Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Behind a stalwart defensive effort and a crucial fifth set rally, Wichita State went on the road and knocked off Illinois 20-25, 25-19, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11. The win is the first for the Shockers against a Big Ten opponent since the 2008 season, and the first road win against a Big Ten team in program history.
Wichita State (2-2) trailed 10-7 late in the fifth set following a 3-0 Illinois run. The Shockers responded by taking eight of the final nine points, including multiple kills from Natalie Foster and Emerson Wilford down the stretch. The WSU back row turned in a series of excellent digs against Illinois star outside Raina Terry during the crucial run, setting the stage for another Foster termination that clinched the victory. The Shockers held Illinois to a -.065 hitting percentage in the decisive frame, forcing the Fighting Illini (2-1) into six attack errors as compared to just four kills.
It was a classic balanced effort offensively for Wichita State, as the Shockers had five different players finish with nine or more kills. Morgan Weber was just one kill shy of a career high, turning in a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs. Sophia Rohling matched Weber with 13 kills to tie for team high honors, while Emerson Wilford added 12 and Morgan Stout had 11 to go along with a team-best six block assists. Gabi Maas was spectacular at libero, turning in a number of highlight-reel plays on her way to 24 digs. Izzi Strand orchestrated the Shocker attack to the tune of 47 assists and 13 digs.
Illinois claimed the opening set with a late spurt, turning a 15-15 tie into a 21-18 lead due in large part to 10 kills from Terry in the set. Weber strung together three kills to keep WSU afloat at 22-20, but the Fighting Illini delivered three straight points in response to take the opening set, 25-20.The Shockers ran away with the second set early, sprinting to a 14-5 advantage as Wilford found the range, pouring in four kills to push the WSU lead to nine. The Fighting Illini got no closer than five points the rest of the way, and Weber squelched the Illinois comeback attempt with a slicing kill that evened the score at a set apiece.
Wichita State turned in their best offensive performance of the night in the third set, banging out 13 kills at a .258 clip led by the efforts of Weber, who compiled a team-best six terminations in the stanza. Unlike the second, WSU turned a closely contested opening exchange into a decisive lead with a dominant stretch in the middle stages of the set. Leading 8-7, the Shockers used a pair of service aces from Annalie Heliste and Sophia Rohling, plus kills from Rohling, Weber and Stout to wake up with a 17-10 lead. WSU kept the Fighting Illini at arm's length the rest of the way, turning away a mini 3-0 run thanks to a set-clinching kill from Foster.
The Shockers nearly put the match to bed in the fourth, taking control with a 7-1 run midway through the set that put WSU in front 14-11. The lead yo-yoed back and forth the rest of the way; an attack error from Terry gave the Shockers a 20-19 edge, but a few points later the Fighting Illini moved in front on a block from Cari Bohm and Sara Bingham. Terry helped Illinois force the fifth set with two more kills for a 25-23 victory.
Terry led all scorers with 26 kills for Illinois, but the Fighting Illini hit just .136 as a team compared to WSU's .190. The Shockers also won the battle of serve and pass, allowing just a single service ace.
Wichita State looks to sweep the state of Illinois on Saturday afternoon against Illinois State. First serve from Huff Hall is scheduled for 1:00 pm.