By Deren Kudeki
Gargoyle staff writer
Posted Saturday, Oct. 21, 2006, The OG, sports

CHAMPAIGN — The Uni girls varsity volleyball team won its final match of the regular season Friday against Judah Christian, defeating the Tribe 25-12, 25-20.

The victory breaks the school record for wins in a season, set in 2005 and equaled this year on Oct. 10. It also secures the first-ever winning season for Uni volleyball. The Illineks have competed on the varsity level since 1996. The school's best records were 14-14 last year and 10-10 in 1996, when current head coach Amanda Palla was a Uni senior.

Heading into Monday's first round of the Class A regionals, the Illineks are 15-13-1 overall. They finished 8-4 in the East Central Illinois Conference.

In Friday's match, junior Ruthie Welch led the way with three kills, followed by junior Sarah Pfander, senior Beckaa Wallig, and sophomore Rachel Skoza with two kills each.

Welch recorded seven assists, while Pfander and junior Chelsea Freeland contributed one apiece. Sophomore Jessi Sullivan, Skoza and Welch each had one block.

Welch racked up five digs, followed by career leader senior Mandy Grill with three and Sullivan with two.

Sullivan scored seven aces, Welch five, and Grill and Freeland one each.

The Uni JV lost its match to Judah 23-25, 22-25, which brings the JV's final record to 5-9.

On Monday, the Illineks will begin postseason play when they face Prairie Central in the opening match of the Fisher regional. Uni is seeded No. 16 out of 24 teams in the Stanford Olympia sectional. Prairie Central is No. 23. The match begins 6:30 p.m. at Fisher High School.

If the Illineks win that match, they will play No. 5 Stanford Olympia Tuesday night at 7:30, also at Fisher.

VARSITY RECORD: 15-13-1 overall, 8-4 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 25-8, 16-25, 8-15
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

Sept. 15: at DeLand-Weldon,* L 25-17, 20-25, 22-25
Sept. 18: Normal Calvary Baptist,* L 24-26, 25-15, 23-25
Sept. 22: Decatur Lutheran,* L 16-25, 13-25
Sept. 26: Judah Christian,* W 25-16, 25-11
Sept. 29: at Buckley Christ Lutheran,* W 25-17, 25-17
Oct. 3: at Decatur Christian,* W 23-25, 25-23, 25-18
Oct. 7: Buckley Christ Lutheran* * (at Crusader Invitational), T 22-25, 25-12
Oct. 7: Judah Christian* * (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-9, 25-17
Oct. 7: Cornerstone Christian Academy (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-12, 25-18
Oct. 7: Cornerstone Christian Academy (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-4, 25-20
Oct. 7: Buckley Christ Lutheran* * (at Crusader Invitational), W 25-9, 25-14
Oct. 10: DeLand-Weldon,* W 14-25, 30-28, 25-17
Oct. 17: at Decatur Lutheran,* L 17-25, 14-25
Oct. 20: at Judah Christian,* W 25-12, 25-20
*East Central Illinois Conference opponent
* *ECIC opponent, but match doesn't count in conference standings