Loane on the Loose

Back in the top 25

Posted by: Dave Loane

Tuesday, September 2, 2008 9:18 AM

Saturday evening took me back.  As I called the Illinois volleyball teams win over #11 Oregon at Huff Hall on the Illini Sports Network, I couldn't help but remember September 11, 2004.  Thats when Illinois upset then #1 USC.  The Illini trailed 2 games to one, and came back to score one of the programs biggest victories.  This past saturday, Illinois was down 2 sets to NONE, looked dead in the water, and still came back to beat the Ducks.  The win has returned the Illini to the national rankings for the first time since November 2004.  Illinois is #19 in this weeks AVCA coaches poll.

No time to rest though.  Illinois will face #3 Stanford this weekend in a tournament in St. Louis.  After beating USC in 2004, the Illini lost their next match at Loyola.  Later in the week Illinois lost the services of setter Erin Virtue to injury at a tournament in Arkansas.  They never really rebounded eventually falling out of the poll and  losing to Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tourney (their last trip to the dance).

Illinois sophmore outside hitter Laura DeBruler was named Big 10 co-player of the week along with Nicole Fawcett of Penn State.  DeBruler had 65 kills, hit .302, and had 38 digs in being named MVP of the Illini Classic Tournament.

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