CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Rutgers women's volleyball team battled its sixth top 25 opponent of the season and kept it close in the third set, but dropped a 25-11, 25-15, 25-20 decision to No. 25 Illinois on Saturday night at Huff Hall.
 

STANDOUT STATS

• Sophomore outside hitter Anastasiia Maksimova lead with seven kills, while junior hitter Beka Kojadinovic added six kills along with a team-high 12 digs.
• Second-year setter Inna Balyko directed the offense with 19 assists while defensively added In a pair of block assists.

KEY MOMENTS

• Set 1 (11-25) | Four kills from Anastasiia Maksimovaand a pair of swings by Merle Weidt paced the Scarlet Knight offense early as RU trailed 9-7. The Illini captured a trio of consecutive points to follow with Beka Kojadinovic putting a stop to the run, however, Illinois responded with a 11-1 outpouring enroute to the set win.
• Set 2 (15-25) | Kojadinovic opened the set with back-to-back points and later added in another kill along with one from Weidt for a 4-2 lead. Illinois used another big run to go out in front. The Illini outscored RU 9-1 before the attack from Maskimova put a halt to the Fighting Illini surge, but the home team had established a 11-6 advantage. The Scarlet Knights scored three of the next four as Tali Marnen pulled RU to 15-9, but another outburst from the Illini added cushion to the lead. Illinois outscored the Scarlet Knights, 6-1, to pull in front at 22-11.  
• Set 3 (20-25) | Illini opened with a 7-2 advantage, but Rutgers would climb back into the set. Down 11-5, Rutgers outscored Illinois, 5-1, capped by blocks from Weidt and Maksimova as RU trailed by two, 12-10. The Scarlet Knights closed the gap to within one twice as a swing from Stasa Miljevic saw RU behind 14-13. While the Illini went back up by as many as five, a trio of attack errors kept the Scarlet Knights in the set and a Tali Marmen kill saw Rutgers trailing 21-20. Illinois, however, close out the set and match with four-straight points.  

UP NEXT

The Scarlet Knights wrap up the season series with Purdue taking on the No. 16 Boilermakers on Wednesday, November 20 at 7 p.m.
 
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