#1 Nebraska vs. Illinois
When: Thursday, November 6th, 7:00pm (CT)
Where: Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE
Watch: FS1
Radio: Husker Radio Network
Live stats
It is a Thursday night match at home; that’s different! The Husker volleyball schedule for this seven day stretch was a home match last Sunday (Oregon), followed by another home match Thursday (Illinois),and then a Saturday road game now at Minnesota. That match schedule doesn’t leave much time for intense practices. In the second half of the conference schedule Coach Busboom Kelly is still looking to see improvement, however.
This week she talked about the improvement she sees in the team’s service
pressure to opponents. DBK mentioned that Husker serves are not always resulting in aces, but they are causing trouble. The tough and consistent serves are pushing opposing setters off the net and not allowing them to run all their offensive options.
Illinois has a few similarities to Nebraska’s most recent opponent, Oregon. Illinois’ main offensive weapon is their right side attacker, Auburn Tomkinson, a 6’5” redshirt sophomore transfer from Texas. She averages over two kills per set and just under one block per set.
She is complimented by freshman outside hitter Alyssa Aguayo. Aguayo averages 2.83 kills per set and plays all six rotations. The other outside hitter is Taylor DeBoer and she hits a heavy, hard ball that earns her an average of 2.81 kills per set.
The middle blockers are productive and have size. Both Kayla Burbage and Ashlyn Philpot are 6’4” and are set in select situations. Philpot runs a nice slide and has a whip of an arm swing. Burbage is the best blocker on the team and averages just over one kill per set.
Another key similarity to Oregon is having an undersized but extremely athletic setter. Illinois’ setter is Kenna Phelan, a 5’7” junior transfer from Florida State. You read that correctly, she is just 5’7”. That is the shortest player who also plays the front row in the conference. She jumps very well but simple physics indicates that it takes her more time to cover the space from where her hands start to where they need to end on the block.
Whichever outside hitter for Nebraska ends up matched against Phelan in the front row, she will have a big night because, well, physics. Or maybe geometry? Either way. Much of Taylor Landfair’s big night against Oregon was due to the smaller block in front of her. Landfair took full advantage of the 5’9” Oregon setter. Good for her. Great game plan. Use what the opponent is offering you.
What Phelan misses in height, however, she makes up for in speed, ball control and the ability to place the ball wherever she wants from anywhere on the court. This young woman can play. She can set her hitters with phenomenal accuracy. She does not miss on set location.
Illinois will use a double sub at times when Phelan is front row. They will put a freshman opposite, Ava Wysocki, in the front and freshman setter, Sophi Randall, in the back row. This is an effective sub and will get the Illini out of a jam.
Remember, head coach Chris Tamas was an assistant coach for John Cook alongside Coach DBK and has a ton of both playing and coaching experience. He and his team have recently lost four in a row but just before that had won five conference matches in a row. They have the ability to win and are hungry to do it.
After their match on the road against Nebraska they return home to host #25 Penn State. Look for this Illinois team to fight for a place in the postseason by pushing hard to knock off a couple higher ranked Big Ten teams. They will be highly motivated, and will give Nebraska everything they’ve got.
#1 Nebraska Cornhuskers (22-0, 12-0 B1G)
#1 Keri Leimbach 5’4” FR DS/L
#2 Bergen Reilly 6’1” JR Setter
#3 Allie Sczech 6’4” SR OPP
#4 Campbell Flynn 6’3” FR Setter
#5 Rebekah Allick 6’4” SR MB
#6 Laney Choboy 5’3” JR DS/L
#7 Maisie Boesiger 5’6” SR DS/L
#8 Kenna Cogill 6’4” FR MB
#9 Virginia Adriano 6’5” FR OPP
#10 Olivia Mauch 5’6” SO DS/L
#11 Teraya Sigler 6’3” FR OH
#12 Taylor Landfair 6’5” SR OH
#14 Manaia Ogbechie 6’3” FR MB
#15 Andi Jackson 6’3” JR MB
#18 Ryan Hunter 6’2” FR OPP
#21 Skyler Pierce 6’2” RS-FR OH
#27 Harper Murray 6’2” JR OH
Illinois (12-9, 7-5 B1G)
#1 Auburn Tomkinson 6’5” RS-SO OPP
#2 Taryn Kirsch 5’10” FR DS/L
#3 Devin Dzienny 5’8” FR DS
#4 Bianca May 5’8” SR DS
#5 Taylor DeBoer 6’4” RS-SO OH
#6 Gabriella Pitcel 6’1” FR MB
#7 Kenna Phelan 5’7” JR Setter
#8 Averie Hernandez 6’2” SR OH
#9 Kayla Burbage 6’4” GR MB
#10 Sophi Randall 6’0” FR Setter
#11 Cari Bohm 6’4” SR MB
#13 Kenzie Cogan 5’7” SO DS
#15 Gabby Dean 6’4” RS-SO MB
#16 Ashlyn Philpot 6’4” SO MB
#17 Vivian Campbell 5’10” JR Setter
#19 Alyssa Aguayo 6’0” FR OH
#22 Ava Wysocki 6’0” FR OPP
#23 Lara Zigic 5’3” FR DS
