Coming out of a tough stretch following three straight matches against the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-ranked teams in the nation, Illinois has climbed back into the win column, winning three of its last five matches. Despite the slide, the Illini are still ranked in the AVCA Divsion 1 Coaches Top 25 Poll, coming in at No. 25 as of this Monday’s poll.
In the last week, Illinois traveled to Iowa where it made quick work of the Hawkeyes, sweeping them in three sets. The Illini then made their way to Ann Arbor, where they fell to Michigan for the second time this season, in four sets.