On a team that returned all but one starter from last season, the Illinois volleyball team set the highest of expectations for the 2014 season.

The Illini had their sights set on a national championship, and although the team didn’t reach its goal, Illinois reached the Sweet 16 for the second straight season.

Illinois’ (26-8, 16-4 Big Ten) season came to an end as the team was eliminated by Florida in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Ames, Iowa. 

It marked the fifth Sweet 16 appearance in six seasons under head coach Kevin Hambly.

Illinois finished third in the Big Ten during the regular season and was the No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Illini hosted the first two rounds of the tournament at Huff Hall and cruised at home, sweeping Murray State and Iowa State.

Against Florida, a team that had won 22 straight matches, the Illini went down to the wire and tied the match at 14-14 in the decisive fifth set. With a chance to take the lead, senior Morganne Criswell was blocked and then Criswell’s next attempt went long, and the Illini’s season was over. 

“I thought we competed our butts off, and I thought we had to deal with a lot of adversity,” Hambly said after the loss to Florida. “Everyone stayed together and we really, really competed at a high level.”

Jocelynn Birks led the team in kills for the third consecutive season with 527. 

The junior outside hitter was named an unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten team. Senior Liz McMahon was named honorable mention all-conference and libero Brandi Donnelly was put on the All-Freshman team. 

The dynamic of the team changed on Oct. 8 against Ohio State. Facing a 14-10 deficit in the fifth set, the Buckeyes rattled off six straight points to stun the Illini.

Following the defeat, head coach Kevin Hambly decided to change offensive systems from a 6-2 with Alexis Viliunas and Allison Palmer as the setters, to a 5-1 scheme with Viliunas as the lone setter.

Debuting the new offense on the road against defending national champion Penn State, the Illini shocked the Nittany Lions with a four-set victory. The loss snapped a 19-game winning streak at home for Penn State and the Nittany Lions had been 44-1 in their last 45 home matches.

Just one week later, Illinois traveled to Nebraska, where the Illini beat the Huskers in four sets.

The Illini were the first team since 1991 to pull off road victories against Penn State and Nebraska.

“It was an awesome season,” Birks said. “We were always working to get better, and we didn’t do what we wanted to, but I think it was a great season and we fought hard and that’s all you can really ask for.”

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