The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team won a 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 victory over Illinois on Thursday night at Huff Hall in Champaign. The Huskers (13-1, 3-0) won their first Big Ten road game of the season despite missing one of their biggest stars.

Sophomore middle blocker Andy Jackson was ruled out before the game due to an injury, it was announced on the Huskers Radio Network. Jackson has exploded in her second season in Lincoln, hitting .475 in 200 swings this season, which ranks fifth nationally. She also averages 2.66 kills per set and is second on the team by just 48 blocks Rebekah Allick.

But that’s why Nebraska coaches John Cook dipped into the transfer portal for more depth. The addition of a graduate transfer to San Diego Leyla Blackwell prevailed against the Illini by recording six kills and hitting .385 in her first sixth appearance of the season.

Minnesota transfer and 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year Taylor Landfair started before Lindsey Krause. She formed a fearsome trio Merritt Beason And HarperMurray at Huff Hall. She totaled eight kills at a ..207 clip. Beason led the way offensively with 10 kills for a .421 hitting percentage and seven blocks. Murray added nine kills at a .348 clip with 11 digs for a double-double.

Allick dominated at the net with a game-high nine blocks and scored four kills. Libero Lexi Rodríguez led the team with 14 digs as a setter Bergen Reilly dished out 30 assists and eight digs.

It took some time to get used to the Huskers’ new lineup as the Illini (8-5, 0-3) took a 5-1 lead early in the game. A balanced attack finally overwhelmed Illinois as a 12-3 run gave the Huskers a 12-7 lead before pulling away.

The second set was a back and forth between the teams. Trailing the Illini 21-19, four consecutive points gave NU a 23-21 lead. Illinois setter Brooke Mosher had a kill, but Landfair scored a point before one Kennedy Orr Service Ace has locked up the set.

Illinois led 10-8 in the third, but overcame the deficit to maintain a lead over the Illini, giving Nebraska its 11th straight win and ninth win of the season.

Illinois was led by All-Big Ten player Raina Terry, who had a match-best 13 kills, while Averie Hernandez contributed 11 hits.

The Huskers return home to host Iowa on Sunday at 2:00 pm CDT. The game will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media.

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