LINCOLN, Neb. – For a moment, it looked like Illinois could do it. Go into the home of the No. 1 team in the nation and force a fifth set, maybe even win.
Everything seemed to click. The blockers got up. Spikes found their spot. It was never going to be an easy one against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Illinois needed to be at their best.
An argument could be made that they were at their best, but only after a slow start. Illinois would lose in four sets, 3-1 (14-25, 14-25, 26-24, 22-25), on Sunday.