TicketsSept. 11, 2009
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - In a re-match of the 2008 NCAA Tournament second-round matchup between the University of Illinois and the University of Cincinnati volleyball team, No. 14 Illinois prevailed over Cincinnati, 3-0, in a tough match Friday evening in the opener of the Illinois State Farm Classic at Huff Hall. Illinois improved to 4-1 on the young season, while Cincinnati dropped to 4-4.
Junior Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) and freshman Jordanne Scott (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) both posted 10 kills apiece to lead Cincinnati.
The Bearcats got off to a slow start and an early .438 hitting percentage by the Fighting Illini pushed them to a 14-8 lead. UC continued to struggle as a series of Illini blocks extended their lead to 19-9, forcing the Bearcats to use their second timeout of the set. A kill by freshman Emily Hayden (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) and two Illinois attack errors ended the Fighting Illini scoring run, but the Illini eventually took the first set, 25-16. Laura DeBruler led Illinois with seven kills in the first set.
A more sound offensive attack gave the Bearcats an early lead in the second set, but three service errors kept the Fighting Illini within striking distance. Consecutive kills by Johannah Bangert placed Illinois in front, 12-10, before a block by freshman Becca Refenes (Westland, Mich./Lutheran Westland) and Hayden spurred a four-point surge that catapulted UC on top, 14-12. Three ties ensued, with the last at 16-16, before two kills by DeBruler put Illinois in front, 18-16. The Bearcats continued to keep the set tight, closing within one point on five occasions, but a Kylie McCulley service ace followed by a McCulley kill gave the Fighting Illini a 25-21 second-set triumph.
After a 12-minute intermission gave UC time to regroup, the Bearcats used a service ace and a kill by sophomore Missy Harpenau (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) and two kills by Scott to take a 7-3 lead. UC kept control of the set until two Illini kills and a Bearcat error gave Illinois its first lead of the set, 18-17, forcing Cincinnati to burn a timeout. Out of the timeout, two UC errors and a DeBruler kill widened the Illini lead to four points, 21-17. The four-point lead held as UC dropped the third set, 25-21.
UC concludes the Illinois State Farm Classic with back-to-back matches on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Bearcats take on No. 16 Saint Louis at 1 p.m. (ET), before finishing with Illinois State at 5:30 p.m. (ET).