Opening Big Ten play couldn’t have gone much better for the No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team. The Huskers welcomed a pair of new conference foes from the sunny shores of the West Coast in UCLA and No. 20 USC and took care of business on their home court with a pair of wins, extending their home winning streak to 33 games.

Former Husker hitter Ally Batenhorst and assistant coach Tyler Hildebrand both returned to the Devaney Center in new colors and left the arena with an unfamiliar feeling of losing. As NU sets its sights on the second week of Big Ten play, another former Johannes Kok assistant awaits the Huskers in Champaign with Illinois.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Huskers’ first road game of the season.

How to follow

Matchup: No. 2 Nebraska (12-1, 2-0 B1G) at Illinois (8-4, 0-2 B1G)

When: Thursday October 3

Where: Huff Hall, Champaign, IL.

Time: 6pm CDT

Watch: FS1

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Illinois Scout

Head Coach: Chris Tamas | 8th season | 139-85 (.621) at Illinois.

2023 record: 16-14 (11-9 B1G, T-6e) | One First Team All-B1G selection, one B1G Sportsmanship Honoree | Did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Balance against Nebraska: 8-34-1 (last game of 2023, Nebraska won 3-1)

Fun fact: Chris Tamas took over the Illinois job after four seasons as an assistant coach at Nebraska Johannes Kok. Tamas was on the coaching staff for the Huskers’ two national championships in 2015 and 2017. Plus Reagan Reilly, older sister of Nebraska setter Bergen Reilly, plays for the Illini.

Main returns: Lily Barry, DS, Soph. | Kayla Burbage, OPP/OH, Sr. | Caroline Burns, L, Sr. | Cari Bohm, MB, R-Soph. | Raina Terry, OH, Gr. | Brooke Mosher, S, R-Jr.

Most important additions: Reagan Reilly, S, Sr. (state of South Dakota) | Averie Hernandez, OH/OPP, Jr. (Northwest) | Ashlyn Philpot, MB, Fr. (Recruiting) | Laynie Smith, OH/OPP, Fr. (Recruiting) | Christina Martinez Mundo, L, Gr. (Eastern Illinois).

Key starting points: Kennedy Collins, MB (Eligibility) | Jessica Nunge, OH/OPP (Eligibility) | Vanessa Pan, L/DS (eligibility).

Outlook: With a slew of returners and some slick work in the transfer portal, Illinois is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 under former Nebraska assistant Chris Tamas. In Lincoln, Tamas knows firsthand how a winning program works during two of the Huskers’ five national championship runs.

The past two years have seen subpar play from the Illini, who have failed to repeat their Sweet 16 appearance in three straight years, and the program also has the success of its 2018 Final Four appearance in the second season of Tamas not sniffed. While that advantage doesn’t seem likely, fighting for a spot in the top half of the conference and an NCAA Tournament berth does. The Illini are picked 11th in the preseason conference poll and will have to put in some work to find their way to the postseason. Those hopes faded with an 0-2 weekend to start conference play as the Illini were swept by Big Ten newcomer No. 11 Oregon last weekend, knocking Washington out of the rankings. At 8-4, Illinois doesn’t have a signature win to hang on to, with the most impressive win likely being a four-set win over Western Kentucky, which has gotten some poll picks in the past.

Just as she has done in her five-year college career, Raina Terry, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, will lead this team both on and off the field. The Ohio native earned First Team All-Big Ten honors last season after averaging 4.69 kills per set with 74 blocks and 36 aces. She is close to that point again in 47 sets with a figure of 4.11. What has evolved is her service, which has escalated to elite status. Terry is second in the conference in aces (32) and third in aces per set (0.68). Those marks are seventh and sixth, respectively, in the NCAA.

To alleviate some of Terry’s burden, Tamas dove into the portal to bring over breakout Northwestern outside hitter Averie Hernandez. The Indiana native blossomed with 14 double-digit kill performances in 25 games as a sophomore in Evanston. She averages 2.49 kills per set with 14 aces as a secondary attacker. She is joined by freshman Laynie Smith, who emerged as an option with 2.28 kills per set and 36 blocks.

Returning setter and redshirt junior Brooke Mosher is in her second season on offense and has averaged 8.17 assists per set so far this season, which is down from her mark of 9.22 last year. Christina Martinez Mundo, a graduate transfer from a fellow state school in Eastern Illinois, took over the starting libero job from returner Caroline Barnes. Mundo has been effective with 3.21 digs per set. Barnes still has a role and excelled in 31 sets with 2.81 digs per set as a defensive specialist.

The lack of offensive production from the Illini middle blockers is concerning. Returning starter Cari Bohm and true freshman Ashlyn Philpot anchor the middle. Both average 0.55 and 1.51 kills per set, but that’s with hitting percentages of .322 and .355.

The Illini are a top 15 team in the country and Terry will bring her offensive production to bear, but the all-around team effort fell short in the opening weekend of conference play. Playing in front of a packed Huff Hall should help the Illini, but the Huskers have the star power to expose Illinois’ holes.

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