Illinois (18-12) women’s volleyball is heading to the postseason. It was a nerve-racking final weekend and a tough end to the regular season. The Illini ended the season on a three-match losing streak, which brought them to an even 10-10 performance in the conference.
Confident coaching
Head coach Chris Tamas is still very proud of his team’s effort and determination despite struggles down the stretch. It’s a big week now with the postseason on the horizon, and there’s no time to look in the rearview mirror.
“I’m always proud of how they get after it and how they compete,” Tamas said. “It’s unfortunate. It didn’t go our way, but I’m always proud of how they fight and have belief in each other.”
Graduate student libero Christina Martinez Mundo agreed with Tamas: The next game is coming, but much more is at stake. Martinez Mundo knows they need to take what they’ve learned and apply it if they want to advance.
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“Games like this happen, it’s nothing serious,” Martinez Mundo said. “We knew it was going to be a battle, and it just didn’t work in our favor. Things weren’t connecting. We’ll just come out stronger in the next game.”
Securing a bid
The Illini head into the first round of the NCAA tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. It is the program’s 28th appearance in the NCAA tournament. Following the grueling Big Ten schedule, Illinois should have the experience to make a run in the postseason.
Illinois’ first match is Friday, Dec. 6, against the No. 8 seed Northern Iowa (25-7). No. 1 seed Louisville (25-5) is hosting this first-round group, and Chicago State (19-9) rounds out the group of four teams in the Louisville first round.
Illinois seems to be in good spirits heading into the postseason. The Illini play a very high-risk, high-reward serving game. Running a six-and-two style of play makes their offensive dynamic when hitting on all cylinders. They’ll rely on this aggressive gameplay to lead them forward in the tournament.
