Illinois falls to #2 Nebraska

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois fell to No. 2 Nebraska in straight sets on Thursday night in front of a sellout crowd at Huff Hall.

The Fighting Illini went 8-5 and 0-3 in league play this season. The Huskers improved to 13-1 and 3-0 in Big Ten play.

Raina Terry She led the way for the Illini with her third double-double of the year, recording a match-high 13 kills in addition to 10 digs.

Averie Hernandez scored seven of her 11 kills in the second set and added an ace that came on the game's opening serve.

Christina Martinez Mundo recorded double-digit digs for the ninth time this season, earning a team-best 12 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Illinois opened the game with a 4-0 run with Hernandez at the service line, but a 6-1 goal for the Cornhuskers gave the visitors a 7-6 lead. Nebraska extended its lead with a 5-0 run that gave the away team a five-point lead before a 7-3 run by the Illini cut the home team's deficit to a single point.

A 4-1 Nebraska win forced the Orange-Blue to their first timeout, but that didn't slow the Cornhuskers, who won the first set 25-18.

Nebraska used a 4-1 run early in the second set to take a three-point lead, but Illinois responded with a 4-1 win to tie the score at five points apiece. Soon after, the Illini took advantage of a 6-0 run Brooke Mosher at the finish line, with a lead of four, 12-8.

After the Huskers regained the lead, the Illini went on a 4-0 run Raegen Reilly served to create a 21-19 lead. Hernandez had seven kills in the frame, but it wasn't enough as Nebraska closed the frame on a 6-1 run to take the set 25-22 and a 2-0 lead in the match.

After a back-and-forth third set, neither team led by more than two early in the frame, but a 4-0 run by the Illini forced the Huskers into a timeout with the Orange-Blue ahead 9-7 .

Nebraska used a 5-1 lead entering the short break to grab a 13-11 lead that eventually increased to 19-15, forcing an Illinois timeout.

The Illini cut their deficit to three points, 20-17, but the Cornhuskers scored the final five points of the period to win the set 25-17 and the game 3-0.

NEXT

Illinois will return to Huff Hall on Sunday for its in-state showdown against Northwestern. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT on B1G+.

NOTES

– Starters: Raina Terry, Brooke Mosher, Averie Hernandez, Cari Böhm, Ashlyn Philpot, Laynie SmithAnd Christina Martinez Mundo.
– Raina Terry moved into second place in the program record books with 1,840 career kills, surpassing 2024 Illinois Hall of Famer Laura DeBruler.
– Terry is third in his career with 2,173.5 points so far.
– Terry recorded her third double-double of the season and the 19th of her career.

– Christina Martinez Mundo finished with double figures for the ninth time this season.

– Averie Hernandez scored double-digit kills for the sixth time this year.

– The Illini wore sleeveless white jerseys for the first time this year.

– Illinois is now 1-1 at Huff Hall this season.

– The Illinois volleyball program is now 8-35-1 against Nebraska.

– Chris Tamas moved to 1-12 all-time against the Huskers.

– The Illini moved to 10-8 after the 18th edition of Stuff Huff.

– The number of participants was reported as 4,352, a sellout.

– That's the fifth-largest home crowd in the program's history.

– This is the largest attendance at Huff Hall since October 4, 2014.