The opening of Big Ten play couldn’t have gone much better No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team. The Huskers welcomed two new conference opponents from the sunny shores of the West Coast in UCLA and No. 20 USC and took care of business on their home court with two wins, extending their home winning streak to 33 games.

Former Husker hitter Ally Batenhorst and assistant coach Tyler Hildebrand Both returned to the Devaney Center in new colors and left the arena with an unfamiliar feeling of loss. As NU sets its sights on the second week of Big Ten play, another former John Cook The assistant awaits the Huskers in Champaign with Illinois.

Here’s everything you need to know for the Huskers’ first conference road match of the season.

How to get involved

Matchup: No. 2 Nebraska (12-1, 2-0 B1G) at Illinois (8-4, 0-2 B1G)

When: Thursday, October 3rd

Where: Huff Hall, Champaign, IL.

Time: 6:00 p.m. CDT

Regard: FS1

Hear: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Illinois Scout

Head Coach: Chris Tamas | 8th season | 139-85 (.621) at Illinois.

Record 2023: 16-14 (11-9 B1G, T-6) | A first-team All-B1G selection, a B1G Sportsmanship honoree | Did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Record against Nebraska: 8-34-1 (last game of 2023, Nebraska won 3-1)

Fun fact: Chris Tamas took the Illinois job after four seasons as an assistant coach at Nebraska John Cook. Tamas was on the coaching staff for the Huskers’ two national championships in 2015 and 2017, as well as Reagan Reilly, the Nebraska setter’s older sister Bergen Reilly, plays for the Illini.

Important returnees: Lily Barry, DS, Soph. | Kayla Burbage, OPP/OH, Sr. | Caroline Burns, L, Sr. | Cari Bohm, MB, R-Soph. | Raina Terry, OH, Gr. | Brooke Mosher, S, R-Jr.

Important additions: Reagan Reilly, S, Sr. (South Dakota State) | Averie Hernandez, OH / OPP, Jr. (Northwest) | Ashlyn Philpot, MB, Fr. (Recruitment) | Laynie Smith, OH/OPP, Fr. (Recruiting) | Christina Martinez Mundo, L, size. (Eastern Illinois).

Most important departures: Kennedy Collins, MB (Eligibility) | Jessica Nunge, OH/OPP (Eligibility) | Vanessa Pan, L/DS (eligibility).

Outlook: With a number of returnees and some savvy work in the transfer portal, Illinois is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 under former Nebraska assistant Chris Tamas. During two of the Huskers’ five national championship runs in Lincoln, Tamas knows firsthand what makes a successful program work.

The last two years have been underperforming for the Illini, who failed to repeat the Sweet 16 appearance in three years and failed to match the success of a Final Four appearance in Tamas’ second season Coming up in 2018. While that advantage doesn’t seem likely, competing for a spot in the top half of the conference and a spot in the NCAA Tournament is a possibility. The Illini, picked at No. 11 in the preseason conference poll, still have work to do to find their way into the postseason. That hope faded with an 0-2 weekend to start conference play, as the Illini were defeated by Big Ten newcomers No. 11 Oregon and unranked Washington last weekend. At 8-4, Illinois doesn’t have a decisive win, with its most impressive win most likely being a four-set win over Western Kentucky, which has received some poll numbers in the past.

Much like she did throughout her five-year college career, 6-foot-1 outside hitter Raina Terry will lead this team on and off the court. The Ohio native earned First Team All-Big Ten honors last season after averaging 4.69 kills per set with 74 blocks and 36 aces. With a rating of 4.11, she is again close to this mark after 47 sets. What has evolved is their service, which has grown to elite status. Terry is second in the conference in aces (32) and third in aces per set (0.68). Those numbers rank seventh and sixth in the NCAA, respectively.

To take some of the pressure off Terry, Tamas dove into the portal to pass Averie Hernandez, Northwestern’s outside hitter. The Indiana native thrived as a sophomore in Evanston with 14 double-digit kill performances in 25 games. She averages 2.49 kills per set with 14 aces as a secondary attacker. She is joined by freshman Laynie Smith, who has emerged as an option with 2.28 kills per set and 36 blocks.

Returning setter and redshirt junior Brooke Mosher is in her second season on offense and has averaged 8.17 assists per set so far this season, which is below her mark of 9.22 last year. Christina Martinez Mundo, a graduate of a public school in eastern Illinois, took over the starting libero job from returning guard Caroline Barnes. Mundo was effective with 3.21 digs per set. Barnes is still playing a role and has excelled as a defensive specialist in 31 sets with 2.81 digs per set.

The lack of offensive production from the Illini middle blockers is concerning. Returning starter Cari Bohm and true freshman Ashlyn Philpot anchor the middle. Both average 0.55 and 1.51 kills per set, albeit with a strike rate of 0.322 and 0.355, respectively.

The Illini are one of the top 15 serving teams in the country and Terry will showcase her offensive prowess, but the team’s overall performance wasn’t enough on the opening weekend of conference play. Playing in front of a packed Huff Hall should help the Illini, but the Huskers have the star power to expose Illinois’ holes.

MORE: Nebraska Football vs. Rutgers: An opportunity for an old-school Husker performance

MORE: Nebraska-Rutgers preview with Larry Krayn, host of the Knight Watch Podcast

MORE: Carriker Chronicles: The next two games are the most important of the year for Nebraska football

MORE: Rutgers coach Greg Schiano: ‘The plate is full’ as he takes on Nebraska football

MORE: Nebraska football’s versatile offense faces a key test against Rutgers’ defense

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers on SIsubscribe HuskerMax on YouTubeand to visit HuskerMax.com daily.