By Gargoyle sports staff
Posted Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2006, The OG, sports

DECATUR — For the first time in more than three weeks, the girls varsity volleyball team lost a match. Conference leader Decatur Lutheran defeated the visiting Illineks 17-25, 14-25 Tuesday night.

The loss drops Uni's record to 14-13-1 overall and 7-4 in the East Central Illinois Conference. The last team to defeat the Illineks was, in fact, Decatur Lutheran, which defeated Uni 16-25, 13-25 on Sept. 22 at Kenney Gym. During its unbeaten stretch, Uni went 8-0-1.

On Tuesday, senior Mandy Grill added to her school record of career digs with 12. Juniors Jamie Weiser and Ruthie Welch chipped in with eight digs apiece.

Sophomore Jessi Sullivan led Uni with three kills. Welch recorded four assists and one ace. Sullivan and sophomore Rachel Skoza each had one block.

Also on Tuesday, the Uni JV lost to Decatur Lutheran 16-25, 11-25. The JV's record is now 5-8 overall.

The Illineks' final contest of the regular season will be Friday at Judah Christian. If they win that match, the Illineks will be assured of a winning season, the first winning volleyball campaign in school history.

The postseason will begin next week when Uni faces Prairie Central Monday in the opening match of the Fisher Class A 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 the next night at 7:30, also at Fisher.

VARSITY RECORD: 14-13-1 overall, 7-4 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
*East Central Illinois Conference opponent
* *ECIC opponent, but match doesn't count in conference standings