By Deren Kudeki & Gargoyle sports staff
Posted Friday, Sept. 15, 2006, The OG, sports

URBANA — When the Uni girls varsity volleyball team went 1-3 during last weekend's Westville Invitational, head coach Amanda Palla said the record didn't reflect how well the team had played.

That might have been dismissed as coachspeak, but it was true. The Illineks had played well, but they weren't able to convert close games and matches into wins.

How quickly things change. Thursday night the Illineks upset nonconference opponent Fisher 25-23, 25-22 at Kenney Gym. It was the first victory any of the current varsity players have enjoyed over the Bunnies, a member of the Sangamon Valley Conference.

Last year, Fisher defeated Uni 17-25, 12-25. In 2004, Fisher's victories were even more lopsided: 7-25, 17-25 and 6-25, 17-25.

“They have always just crushed us,” said senior Mandy Grill. “Before our schedules started getting harder and we started playing teams like St. Thomas More, Fisher would be one of the hardest teams we played. So for this team to pull together and beat them, especially since it's my senior year, that was just a great feeling. Something about this match, we were able to connect and play together with energy. I definitely feel like I'm more a part of this team than any other. Before I would just be playing, but now we get to this point on the court where the whole team is playing, not just individual people.”

The win raises Uni's record to 6-9 overall, on pace to equal or break last year's record-setting number of victories, 14. This was the team's second win over an SVC team this season; the Illineks defeated LeRoy 25-13, 22-25, 15-10 at the Deland-Weldon Eagle Classic Sept. 2.

“Middles Rachel Skoza and Rebecca Wallig played great games at the net tonight,” head coach Amanda Palla said, “each picking up two blocks and many touches.”

Skoza, a sophomore, racked four kills, followed by Wallig, a senior, and junior Ruthie Welch, who each had three kills.

Welch led the team with 11 assists. Grill topped the Illineks with seven digs, just ahead of junor Sarah Pfander, who recorded six. Grill also tallied five aces, followed by sophomore Jessi Sullivan with two.

“It was really great to see our team fight through and play two solid games,” Welch said. “I think that this season, we've had a lot of winnable matches where we weren't able to capitalize on the momentum we tend to gain in the first game. This match shows a movement away from that problem and an overall growth in terms of consistency.”

The JV lost to Fisher 18-25, 10-25, dropping its record to 2-3.

The Illineks travel to Deland-Weldon tonight, ending a busy week in which they played four matches in five days.

VARSITY RECORD: 6-9 overall, 3-0 ECIC
(Home matches in bold)
Aug. 31: Oakwood, L 11-25, 23-25
Sept. 2: Atwood-Hammond (at Deland-Weldon Eagle Classic), L 23-25, 25-18, 9-15
Sept. 2: LeRoy (at Deland-Weldon Eagle Classic), W 25-13, 22-25, 15-10
Sept. 2: South Fork (at Deland-Weldon Eagle Classic), L (game scores to be posted)
Sept. 2: Rockford Keith (at Deland-Weldon Eagle Classic), L 9-25, 17-25
Sept. 2: Lovington (at Deland-Weldon Eagle Classic), L 20-25, 9-25
Sept. 5: Buckley Christ Lutheran,* W 25-12, 25-22
Sept. 8: Decatur Christian,* W 25-5, 25-23
Sept. 9: Westville (at Westville Invitational), L 25-17, 10-25, 11-25
Sept. 9: Georgetown-Ridge Farm (at Westville Invitational), W 25-14, 25-15
Sept. 9: Heritage (at Westville Invitational), L 23-25, 21-25
Sept. 9: Salt Fork (at Westville Invitational), L 25-10, 21-25, 25-27
Sept. 11: St. Thomas More, L 25-16, 17-25, 9-25
Sept. 12: at Normal Calvary Baptist,* W 25-20, 21-25, 25-23
Sept. 14: Fisher, W 25-23, 25-22

*East Central Illinois Conference opponent