CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois fell to No. 2 Nebraska in straight sets on Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Huff Hall.

The Fighting Illini moved to 8-5 and 0-3 in league play this season. The Huskers improved to 13-1 and 3-0 in Big Ten action.

Raina Terry led the way for the Illini with her third double-double of the year, recording a match-high 13 kills to go along with 10 digs.

Averie Hernandez scored seven of her 11 kills in the second set, and she added one ace, which came on the opening serve of the match.

Christina Martinez Mundo recorded double-digit digs for the ninth time this season, for a team-best 12 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Illinois opened the match with a 4-0 run with Hernandez at the service line, but a 6-1 score for the Cornhuskers allowed the visitors to take their first lead, 7-6. Nebraska further extended its lead on a 5-0 run to put the away team ahead by five points, before a 7-3 run by the Illini cut the hosts’ deficit to one point.

A 4-1 Nebraska run forced the Orange and Blue to take their first timeout, but that didn’t slow the Cornhuskers, who took the opening set, 25-18.

Nebraska used a 4-1 run to start the second set and take a three-point lead, but Illinois responded with a 4-1 run of its own to even the frame at five points apiece. Shortly afterwards, the Illini took advantage of a 6-0 run with Brooke Mosher at the line, leading by four, 12-8.

After the Huskers regained the lead, the Illini rode a 4-0 run Raegen Reilly serving to create a 21-19 lead. Hernandez scored seven kills in the frame, but it wasn’t enough as Nebraska closed the frame on a 6-1 run to take the set, 25-22, and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

A back-and-forth start to the third set left neither team leading by more than two early in the frame, but a 4-0 Illini run forced the Huskers to take a timeout with the Orange and Blue ahead , 9-7.

Nebraska used a 5-1 run out of the short break to take a 13-11 lead, which eventually grew to 19-15, forcing an Illinois timeout.

The Illini cut their deficit to three points, 20-17, but the Cornhuskers accounted for the final five points of the frame to win the set, 25-17, and the match, 3-0.

NEXT

Illinois returns to Huff Hall on Sunday for an in-state showdown against Northwestern. The first service is scheduled for 1:00 PM CT on B1G+.

NOTES

– Starters: Raina Terry, Brooke Mosher, Averie Hernandez, Cari Bohm, Ashlyn Philpot, Laynie SmithAnd Christina Martinez Mundo.
– Raina Terry moved into second place in the program record books with 1,840 career kills, surpassing 2024 Illinois Hall of Famer Laura DeBruler.
-Terry is third in career points with 2,173.5 so far.
– Terry recorded her third double-double of the season and the 19th of her career.

– Christina Martinez Mundo finished in double figures for the ninth time this season.

– Averie Hernandez double-digit homicides for the sixth time this year.

– The Illini wore sleeveless white jerseys for the first time this year.

– Illinois is now 1-1 in Huff Hall this season.

– The Illinois volleyball program is now 8-35-1 against Nebraska.

– Chris Tamas against the Hukers to 1-12 all-time.

– The Illini moved to 10-8 after the 18th iteration of Stuff Huff.

– There were 4,352 in attendance, a sellout.

– That ranks as the fifth largest home audience in program history.

– That’s the largest attendance at Huff Hall since October 4, 2014.