The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team came away with a 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 sweep over Illinois on Thursday night at Huff Hall in Champaign. The Huskers’ (13-1, 3-0) victory in their first Big Ten road game of the season came despite missing one of its biggest stars.

Sophomore middle blocker Andi Jackson was ruled out prior to the game due to injury, as revealed on the Huskers Radio Network. Jackson has exploded in her second season in Lincoln, hitting .475 on the season on 200 swings, which is fifth-best in the nation. She also averages 2.66 kills per set while ranking second on the team with just 48 blocks behind Rebekah Allick.

But that’s why Nebraska coaches Johannes Kok immersed in the transfer portal for depth. The addition of graduate transfer in San Diego Leyla Blackwell came up big against the Illini as she recorded six kills and hit .385 in her first sixth appearance of the season.

Transfer from Minnesota and 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year Taylor Landfair started at the front Lindsey Krause. She formed a terrifying trio with Merritt Beason And Harper Murray at Huff Hall. She had a total of eight kills at a ..207 clip. Beason led offensively with 10 kills on a .421 hitting percentage with seven blocks. Murray added nine kills at a .348 clip with 11 digs for a double-double.

Allick dominated at the net with a match-high nine blocks while scoring four kills. Libero Lexi Rodriguez led the team with 14 digs as a setter Bergen Reilly dished out 30 assists and eight digs.

It took some time to adjust to the Huskers’ new lineup as the Illini (8-5, 0-3) shot out to a 5-1 lead to start the game. Illinois was ultimately swamped by a balanced attack as a 12-3 run put the Huskers up 12-7 before pulling away.

Set two went back and forth between the teams. Trailing the Illini 21-19, four straight points gave NU a 23-21 lead. Illinois setter Brooke Mosher earned a kill, but Landfair scored a point before one Kennedi Orr service ace closed the set.

Illinois had a 10-8 lead in the third, but overcame the deficit and held an arm’s length over the Illini to pull away as Nebraska earned its 11th straight win and ninth sweep of the season.

Illinois was led by All-Big Ten performer Raina Terry who recorded a match-high 13 kills, while Averie Hernandez added 11 counts.

The Huskers return home to host Iowa on Sunday at 2:00 PM CDT. The game will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media.

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