Rutgers University
4-24, 1-15B1G
Illinois
18-9, 9-7B1G
No. 16 Illinois Defeats Volleyball
Nov 14 | Women's Volleyball
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. (Nov. 14, 2015) - Despite a late third-set burst, the Rutgers volleyball team struggled to ignite its offense as No. 16 Illinois pulled away with a three-set victory on Saturday night at Huff Hall. The Fighting Illini took the match by set scores of 25-8, 25-12 and 25-16.
Rutgers dropped to an overall mark of 4-24 and a conference mark of 1-15 on the season, while Illinois improved to 18-9 overall and 9-7 in conference play.
Sophomore Meme Fletcher (Overland Park, Kan.) led Rutgers with seven kills, along with eight digs in the match. Juniors Mikaela Matthews (San Diego, Calif.) and Lauren Cloyd (Champaign, Ill.) tied for the team lead with four total blocks, while senior Ali Schroeter (Bakersfield, Calif.) recorded at team-high 11 digs.
On Illinois' side of the net, Jocelynn Birks posted a match-high 10 kills and 10 digs, while Jordyn Poulter registered a match-best 27 assists. Naya Cittenden led all blockers with six blocks in the win, as Illinois outblocked Rutgers 10-5.
Illinois took control from the onset of the first set. Junior Micaela Anderson (La Canada, Calif.) ended an early drought for RU with consecutive kills to bring the deficit to 17-4. Another Anderson kill brought the score to 18-5. However, it was not enough to get the Scarlet Knight offense rolling, as the Fighting Illini maintained control for a 25-8 win in set one.
As Rutgers struggled to kick start its offense, Illinois generated a 15-5 lead in set two. Although Matthews registered a kill to bring the score to 15-6, it was not enough to ignite a burst as the Fighting Illini held at least a nine-point cushion over the Scarlet Knights for the remainder of the set. Illinois closed the frame with a 25-12 victory and a 2-0 edge in the match.
Rutgers found the rhythm it had been in search of in set three, keeping the score even from the start. Back-to-back kills from Fletcher and senior libero Ronnie Komisarek (San Manteo, Calif.) put RU in the lead at 5-4. Although RU and UI traded points, the Scarlet Knights maintained its edge at 8-5. Illinois then tied up the count at 8-8, igniting another back-and-forth battle on the scoreboard. Two Scarlet Knight miscues gave the Fighting Illini a 12-10 lead, which it would not relinquish. RU kept the margin to at most three, before UI jumped to a 17-12 lead en route to a 25-16 victory in the third set to win the match.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Rutgers faced Illinois for the second time this season, as RU is set to rematch with three more of the eight ranked opponents the Scarlet Knights have already faced this season.
- Ali Schroeter brought her all-time career digs record to 1,575.
- Ronnie Komisarek ranks ninth on the career digs chart with 962 career digs, needing only 18 more digs to move into eighth.
Up next, Rutgers returns home to host Purdue on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 21.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics ) and (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's volleyball, follow the program on Twitter @RUvball.
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