Source: FightingIllini.com
Posted: Saturday, October 24, 2009 12:10:00 AM EST
Published: Saturday, October 24, 2009 12:10:58 AM EST
Posted: Saturday, October 24, 2009 12:10:00 AM EST
Published: Saturday, October 24, 2009 12:10:58 AM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.— For the second time this season, Johannah Bangert tied the Illinois single-match block assists record and also added a key solo block to give her 14 total on the night, one shy of the school overall blocks mark. She helped lift the Illini to a hard-fought 24-26, 27-25, 25-10, 27-25 victory over Wisconsin in Madison.
Bangert hit .455 with seven kills and also contributed four digs as Illinois won at Wisconsin Fieldhouse in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1992 and 1993. The eighth-ranked Illini improve to 15-3 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten, maintaining a tie for second in the league. Wisconsin falls to 9-9 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten.
""Jo was just incredible tonight,"" said Illinois head coach Kevin Hambly. ""She hit for a high number and was all over the net on the block.""
The victory was anything but routine. The Illini gave away a 19-13 first set lead, falling 26-24 and had to go extra points to win sets two and four. The Illini overcame a tough hitting night in the first two sets and used a 19-5 advantage on the block to slow down the Badgers.
""For a while our best offense was just keeping the ball in play,"" Hambly said. ""In the first two sets that's how we scored most of our points.""
The Illini got 16 kills from both Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley (11 digs) and 46 assists and 10 digs from Hillary Haen. The Illini hit .-061 in the first set with an uncharacteristic 10 hitting errors, then struggled in set two, hitting .140. The Illini bounced back, however, to hit .524 in the third set and .368 in the fourth set to finish the night at a respectable .211.
Bangert was in on 14 of Illinois' 19 blocks on the night. Michelle Bartsch added eight block assists and McCulley was in on five of those blocks.
The Illini had big leads in the each of the first three sets, going in front 5-0 in set one, 3-0 in set two and 5-0 in set three. In fact, for most of that first set, it looked as if the Illini were going to win it easily. The Illini led 11-5, 17-11 and 19-13 after a Bangert-Bartsch block, but Wisconsin scored the next five points, two on kills from Allison Wack (11 kills) and three on Illinois hitting errors out of bounds. DeBruler had a couple of kills as the teams traded side outs and the Illini led 22-20, but Wisconsin scored six of the final eight points to take the set despite hitting just .061.
The second set was a grudge match as well. Again Illinois bolted to a lead. The Badgers got a little momentum, getting the ball to their middles and right sides in going in front 17-14. This time Illinois dug deep, though, going in front 20-19. Illinois had to overcome three set points to eventually take the second set. Wisconsin went back in front 24-22. Kylie McCulley ripped one down the line, and served up an ace to give the Illini a 25-24 edge. After Wisconsin scored the next point, DeBruler crushed one cross court and teamed with freshman Erin Johnson (5 kills, 5 block assists) for the set-clinching block.
The Illini dominated the third set with just one hitting error and needed just seven rotations to win it. DeBruler and McCulley each tallied six kills in the set as Wisconsin hit -.200 with 12 hitting errors. The Illinois block had something to do with that as the Illini out-blocked Wisconsin 10-2 in the third set alone.
The fourth set was well played by both teams. Illinois had to dig deep yet again. Wisconsin led 11-7 and played a side-out game in keeping that four-point advantage at 17-13. That's when Illinois made the comeback off the service arm of Hillary Haen. Bartsch had two big kills and Haen found Bangert for a kill from the middle as Illinois tied it up at 18-18. Again Illinois had to overcome two Wisconsin set points at 24-23 on a kill from DeBruler and at 25-24 on a putaway from Johnson. Hambly put junior Nicole Kump in to block and she came through, teaming with Bangert on a big right-side block to give the Illini the lead for good at 26-25 and senior libero Ashley Edinger (10 digs) served aggressive forcing a Badger error at match point.
""Sometimes it's a good sign to win when our play was a little ugly,"" Hambly concluded. ""It was a struggle, but I'm proud of our girls for hanging in there and pulling it out.""
Bangert hit .455 with seven kills and also contributed four digs as Illinois won at Wisconsin Fieldhouse in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1992 and 1993. The eighth-ranked Illini improve to 15-3 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten, maintaining a tie for second in the league. Wisconsin falls to 9-9 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten.
""Jo was just incredible tonight,"" said Illinois head coach Kevin Hambly. ""She hit for a high number and was all over the net on the block.""
The victory was anything but routine. The Illini gave away a 19-13 first set lead, falling 26-24 and had to go extra points to win sets two and four. The Illini overcame a tough hitting night in the first two sets and used a 19-5 advantage on the block to slow down the Badgers.
""For a while our best offense was just keeping the ball in play,"" Hambly said. ""In the first two sets that's how we scored most of our points.""
The Illini got 16 kills from both Laura DeBruler and Kylie McCulley (11 digs) and 46 assists and 10 digs from Hillary Haen. The Illini hit .-061 in the first set with an uncharacteristic 10 hitting errors, then struggled in set two, hitting .140. The Illini bounced back, however, to hit .524 in the third set and .368 in the fourth set to finish the night at a respectable .211.
Bangert was in on 14 of Illinois' 19 blocks on the night. Michelle Bartsch added eight block assists and McCulley was in on five of those blocks.
The Illini had big leads in the each of the first three sets, going in front 5-0 in set one, 3-0 in set two and 5-0 in set three. In fact, for most of that first set, it looked as if the Illini were going to win it easily. The Illini led 11-5, 17-11 and 19-13 after a Bangert-Bartsch block, but Wisconsin scored the next five points, two on kills from Allison Wack (11 kills) and three on Illinois hitting errors out of bounds. DeBruler had a couple of kills as the teams traded side outs and the Illini led 22-20, but Wisconsin scored six of the final eight points to take the set despite hitting just .061.
The second set was a grudge match as well. Again Illinois bolted to a lead. The Badgers got a little momentum, getting the ball to their middles and right sides in going in front 17-14. This time Illinois dug deep, though, going in front 20-19. Illinois had to overcome three set points to eventually take the second set. Wisconsin went back in front 24-22. Kylie McCulley ripped one down the line, and served up an ace to give the Illini a 25-24 edge. After Wisconsin scored the next point, DeBruler crushed one cross court and teamed with freshman Erin Johnson (5 kills, 5 block assists) for the set-clinching block.
The Illini dominated the third set with just one hitting error and needed just seven rotations to win it. DeBruler and McCulley each tallied six kills in the set as Wisconsin hit -.200 with 12 hitting errors. The Illinois block had something to do with that as the Illini out-blocked Wisconsin 10-2 in the third set alone.
The fourth set was well played by both teams. Illinois had to dig deep yet again. Wisconsin led 11-7 and played a side-out game in keeping that four-point advantage at 17-13. That's when Illinois made the comeback off the service arm of Hillary Haen. Bartsch had two big kills and Haen found Bangert for a kill from the middle as Illinois tied it up at 18-18. Again Illinois had to overcome two Wisconsin set points at 24-23 on a kill from DeBruler and at 25-24 on a putaway from Johnson. Hambly put junior Nicole Kump in to block and she came through, teaming with Bangert on a big right-side block to give the Illini the lead for good at 26-25 and senior libero Ashley Edinger (10 digs) served aggressive forcing a Badger error at match point.
""Sometimes it's a good sign to win when our play was a little ugly,"" Hambly concluded. ""It was a struggle, but I'm proud of our girls for hanging in there and pulling it out.""
