CHAMPAIGN, September 25 — Illinois opened Big Ten volleyball play with a signature victory, upsetting No. 15 Minnesota in four sets on Thursday evening at Huff Hall in Champaign, Illinois. The Illini won 25-22, 14-25, 25-18, 25-22, improving to 9-3 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten. Minnesota dropped to 6-3 and 0-1 in conference play.
It was Illinois’ first win over a ranked opponent this season, and its first true résumé-building victory after an 8-3 nonconference slate.
A season’s first statement
Illinois had previously dropped its only match against a ranked team, a three-set sweep at Tennessee. Its best nonconference win was a five-set home victory over a .500 Marquette squad, coming two days after the Golden Eagles swept the Illini in Milwaukee. Against Minnesota, Illinois capitalized on a slew of unforced errors by the Gophers in the first set, including seven pure hitting errors and six service errors.
Minnesota cleaned up its play in the second set, turning in-system opportunities into big swings for outside hitter McKenna Wucherer, whom Illinois coach Chris Tamas called “one of the better outsides in the country.” But the Illini responded after the break, keeping Minnesota out of system and messy offensively.
Chapman sparks the offense
Junior opposite hitter Paityn Chapman, a Tennessee transfer and Illinois’ most consistent offensive option this season, totaled a team-high 15 kills, including eight in the third set alone. Tamas told Chapman the middle blocker was late and to “just freaking swing at it,” a mindset shift that helped spark the offense. Outside hitter Taylor de Boer added 11 kills, while outside hitter Alyssa Aguayo and middle blockers Ashlyn Philpot and Kristina Starostenko also contributed aggressive swings that kept Minnesota off balance.
Tamas said the message to the team was to stay aggressive and not overthink, noting that when Chapman started going for the edges rather than playing safe, it worked out. Chapman credited the calm, controlled atmosphere between the second and third sets, saying Tamas expressed trust in the team’s ability to come back.
The victory gives Illinois an early statement in a conference that offers nearly endless opportunities for signature wins. Illinois returns to action in Big Ten play following the upset.
