Friday, November 14
Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
4:00 PM
University of Washington
at
Illinois
Huskies Into Illinois Chasing Road Wins
November 12, 2025 | Volleyball
THIS WEEK IN HUSKY VOLLEYBALL
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Washington at Illinois, 4:00 pm PT
Champaign, Ill. • Huff Hall
Live stream on Big Ten Plus | Live Stats
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Washington at Northwestern, 12:00 pm PT
Evanston, Ill. • Welsh-Ryan Arena
Live stream on Big Ten Plus | Live Stats
SEATTLE -- With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, the time is now for the Huskies to light a new spark and fan the flames on their postseason hopes. Washington sits four games under .500 with six matches remaining and needs to finish at the .500 mark to make a return to the NCAA tourney. For the first time since joining the Big Ten, UW pays a visit to Illinois and Northwestern this Friday and Sunday. First up is a stop in Champaign, where UW and the Fighting Illini square off at 4 p.m. Pacific time on Big Ten Plus. Sunday at 12 p.m. Pacific, the Huskies will take on the Wildcats in Evanston, also on B1G+
The Huskies have only been swept once in the past 12 matches, and that was at No. 1 Nebraska, so UW has been in the mix in nearly every match, but UW has lost six of its past seven matches (sweeping Oregon for the win on Oct. 31) and all six losses have come in four sets. One area the Dawgs have continued to improve all season long has been their blocking. Washington ranks third in the Big Ten in conference matches with 2.61 blocks per set, just .01 behind Purdue. That has helped UW hold its opponents to just .195 attacking in conference play, also ranking third. Katy Wessels is up to third individually with 1.35 blocks per set and Elise Hani, having started the past six matches in place of Julia Hunt, ranks ninth with 1.17 blocks per set.
Illinois sits at an even 7-7 in Big Ten play but the Illini are trying to break a six-match losing streak. Last week they fell to No. 1 Nebraska and No. 25 Penn State. The best win for Illinois came in the first week of conference play when it upset No. 11 Purdue. In Big Ten matches, Illinois is hitting .207 and giving up a .253 mark to opponents. They are seventh in kills per set as a team at 13.16. Taylor de Boer ranks fifth in the conference in kills per set at 3.96. Kenna Phelan is eighth in assists per set at 9.80 and she adds 2.42 digs per set. Ashlyn Philpot has the top attack percentage on the team at .305, with 1.94 kills per set out of the middle. UW last visited Champaign for a non-conference match in 2021, getting the win.
Northwestern is even with the Huskies at 5-9 in conference play. The Wildcats played tough on the road in L.A. last week, falling at USC in four sets and in five sets at UCLA. Northwestern is hitting .229 in Big Ten play and opponents are hitting .270 against them. Rylen Reid has led the attack in conference matches with 3.41 kills per set and Buse Hazan averages 3.17. Bella Bullington had 13 kills against the Trojans last week, hitting .281, and Hazan had 18 kills against the Bruins. Lauren Carter is tied for sixth in the conference with 19 aces in B1G play. UW is 4-0 all-time against NU but has never visited Evanston.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14
Washington at Illinois, 4:00 pm PT
Champaign, Ill. • Huff Hall
Live stream on Big Ten Plus | Live Stats
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Washington at Northwestern, 12:00 pm PT
Evanston, Ill. • Welsh-Ryan Arena
Live stream on Big Ten Plus | Live Stats
SEATTLE -- With just three weeks remaining in the regular season, the time is now for the Huskies to light a new spark and fan the flames on their postseason hopes. Washington sits four games under .500 with six matches remaining and needs to finish at the .500 mark to make a return to the NCAA tourney. For the first time since joining the Big Ten, UW pays a visit to Illinois and Northwestern this Friday and Sunday. First up is a stop in Champaign, where UW and the Fighting Illini square off at 4 p.m. Pacific time on Big Ten Plus. Sunday at 12 p.m. Pacific, the Huskies will take on the Wildcats in Evanston, also on B1G+
The Huskies have only been swept once in the past 12 matches, and that was at No. 1 Nebraska, so UW has been in the mix in nearly every match, but UW has lost six of its past seven matches (sweeping Oregon for the win on Oct. 31) and all six losses have come in four sets. One area the Dawgs have continued to improve all season long has been their blocking. Washington ranks third in the Big Ten in conference matches with 2.61 blocks per set, just .01 behind Purdue. That has helped UW hold its opponents to just .195 attacking in conference play, also ranking third. Katy Wessels is up to third individually with 1.35 blocks per set and Elise Hani, having started the past six matches in place of Julia Hunt, ranks ninth with 1.17 blocks per set.
Illinois sits at an even 7-7 in Big Ten play but the Illini are trying to break a six-match losing streak. Last week they fell to No. 1 Nebraska and No. 25 Penn State. The best win for Illinois came in the first week of conference play when it upset No. 11 Purdue. In Big Ten matches, Illinois is hitting .207 and giving up a .253 mark to opponents. They are seventh in kills per set as a team at 13.16. Taylor de Boer ranks fifth in the conference in kills per set at 3.96. Kenna Phelan is eighth in assists per set at 9.80 and she adds 2.42 digs per set. Ashlyn Philpot has the top attack percentage on the team at .305, with 1.94 kills per set out of the middle. UW last visited Champaign for a non-conference match in 2021, getting the win.
Northwestern is even with the Huskies at 5-9 in conference play. The Wildcats played tough on the road in L.A. last week, falling at USC in four sets and in five sets at UCLA. Northwestern is hitting .229 in Big Ten play and opponents are hitting .270 against them. Rylen Reid has led the attack in conference matches with 3.41 kills per set and Buse Hazan averages 3.17. Bella Bullington had 13 kills against the Trojans last week, hitting .281, and Hazan had 18 kills against the Bruins. Lauren Carter is tied for sixth in the conference with 19 aces in B1G play. UW is 4-0 all-time against NU but has never visited Evanston.
Players Mentioned
DAWGS GET IT DONE!! 😤
Sunday, November 16
Back in front with Set 3! Let's close it out!
Sunday, November 16
Amazing up from Alexis and Kierstyn finishes a brilliant first set from the Dawgs
Sunday, November 16
Huskies Take Set 1 vs Illinois 🔥
Saturday, November 15
