NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Nov. 17, 2018) – Rutgers volleyball dropped a Big Ten match to No. 4 Illinois in straight sets on Saturday evening in College Ave. Gym, while setting a new program record for blocks in a season.
The Scarlet Knights put up seven blocks against the Illini, running the season total to 292 and surpassing the previous mark of 291.5. Rutgers' 2.70 blocks per set average is on pace to shatter the school record of 2.34 set in 2016. There are two matches remaining in the 2018 season, which has seen the Scarlet Knights ranked in the top 25 nationally in team blocking throughout the campaign.
THE LINE
No. 4 Illinois (26-3, 15-3)
3, Rutgers (6-25, 0-18)
0 – 25-11, 25-20, 25-21
KNIGHT NOTES
- Freshman setter Inna Balyko surpassed the 1,000 assist mark with 25 helpers on Saturday. The rookie reached the milestone in 108 sets played for an average of 9.38 per set. She has 1,013 assists this season.
- Junior middle Jasmine Stackhouse had a block to raise her career total to 287, which ranks 10th in the all-time record book at Rutgers. Her 116 total blocks this season are a school record for a single season since 25-point rally scoring began in 2008.
STANDOUT STATS
- Freshman outside Tali Marmen led the attack with six kills added two blocking assists.
- Freshman middle Merle Weidt paced the blocking effort with four total, including one solo job. The rookie chipped in five kills on a .400 attack percentage on the offensive side of the net.
- Junior libero Karysa Swackenberg had a team-high seven digs
THE MOMENTS
- Set 1 | A 9-0 Illini run put the set out of reach at 18-6.
- Set 2 | The Rutgers offense hit .310 in the second stanza, which had seven tie scores and four lead changes. The Scarlet Knights kept it close down the stretch with kills from freshman outside hitter Anastasiya Kudryashova and sophomore right side Kamila Cieslik to get within two points at 22-20 before Illinois closed it out with three straight.
- Set 3 | Sophomore right side Beka Kojadinovic had a kill and two blocks during a 7-2 run to tie the score at 15-15, erasing a five-point Illini lead. Kojadinovic took the hot hand to the service line, where her ace gave Rutgers its first lead of the evening at 18-17 in the third set before a 8-3 Illinois rally decided the match.
UP NEXT
Rutgers hosts No. 8 Wisconsin on 2 p.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 23 at the College Ave. Gym before wrapping up the season on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. against No. 3 Minnesota on Senior Day.
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