CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Well, not gonna complain about a fourth ranked win — especially inside of a pinked out Huff Hall.
Head Coach Chris Tamas has been hiding two freshman secret weapons from fans all season. Maya Harris and Madi Miles both made splashes for the first time against Purdue on Sunday, but tonight we got to watch them explode. Miles looked like she could be fighting for a fifth year of eligibility, making everything look easy. The outside hitter slashed a .303 hitting percentage against a gruesome
Michigan block. Harris has been trusted with her serve the past few nights, leading the team with 28 aces. Harris has also been playing consistent rotations in the back row.
The Illini front row silenced Michigan State’s hitters Thursday night, the Spartan hitters were held to 32 kills (outside of an impressive showing by Alanna Bankston, who had 20). It was the Illini blocks that were hot, with a team total of 14. The Orange and Blue were also fighting against AVCA Division I volleyball player of the week, setter Malayah Long, who they held to 38 assists.
It was another stuffed stat sheet for the Illini. Paityn Chapman, Madi Miles, Ashlyn Philpot, and Kristina Starostenko all had double digit kills. Defensively, Alyssa Aguayo and Talita Goncalves led the team with 11 and 20 digs.
I was able to talk to Chapman about how it felt to be a six rotation player for the first time in her collegiate career after transferring from Tennessee last year. “I have so much confidence when it comes to being in that back row position, and having that confidence from my coaches has been influential.”
What it means
This momentum allowed for the Illini to secure the first two sets from the Spartans, before dropping the third set by a close 21-25. The team fought back in a scrappy set four with seven tied scores, winning 25-22.
Tonight’s match is exactly the kind of energy the Illini needs to bring this week if they are looking to jump back into the AVCA rankings. The team was the first left off the list this week, and want to come into this homestand with a chip on their shoulder.
Who to watch
The freshman pair of Harris and Miles have been unstoppable the past two matches. I would be shocked if their performance is lackluster in the coming meetings. Harris has an undeniably beautiful topspin serve that has been ravaging opponent’s serve receive. She also has been lock down defensively, she told me, “The coaches trust me to go back there and rip some balls.” Miles has also been a go-to option for setter Kenna Phelan; with 33 attacks tonight, it is obvious the freshman has gained her trust.
Sophomore Alyssa Aguayo is a huge underrated piece of this team. The sophomore plays classy; she is scrappy, but doesn’t make a lot of errors. Aguayo is the whole package, and Tamas must agree with me, as she is one of few six rotation players. When watching Aguayo it is apparent that she sets her own pace, her hitting approach is slow and controlled, and defensively she remains collected.
Looking ahead
Thursday’s win marks Illinois’ fourth ranked win, the most since the 2019 season. The win improves the Illini to 12-6 (4-3 in Big Ten). The team looks to finish the weekend off with a win against Michigan Sunday afternoon at Huff Hall, and to also enjoy the break after taking on seven straight ranked opponents, but hey, who’s counting.
