A Sellout in Illinois as #3 Nebraska Volleyball Comes to Town

#3 Nebraska (17-1, B1G 9-0) vs Illinois (9-10, B1G 4-5)
When: Saturday, October 22 2022, 6 pm (CT)
The place: Champaign, IL
Video: BTN
Radio: Husker Radio Community

#3 Nebraska (16-1, B1G 8-0)

#1 Nicklin Hames 5’10’’ SR Setter
#2 Kenzie Knuckles 5’8’’ SR DS/L
#4 Anni Evans 5’9’’ JR Setter
#5 Bekka Allick 6’4’’ FR MB
#7 Maisie Boesiger 5’6’’ FR DS/L
#8 Lexi Rodriguez 5’5’’ SO DS/L
#9 Kennedi Orr 6’0’’ SO Setter
#10 Madi Kubik 6’3’’ SR OH
#13 Whitney Lauenstein 6’2’’ SO OH
#14 Ally Batenhorst 6’5’’ SO OH
#22 Lindsay Krause 6’4’’ SO OH
#23 Kaitlyn Hord 6’4’’ SR MB
#33 Hayden Kubik 6’2’’ FR OH
#44 Maggie Mendelson 6’5’’ FR MB

Illinois (9-10, B1G 4-5)

#1 Kennedy Collins 6’3’’ MB
#2 Kylee Hinton 6’2’’ MB
#5 Diana Brown 6’0’’ Setter
#10 Kayla Burbage 6’4’’ OH
#10 Caroline Barnes 5’11’’ Libero
#12 Raina Terry 6’3’’ OH
#14 Jessica Nunge 6’2’’ OH

Huff Corridor in Champaign, IL doesn’t at all times sellout, however when #3 Nebraska involves city, it’s a sizzling ticket. Nebraska volleyball is taking part in nicely. They’ve hit a streak as a crew and are executing the offense and protection to a different degree in comparison with the place they have been earlier within the season. They’re able to shut groups down with their protection and convert their protection into offense. They’ve received 10 straight matches and the final 5 as 3-0 victories.

As sizzling as Nebraska is in the intervening time, Illinois is their equal and reverse. They aren’t taking part in nicely, not wanting robust at this level within the season. Initially of the B1G season they have been 5-5 and receiving votes for the highest 25 within the NCAA. Coming into tonight, the Illini have misplaced two in a row, and each in three straight units. They’re now 4-5 within the B1G, 9-10 total, and not receiving votes for the highest 25.

Under .500 will not be someplace Illinois volleyball is accustomed to being. They’re usually a prime 25 crew. This crew is exterior the highest 25 and at risk of not qualifying for the NCAA event (should be above .500 to qualify).

This may increasingly make the Illini hungry for a win however they’ve a low likelihood of success towards the robust Husker protection and offense that has hit one other gear. Opposing hitters face a singular problem towards Nebraska.

With the 6-2 offense that Nebraska runs, opposing hitters constantly have 4 palms pressed throughout the web which reduces the quantity and angle of pictures they will hit plus 4 gamers behind that block which are nicely positioned, fast to react and able to run balls down.

The block says “we aren’t letting that ball come throughout” The ground protection says “we received’t let that ball hit the bottom”. Each of these mindsets places the strain to do one thing nice strongly on the shoulders of the opposing hitter. If she has to do one thing nice every time to terminate the ball towards Nebraska, she is sure to make errors. Oh, protection is an exquisite factor.

Illinois has three important hitters that carry the offensive load for the crew. Raina Terry and Jessica Nunge each common over three kills per set on the skin. Kennedy Collins is within the center and contributes each blocking and hitting.

Diana Brown runs the offense as a redshirt senior setter. It’s not a really quick nor complicated offense so Nebraska’s block wants to look at Brown to see the place the set goes and make their block strikes accordingly simply as Coach Reyes talks about right here:

When hitters are introduced with the suffocating Nebraska protection, they begin to get created and likewise begin to make errors.

Watch on BTN as Nebraska takes on Illinois for the primary time this season at 6 pm CST.