Tough Night on the Road

Wednesday, October 16

Champaign, Ill.

7:00 PM

Indiana University

Illinois

10/16/2024 9:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Indiana Volleyball team (9-8, 2-5 B1G) never found its rhythm on Wednesday (Oct. 16) evening, falling in a sweep at the hands of Illinois (19-25, 22-25, 21-25) in Huff Hall. Its losing streak in Champaign now extends to 15-consecutive games, dating back to 2007.

The Hoosiers have lost their last three matches but have been in striking distance in each defeat. Of the nine set losses over the past three contests, IU has scored at least 18 points in each game. IU last scored under 18 points in a game at Notre Dame on Sept. 20, 2024.

IU's offense never found its flow against a tough Illinois defense. The Hoosiers hit just .132 (33-19-106) on the evening, lacking the big swings it needed to put points away. Junior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles terminated on a team high 11 kills but no one else had more than six.

Illinois fifth-year senior outside hitter Raina Terry and junior outside hitter Averie Hernandez made life difficult on IU all night. The two attackers combined for 28 kills while adding 16 digs and six blocks. Terry was efficient blocking on IU junior opposite hitter Avry Tatum.

The Hoosiers had a great serving night from the line. IU committed just four service errors (a season low) while getting a combined seven aces from three different players. Tatum went on a fantastic run in the third set, tallying three aces along the way.

Sophomore libero Ramsey Gary was prolific defensively, racking up a team high 16 digs. The Hoosiers had more digs than Illinois (46-43) with Alonso-Corcelles also notching her second double-double of the season (11 kills, 10 digs). IU combined on seven team blocks with middle blockers Madi Sell and Ava Vickers each recording three.

Head coach Steve Aird and company return to action on Saturday night. IU will head to Mackey Arena to face No. 10 Purdue at 7:00 PM on the Big Ten Network.

Set Breakdown
Set 1: Illinois 25, Indiana 19
IU needed to limit unforced errors to have a chance at winning on the road. That went straight out the window in the opening set as the Hoosiers tallied six attacking errors that sailed out of bounds. Illinois finally got a hand on two blocks but a .062 hitting percentage (10-8-32) in the first set IU halted any offensive momentum. The Fighting Illini were balanced offensively in the first set and recorded 13 kills.

• It was a tough start in the early going for IU. Mady Saris, Candela Alonso-Corcelles and Madi Sell each had early swings sail out of bounds. After consecutive attacking errors from Ava Vickers and Alonso-Corcelles, head coach Steve Aird was forced into a timeout. Illinois' early lead opened up to 13-6.

• The Hoosiers finally got some juice back into their play with Camryn Haworth at the service line. Saris terminated on a kill from the right side before a double block and a ball into the net from Raina Terry forced Illinois into a timeout of their own.

• Even with the momentum back on their side, the Hoosiers failed to capitalize. Illinois scored the next three points out of the timeout. A massive service ace from setter Brooke Mosher, who targeted Alonso-Corcelles in serve receive, brought Huff Hall to its feet. Aird took his final timeout down four (16-20).

• IU never recovered from there. After drawing within one (16-17), Illinois finished on an 8-3 run. Freshman middle blocker Ashlyn Philpot tooled the block to end the first set victory.

Set 2: Illinois 25, Indiana 22
Despite a prolific beginning to the set, IU again fell apart with a chance to close a set win. The offense was much better, led by seven kills from Alonso-Corcelles, but IU couldn't get the clutch swing down the stretch. Illinois found its clutch players as outside hitters Raina Terry and Averie Hernandez combined on 12 kills. The Hoosiers had 16 digs and four blocks but failed to bring the match level.

• IU jumped out to blistering 4-0 start with Avry Tatum at the service line. Tatum was brilliant at the end line all night. Alonso-Corcelles, Tatum and Haworth got kills before Vickers rejected Terry on a high, out-of-system ball.

• Illinois leveled the match at 5-all on a kill from Terry. The two teams would stay within a point of each other until Alonso-Corcelles was rejected by Philpot and right-side Laynie Smith out of a timeout. Illinois took a 23-21 lead at that point and closed out the set. IU had a lead at 20-19 after Tatum tooled a block to take the set into the red zone.

• The Fighting Illini closed the set on a 6-2 run. IU has had struggles closing sets this season and it came to fruition in Champaign. Libero Christina Martinez Mundo aced her counterpart Ramsey Gary to force set point. IU fended off one point but Terry terminated to close the set.

Set 3: Illinois 25, Indiana 21
Offensive struggles came to life in game three. IU resorted to tips over the block, allowing Illinois to find their primary attackers in transition. Terry had seven kills while the Illinois defense worked five blocks to put the match to bed. The Hoosiers had five aces to try and keep things close but could only muster nine kills (three from Alonso-Corcelles) offensively.

• Tatum continued her prolific night at the service line with three aces in the first seven points. Illinois was finally able to side out on a kill from Terry but the Hoosiers opened an early 5-3 advantage.

• Illinois swung the momentum back in their favor with a 6-1 run, capped by two kills and a block from Terry. Aird was forced into his timeouts early in the set with the Hoosiers trailing by three (8-11).

• IU got back on level terms at 11-all. Aird was successful in overturning a call on the floor, spotting Terry in the net on the block. IU was awarded the point to tie the set. From there, Illinois answered with their own 4-0 run. Delaynie Maple made an uncharacteristic reception error as the hosts took a 15-11 lead.

• Kenzie Daffinee dripped Hernandez on a brilliant ace down the line. Illinois called timeout to slow her down from the end line. It worked as the Hernandez quickly sided out. Illinois finished the match on a 5-2 run following the timeout. Tatum was long on match point, for the second year in a row, as Terry and company finished off the sweep.

Top Hoosier Performers
#3 Alonso-Corcelles, Candela
11 kills, 10 digs

#10 Haworth, Camryn
27 assists, 7 digs, 3 kills, 2 blocks

#32 Gary, Ramsey
16 digs, 2 assists

Notes to Know
• IU has now lost 15-consecutive matches in Champaign, last winning at Huff Hall in 2007. It's the third-longest active road losing streak for the Hoosiers against any Big Ten opponent behind Penn State (32) and Minnesota (25). The next longest streak at Illinois will be put to test at Purdue (14) on Saturday.

• Statistically speaking, IU had its best serving night of the season. The Hoosiers committed just four service errors, by far the fewest this year. Behind three aces from junior opposite hitter Avry Tatum, IU nearly doubled its ace to error ratio on Wednesday (7-4).

• IU hit just .132 on the evening despite passing the ball at a high rate. The hitting percentage against Illinois was the lowest by IU since a loss at the hands of then-No. 1 Texas (.074 – Sept. 5, 2024). Despite the team struggles, junior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles extended her streak of double-digit kills to six-straight games. It was her 28th career league match with at least 10 kills.

• Sophomore libero Ramsey Gary has quietly stepped up her game during conference play. Her 16 digs on Wednesday evening helped up her set average to 4.60 during league play. She has 795 for her career and is on pace to become the fastest player to 1,000 digs in program history.