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Sept. 9, 2009

Champaign, Ill. -

Complete Match Notes in PDF Format

State Farm Illini Classic

When: Sept. 11-12
Where: Huff Hall Champaign, Ill.
The Field: Cincinnati, #14 Illinois, Illinois State, #16 Saint Louis Schedule: Saint Louis vs. Illinois State, 9/11, 4:30 pm; Illinois vs. Cincinnati, 9/11, 7 pm; Illinois vs. Illinois State, 9/12, 10 am; Saint Louis vs. Cincinnati, 9/12, Noon; Illinois State vs. Saint Louis, 9/12, 4:30 pm; Illinois vs. Saint Louis, 9/12, 7 pm
Radio: WDWS (1400 AM), fightingillini.com, Dave Loane (play-by-play), Mike Trame (analysis). All Illinois matches on internet. Illini vs. Cincinnati and Illinois State, live on radio, Illinois vs. Saint Louis, tape delayed after football.

Illinois hosts Stuff Huff Friday
One of the most anticipated matches each year has been the `Stuff Huff' event. The promotion started in 2006 in the first round of the State Farm Illini Classic. That year a crowd of 3,129 fans jammed Huff to witness the Illini defeat Illinois State. Of the 3,129 fans, 1,682 were students, one of the largest student crowds to ever attend a volleyball match on any campus.

This is the fourth year of the promotion and the focus continues to be on having a huge student crowd. Bruce Weber and the Fighting Illini basketball team will be in the parking lot flipping burgers and playing hoops. The first 1,000 students will receive free food. Coach Weber and the players will then move inside to see Illinois meet Cincinnati.

• The big crowds have been a big help to the Illini as Illinois is undefeated in `Stuff Huff' matches. Illinois defeated Illinois State, 3-1, in 2006; Marquette, 3-0, in 2007 and crushed a pretty solid North Carolina team, 25-7, 25-16, 25-18 last season.

Cincinnati returns to Huff
Illinois defeated Cincinnati, 26-24, 25-20, 25-22 at Huff Hall in the NCAA second round to advance to the Sweet 16 last year. Laura DeBruler had 18 kills and hit .349 in the victory. Johannah Bangert hit .750 with nine kills and the Illini were aced just once in the match.

Cincinnati returns five of the seven starters from that team. The Bearcats are off to a 4-3 start with two of their losses coming to ranked opponents, including a five-set loss at #17 Kentucky. Stephanie Niemer, who had 12 kills vs. the Illini last season, paces the Bearcats with 152 kills (5.24 per set).

Kordes, Virtue return to Champaign
• Anne Kordes has risen to the statue of one of the top coaches in America. Kordes is in her sixth year as head coach of the Saint Louis Billikens and last season was named CVU.com National Coach of the Year.

Prior to coming to Saint Louis, Kordes was an assistant under head coach Don Hardin from 1999-2003 after playing for Hardin at the University of Louisville.

Erin Virtue earned Honorable Mention All-America honors in 2003 while a setter at Illinois. The native of St. Charles, Ill., is now an assistant coach at Cincinnati.

Illinois, Saint Louis bring high rankings
Illinois dropped six spots in the AVCA coaches poll after splitting matches over the weekend at New Mexico State. The Illini check in this week at no. 14 while Saturday's opponent, Saint Louis, is at no. 16.

The Billikens are 3-3 and have played the toughest schedule in the country so far this season, having faced three of the top four teams in the nation. SLU gave no. 1 Penn State a run for its money before losing 29-27 in the opening set, then 25-18, 25-14 in sets two and three. The other two losses have come to no. 2 Texas, 3-0; and no. 4 Hawaii, 3-1. Saint Louis knocked off no. 10 California, a team that defeated Illinois in the Sweet 16 last season, in straight sets.

• Illinois defeated Saint Louis in four sets last year in the first match played at the brand new Chaifetz Arena. The Illini limited SLU to a .081 hitting percentage. Laura DeBruler had 14 kills and hit .286.

Illini-Illinois State renew rivalry
No matter the year or venue, Illinois and Illinois State have built a pretty strong rivalry over the years. Both teams have strong followings when playing at each other's building. Illinois State leads the series 29-26, but the Illini have won nine in a row and 18 of the last 19 dating back to 1985.
• Illinois State is picked seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference, and is 4-3 on the season. ISU is coming off a three-set victory over Wake Forest. The Redbirds also hold victories over traditionally strong Loyola University of Chicago.