The Illinois volleyball team has yet to lose a set at home this season, and continued its winning ways Wednesday.

No. 16-ranked Illinois (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten) swept No. 18 Minnesota (11-3, 1-2), despite trailing late in each of the first two sets. The Illini have yet to drop a set in six matches at Huff Hall this season.

The Illini leaned on opposite side hitter Liz McMahon at the end of both the first two sets.

In a back-and-forth, nail-biting second set, the Illini squandered four set points and the Gophers couldn’t convert on three of their own. Illinois finally broke through with a three-point run to claim the second set 32-30. Trailing 22-20, the Illini switched to a 5-1 look and put McMahon back to serve. The senior responded with her first two aces of the season — she had only served twice all season coming into the match.

“Lizzie was determined to win that set,” head coach Kevin Hambly said. “I thought Lizzie played with a little more determination. That’s when I talk about growing up, I think that’s what it took. I never felt like we were going to lose that set. You just looked in their eyes and they were going to make it happen.”

The first set followed a similar narrative with the Illini trailing, only to have their senior opposite side hitter mount a comeback.

McMahon subbed into the game trailing 21-19, but went on a run by herself. McMahon put down four kills, teamed up with Anna Dorn for a block and even notched an assist to give the Illini the first set, 25-22.

McMahon set a new season-high for kills in a three-set match with 19 to go with seven blocks and two serving aces. Her 42 attempts were also a season-high. When asked if she wanted every set her way, McMahon didn’t mince words: “Yes.”

“I think I got in a good rhythm with (setter Alexis Viliunas) and she had tons of confidence,” McMahon said. “Just being really aggressive was my focus.”

Jocelynn Birks added 17 kills and Brandi Donnelly had 25 digs, one off her career-highs. Hambly said he challenged the freshman libero before the match and she responded.

“She had a lot of space to cover, more than we’ve put on her,” he said. “We have to test her, we have to see. I don’t know what her limits are. She has great range and she’s a great athlete.”

Minnesota middle blocker Paige Tapp finished with 13 kills at a .545 clip. However, the Gophers main options on the outside, Daly Santana and Sarah Wilhite, were held in check, hitting .182 and -.071, respectively.

“I thought we grew up tonight,” Hambly said. “That was a Big Ten match, everything about it. That was physical, with blocking, defense, both teams scrapping. I know it was 3-0, but it felt like a five-setter.”

Stephen can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @steve_bourbon.