Illini volleyball ready to take on No. 2 Minnesota
By Lucas Wright
December 9, 2015
The inevitable has finally come for the Illinois volleyball team — it has to face a Big Ten powerhouse in the NCAA Tournament.Following the team’s wins over Southern Illinois in the first round and No. 15 Louisville in the second, the Illini will meet the top seed in their half of the bracket: the Minnes...
Illinois volleyball looks to capture first road win against Northwestern since 2012
November 4, 2015
Tweet: No. 18-ranked #Illini volleyball looks to keep win streak alive at Northwestern on Wednesday night.By Eli SchwadronStaff writerIllinois volleyball hasn’t won on the road against Northwestern since 2012. No. 18 Illinois is looking to change that Wednesday night in Evanston.The Illini (15-8) fa...
Oregon transfer Naya Crittenden settling into increased role for Illini volleyball
October 20, 2015
Naya Crittenden hadn’t played a single set of volleyball until her sophomore year at Peter Johansen High School in Modesto, California.Crittenden was a track star whose athleticism carried over naturally when she made the switch to volleyball. Four years later, the junior opposite hitter is now a key player o...
Illinois volleyball looking to end losing streak against Iowa, Nebraska
October 14, 2015
The Illinois volleyball team’s schedule has been grueling thus far, and it doesn’t get much easier from here on out.The No. 13 Illini (11-6) will have a chance to end its four-game losing streak Friday against lowly Iowa (10-9), winless in six matches against Big Ten teams. It will be the first non-ra...
Illinois volleyball team drops two matches at home
October 11, 2015
On the precipice of being swept at home Friday night, the Illinois volleyball team (11-5) found its game, if only for a moment.Penn State (15-2) had its way for the majority of the match and looked to put the No. 13 Illini away in the third. But with match point at 24-21, outside hitter Jocelynn Birks...
No. 13 Illinois volleyball returns home to face defending champs
October 7, 2015
The No. 13 Illinois volleyball team will be “fired up” to play at Huff Hall for the first time since August, according to head coach Kevin Hambly.Illinois (11-4) takes on No. 3 Penn State (14-1) — a team the Illini defeated on the road in 2014 — on Friday at 7 p.m. After facing the defendin...
Illinois taken down in five set thriller against Minnesota
October 4, 2015
The Illinois volleyball team (11-4) is officially on its first losing streak of the season.RBThe No. 7 IlliniRB entered Minneapolis looking to rebound after being upset by No. 19 Wisconsin just three days earlier.RB But Illinois failed to rise to the occasion against No. 16 Minnesota (11-3)RB and was sent home with its second l...
Illinois volleyball starts Big Ten play undefeated
September 27, 2015
The No. 9 Illinois volleyball team (11-2) started off Big Ten play with two convincing sweeps of conference foes, Maryland and Rutgers.Illinois went on the road for a fourth-consecutive weekend to take on Maryland (10-6) and Rutgers (3-11) on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The team was able to fin...
Illini volleyball enters Big Ten play with strong core in place
September 22, 2015
After going 2-1 over the weekend, the Illinois volleyball team (9-2) kicks off conference play at Maryland (10-4) on Friday and at Rutgers (3-9) on Saturday. Head coach Kevin Hambly’s No. 9-ranked squad is the second highest-ranked Big Ten team behind the defending champs, No. 1 Penn State (11-0). The s...
Illinois volleyball cruise to a sweep of Texas Southern in Sun Devil Invitational
September 21, 2015
The No. 6 Illinois volleyball team opened the Sun Devil invitational on Friday with a masterful sweep of Texas Southern (25-13, 25-7, 25-11).The Illini (9-2) defense stifled the Tigers’ (2-9) offense, limiting them to a negative hitting percentage throughout the match. On the other end, Illinois’ ...
Illinois drops second match of season, goes 2-1 on weekend
September 20, 2015
If volleyball matches ended after one set, the No. 6 Illinois volleyball team (9-2) would be undefeated.Unfortunately for the Illini, No. 10 Arizona State (11-0) overcame an early deficit Saturday night in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils took the match to a fifth set and eventually sent the young Ill...
No. 6 Illini to face Texas Southern, UNLV, ASU this weekend
September 17, 2015
The No. 6 Illinois volleyball team (7-1) travels to Tempe, Arizona, this weekend to play in the Red Lyon Invitational. The Illini will face Texas Southern (2-6) on Friday at 12 p.m. before Saturday’s double-header against UNLV (6-3) and Arizona State (8-0) at noon and 9 p.m., respectively.In last weeke...
