NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Oct. 1, 2017) – Rutgers volleyball closed out a four-match Big Ten home stand with a straight-set loss to Illinois by set scores of 25-11, 25-16, 25-18 on Sunday afternoon in the College Ave. Gym.
 
The Fighting Illini (12-3, 3-1 Big Ten), who have been receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 Poll every week since Sept. 4, connected on a .394 hitting percentage while using nine service aces to aid the 3-0 victory. The Scarlet Knights (5-11, 0-4) trailed in blocks by one (6-5), assists by five (29-24) and digs by five (25-20).
 
Set 1 | Illinois 25, Rutgers 11
Early runs set the tone for the Illini as spurts of 4-0, 4-0 and 6-0 put the visitors in firm control of the opener 17-3 before Rutgers called its second and final timeout of the game. RU managed a 3-0 run toward the end of the stanza powered by back-to-back service aces from sophomore setter Megan Sharkey.
 
Set 2 | Illinois 25, Rutgers 16
A 5-0 Illini run prompted a Rutgers timeout, but Illinois didn't let up with two more points before McLetchie halted the run at 12-5. Rutgers fought back late with a 5-2 run on three McLetchie kills and sophomore opposite hitter Kamila Cieslik's solo block. McLetchie finished the set with a .727 hitting percentage via eight kills on 11 errorless swings.
 
Set 3 | Illinois 25, Rutgers 18
The Illini led throughout the final set despite Rutgers keeping it within three points early as sophomore middle blocker Jasmine Stackhouse scored on a block assist and a kill. A 4-0 Illinois run increased the lead to 11-5, but sophomore libero Karysa Swackenberg ripped an ace while Cieslik and Stackhouse connected on kills and RU trailed 17-13. The Illini maintained the lead to set up match point at 24-15, but Rutgers saved three match points on junior defensive specialist Phallynn Hill's serve, which included one ace, before Illinois clinched the match.
 
KNIGHT NOTES
• Illinois takes an 8-1 overall lead in the all-time series, and a 7-0 advantage as opponents in the Big Ten. Illinois has yet to drop a set to the Scarlet Knights as conference foes.
• McLetchie's .727 hitting clip in Set 2 was the highest in any set this season for the Scarlet Knights.
• Rutgers rebounded from a negative hitting percentage in the opening set with a .346 mark in the second, their highest in a Big Ten match early in conference play.
• Cieslik led the team with six digs and chipped in five kills and two blocks at the net.
• McLetchie's 11 kills is an individual high in Big Ten matches for Rutgers through four matches.
 
Up Next: The Scarlet Knights hit the road for their first Big Ten match away from New Brunswick at Indiana in a Big Ten Network televised game on Friday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. ET.
 
 
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