Marquette University
University of Illinois
Volleyball Blanked by Illinois
9/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 2, 2006
MILWAUKEE - The Marquette University volleyball team fell to 0-2 in the Marquette Kick-Off with a 3-0 (30-32, 24-30, 27-30) loss to Illinois Saturday evening at the Al McGuire Center. The loss also dropped the Golden Eagles to 1-4 on the season, while the Fighting Illini improved to 5-0.
When you are playing a team like that, you have to be able to elevate your game," said head coach Pati Rolf. "Everything overall was stronger. We need to continue to work on the little things and we will continue to get better."
Illinois wasted no time putting points on the board in game one, jumping out to an early 5-1 lead. A kill by junior Kimberley Todd broke a 4-0 run and gave the Golden Eagles some life. MU found itself down one at 7-6 and soon took its' first lead of the game at 16-15.
With the Golden Eagles up 24-22, Illinois went on a 5-0 run to reclaim the lead, 27-24.
Down 29-26, the Marquette survived game-point three times to tie the score at 29-29. A hitting error by Illinois gave Marquette the lead and a chance to put the game away, but a hitting error of their own tied the game once again, 30-30.
With a 31-30 lead, Illinois used a block by Brianna Biggers and Ann Deelo to seal the frame on their fourth game-point opportunity, winning 32-30.
Todd started the second game with a kill, giving MU a 1-0 lead, but Illinis went on 9-3 run, forcing an early Marquette timeout.
The Golden Eagles used a 4-0 run out of the break to cut the lead to one at 9-8, before tying the contest at 10-10, and taking the lead on the next point with an ace by freshman Hailey Viola.
The Illini then used a timeout and came out of the break scoring three of the next four points to regain the lead at 14-12. They matched their largest lead of the game at 22-17 before MU used its final timeout.
Marquette went on a 5-0 run after the huddle, cutting the lead to 22-21 on an ace by Viola, before tying the game on an Illinois hitting error.
The Illini answered, however, scoring four-straight points and eight of the last ten to take a two 2-0 lead in the match.
Wallace led the Golden Eagles with four kills in the game.
The teams traded points in the final game of the match and were tied at 7-7 and 11-11, staying within two of each other until Illinois took the first significant lead of the frame at 14-11.
The Illini extended their lead to 18-13, forcing a timeout by the Golden Eagles. MU cut the lead to two on a kill by senior Nicole Wallace at 28-26, but Illinois scored two of the last three points to win the game, 30-27.
After hitting 7.1 and 5.9 percent in the first two games, Marquette out-hit Illinois 30.4-25.0 percent in game three.
Senior Jamie Mueller set a personal record with her fifth consecutive double-double, leading the Golden Eagles with 15 kills and 15 digs. Todd led the squad with four blocks, while junior Monica Renfrow registered 37 assists.
Marquette returns to the Al McGuire Center to take on Loyola (Ill.) in its' third and final match of the Marquette Kick-Off tomorrow at 2 p.m. Illinois and Loyola begin the day's action with a contest at 10 a.m.
