It is no secret that Illinois (12-9, 7-5) is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Illini are in the middle of a four-game skid. Unfortunately for Illinois, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight anytime soon.
The next match on the docket is against No. 1 Nebraska (22-0, 12-0). Illinois is entering the gauntlet part of its 2025 schedule. It’s already hitting them very hard with no signs of stopping.
Cornhusker calamity
The No. 1 team in the country has been an unstoppable force since day one. The Cornhuskers are going into their match with the Illini having won 39 sets in a row, dating back to their sweep over Arizona in September.
Their arsenal is headed by junior outside hitter Harper Murray. She averages close to four kills per set and has torn defenses apart all season long. It will be very difficult for the Illini front row to stop Murray, especially with how lacking the team’s blocking has been over the last two weeks in Champaign.
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Two middle blockers make a deadly dynamic duo: junior Andi Jackson and senior Rebekah Allick. The two serve as the blocking machine, as Allick leads the Cornhuskers in blocks (87) while Jackson isn’t far behind. Both have also eclipsed the 150-kill mark on the season.
While freshman opposite Virginia Adriano isn’t carving opponents in the Old Dominion, she is still another fiery arm in the Nebraska rotation. Rounding out the top five is senior outside hitter Taylor Landfair, who has 116 kills this fall.
Offense needs to keep up
Recent times have been hard on the Illini whenever scarlet uniforms stood in front of them. The Huskers have taken eleven straight matches between the two teams, and that streak may continue if the Illini can’t counter them blow-for-blow offensively.
The Illini need redshirt sophomore outside hitter Taylor de Boer to step up more than ever. Her 286 kills on the season are the best of either team. She has quietly continued her streak of 12 consecutive matches with double-digit kills.
Freshman outside hitter Alyssa Aguayo has played a game of hot and cold as of late. In the last four matches, she has gone back and forth between the single digits in kills and lighting up the opposition from every spot.
In addition, after struggling for a few matches, junior opposite Auburn Tomkinson found her stride again with 12 kills against Iowa. Aguayo and Tomkinson both finding consistency in their game again would mean the world to Illinois.
Defensive struggles
The blocking needs to show up against this vicious Nebraska attack as well. Against Iowa, graduate middle blocker Kayla Burbage returned to form, getting five blocks. However, sophomore middle blocker Ashlyn Philpot has only recorded two blocks in the last four matches, being used more on offense.
In the three-match stretch before the Hawkeyes came to town, the Illini managed eight blocks in nine sets. This was the key that led to nine straight set losses, which extended into 11 after Iowa jumped out to a 2-0 lead Sunday.
The way the rest of this season goes relies on blocking in conjunction with a consistent offense. If both branches are at their best, they will gel together as one Illini unit and keep things competitive.
