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Touching all the Bases

Filling schedule gap will be tough

Posted by: Jeff Huth

Wednesday, September 2, 2009 2:48 PM

Kevin Hambly is attempting to schedule a replacement match in the wake of last weekend’s cancellation by Tulane, but the Illini volleyball coach isn’t optimistic.
“Right now I am looking for a match,” Hambly said Wednesday, “but it is extremely difficult to find anything
that would really help us from an RPI standpoint and is not too far to travel.”
No. 8 Illinois was scheduled to open its season against Tulane on Aug. 28 in the Bluejay Invitational at Omaha, Neb. However, the Green Wave withdrew from the tournament because six of their players had exhibited flu-like symptoms that could be indicative of the swine flu.
On short notice, a replacement team could not be found, and the Illini — along with the two other remaining teams in the tournament field — ended up playing two matches instead of three.
Since then, Hambly has been unable to fill the scheduling gap, primarily because potential opponents already are at the maximum number of scheduling dates allowed by the NCAA.
“I am not sure we will be able to work anything out,” the UI coach said. “Most teams have used all their
dates.”