Chambana Sun

Illinois lost to Miami in four sets during the Linda Herman Classic at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois, on Saturday. The match marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

After splitting the opening two sets, Miami secured the final two frames for the win. The Hurricanes recently received votes in the AVCA poll.

Alyssa Aguayo led Illinois with 14 kills and a .367 hitting percentage. This performance extended her streak of double-digit kills to six matches, making her the first true freshman to achieve this for Illinois since Jacqueline Quade did so in 2016. Aguayo also contributed three digs, three assists, and two blocks.

Auburn Tomkinson recorded 10 kills, reaching double figures for the third time this season. She also added two blocks and an assist. Ashlyn Philpot finished with seven kills and five blocks—her third match this season with at least five blocks.

Averie Hernandez collected a team-high 12 digs along with two kills, an assist, and an ace. Vivian Campbell posted two aces and three digs, marking her fourth match this season with multiple aces.

Illinois hit .320 as a team, surpassing .300 for the second consecutive match. Head coach Chris Tamas now holds a 152-97 overall record with Illinois.

The Illini are now 1-3 in four-set matches this season and have played five power-conference opponents across their first six matches, holding a 3-2 record against those teams.

"Illinois wraps up the Linda Herman Volleyball Classic with an in-state showdown against host Illinois State on Sunday afternoon. First serve from CEFCU Arena in Normal, Ill., is slated for 2 p.m. CT and will be available for streaming on ESPN+."