Illinois women’s volleyball holds an impressive 17-7 overall record and a 9-5 conference record after a two-game comeback rally. After an amazing win against No. 20 USC and a victory over Ohio State, Illinois proved that it can stack up against the best. Illinois has two crucial matches against top 10 opponents, No. 4 Penn State and No. 8 Purdue.
The Illini have been very successful this season with a balanced attack and a perseverant mindset. One word to describe Illinois volleyball is resilient. From tough losses to injuries, Illinois has proved it has what it takes to be considered one of the best teams.
Tamas time
“I told the team a couple of times, you’re not going to make up five points in one play,” said head coach Chris Tamas. “You do it by making lots of good plays five times in a row, as opposed to trying to make the perfect play. Sometimes, when you try to make the perfect play, you squeeze a little too tight, hold on a little too tight and see some errors come out a little bit more.”
This was proven in the wins over USC and Ohio State, where the team displayed a disciplined strategy. The Illini minimized errors and changed their rotation from a five and one to a six and two. They also capitalized on big moments, created big swings and got the point in their favor.
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Scouting the opponents
Illinois first faces Penn State on Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. in University Park, Pennsylvania. They have been dominant this season, with a 23-2 overall record and a 13-1 conference record. The Nittany Lions feature a big front row and strategic serving.
Following Penn State is Purdue, another prevalent force in the Big Ten. Purdue holds an overall record of 21-5 and a conference record of 12-3. The Boilermakers are great in defense and offense, making them a tough matchup for Illinois this week. But with Illinois’ resiliency and ability to adapt mid-game, it will be a hard-fought competition.
Key to success
For the Illini, they must maintain consistency. With this win streak, the morale is high. The Illini play a high-risk, high-reward style when serving aces, so locking in on the errors can set them apart for this game.
Continuing to feed players like graduate student outside hitter Raina Terry is an instrumental part of their success and will be essential if the Illini want to bring home a victory this weekend.
