back and come out with wins against Creighton and Colorado, head coach Kevin Hambly said the Illini need to continue to work on closing out opponents in as few sets as possible.

“We were a little disappointed in the ways we finished matches,” Hambly said. “We had opportunities to finish and I think we could have done a little better job of that.”

After taking a 2-0 lead in both of their first two matches, the Illini dropped both third sets against the Bluejays and the Buffaloes before coming back to take each match in four sets.

“I think we’re learning how to close out matches,” Hambly said. “It’s something we’re going to work to. We’re getting better and I think we made some steps in that direction.”

Stadick leads Illini with weekend performance

Katie Stadick didn’t want to take credit for her play.

The sophomore middle blocker finished with eight kills and eight blocks against Colorado, both career highs. Stadick shifted the credit to the Illini setters for putting senior middle blocker Anna Dorn and herself in a position to succeed.

“Our setters did a good job getting it to me and Anna in transition and getting it to us so we could open it up for the pins and our outsides,” Stadick said.

Even after racking up 18 kills over the three matches on the weekend, Stadick seemed more eager to talk about the team’s play than her individual accomplishments.

Stadick’s teammates were quick in praising her play on the weekend. Senior opposite side hitter Liz McMahon praised Stadick’s intelligence and energy on the court.

“Katie, specifically, is just a really smart volleyball player,” McMahon said. “(She’s) very aggressive and I thought the numbers just showed the work she puts in.”

Hambly said he liked both Stadick’s offensive involvement on the weekend — she took 20 swings against the Buffaloes — and her development as a player.

“I think she did a really nice job blocking,” Hambly said. “I’m pleased with her progress as a blocker and I’m pleased with her progress as an attacker. She’s going in a good direction.”

Illini enter Big Ten play on hot streak

After finishing their last nonconference tournament of the season undefeated, the Illini will look to ride a wave of momentum into Big Ten play.

Illinois (8-3) ended the Creighton Classic not only with three wins, but also with confidence in the team’s play going forward.

Hambly said the Illini played at an extremely high level at times during the tournament, which he hopes will continue as the team moves into Big Ten play.

“We started out every match really hot and we did a good job of putting a game plan together,” Hambly said. “(It was) probably the best job we’ve done in a long time of executing a game plan from the beginning.”

For Stadick, the way the Illini played and the energy the team showed at the Classic will be a positive moving forward.

“(It was) a good way to end our nonconference play,” Stadick said. “We just played well as a team. We were battling together.”

Nicholas can be reached at [email protected] and @IlliniSportsGuy.