URBANA — Uni fell to .500 on the season with a loss to the visiting Fisher Bunnies tonight at Kenney Gym.

The Illineks led for most of the first game and almost made up an 8-point deficit to win the second.

But the Bunnies wound up avenging last year's Uni victory in an eerily mirrorlike fashion. In 2006 the Illineks defeated Fisher 25-23, 25-22. Tonight Uni lost 22-25, 23-25.

In the first game the Illineks held a narrow lead until Fisher tied the contest 14-all. The visitors scored the next point and held the lead until Uni evened the game at 19.

Junior setter Sheri Grill tied the contest again at 20, but Uni could never regain the lead. Fisher outscored the Illineks 5-2 from that point on to win the first game.

In the second game Uni fell behind 12-20 before starting a vigorous comeback attempt. The girls finally narrowed Fisher's lead to a single point, trailing the Bunnies 23-24. But the visitors scored the clinching point to win the game and the match, raising their season record to 5-4.

For the Illineks, the nonconference loss drops their record to 8-8. They remain 3-1 in the East Central Illinois Conference.

Senior middle hitter Karen Woodley and junior middle hitter Rachel Skoza led Uni with 5 kills apiece. Senior setter Ruthie Welch assisted on 9 points, and Grill set up 4 points.

Outside hitter/middle hitter Chelsea Freeland, a senior, led the team with 3 blocks, followed by Skoza with 2.

Sarah Pfander, a senior outside hitter, came through with 10 digs. Jamie Weiser, a senior libero, contributed 7.

Welch scored 1 ace on the night, as did defensive specialist Michelle Wong, the varsity's only sophomore.

In junior varsity action, Uni lost to Fisher in two games: 9-25, 13-25. The JV record is now 3-2 overall, 2-0 in the ECIC.

The girls travel to Decatur on Friday to face defending conference champ Lutheran School Association. LSA won the 2006 title with an undefeated ECIC record.

Before the season, a News-Gazette poll of conference coaches ranked the upcoming Uni-LSA match as the ECIC's most anticipated of the year.

MORE PHOTOS: UNI VS. FISHER

Senior setter Ruthie Welch returns the ball in the second game of Uni's home match against Fisher at Kenney Gym. Michelle Wong is in the background. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

Senior middle hitter Karen Woodley stays focused during the first game of Uni's match against Fisher. Senior libero Jamie Weiser is in the foreground. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

Nothing is getting past senior Chelsea Freeland (6) and junior Rachel Skoza (8) in this sequence. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

Senior outside hitter Sarah Pfander makes a play in the first game of Uni's match against Fisher. Next to her is Ruthie Welch (1). Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

Senior Chelsea Freeland sends the ball Fisher's way as Jordan Hobbs (8) and Brooke Clemmons (10) get ready. Sarah Pfander is in the foreground. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

THE SEASON SO FAR

2007 GIRLS VOLLEYBALL VARSITY RECORD: 8-8 overall, 3-1 East Central Illinois Conference
(home matches listed in bold)

Aug. 30: at Oakwood, L 18-25, 16-25

• Story: Uni drops season opener
• Kills: Karen Woodley 2, Sarah Pfander 2
• Assists: Ruth Welch 3, Sheri Grill 2
• Blocks: Rachel Skoza 2, Chelsea Freeland 1, Woodley 1
• Digs: Jamie Weiser 2, Annie Machesky 2, Welch 2, Pfander 2
• Aces: Weiser 2, Claire Johnson 1, Freeland 1, Pfander 1
• JV match: Uni def. Oakwood in three games: 25-17, 22-25, 25-13 (JV record: 1-0)

Sept. 1: at DeLand-Weldon Eagle Classic, 2 wins, 3 losses (4th place in 8-team tournament)

• Story: Illineks take fourth place at Eagle Classic tourney
• Match 1: vs. Atwood-Hammond, W 25-21, 25-20
• Match 2: vs. Kincaid South Fork, W 25-14, 25-19
• Match 3: vs. Morrisonville, L 11-25, 17-25
• Match 4: vs. Bement, L 23-25, 16-25
• Match 5: vs. Morrisonville, L 21-25, 23-25
• Kills (Uni leaders for tournament): Rachel Skoza 23, Sarah Pfander 15, Karen Woodley 14, Ruth Welch 13
• Assists (Uni leaders for tournament): Welch 41, Sheri Grill 16, Claire Johnson 7
• Blocks (Uni leaders for tournament): Skoza 8, Woodley 5
• Digs (Uni leaders for tournament): Jamie Weiser 27, Michelle Wong 16, Annie Machesky 13, Pfander 9, Welch 7, Chelsea Freeland 5
• Aces (Uni leaders for tournament): Machesky 8, Johnson 5, Welch 3

Sept. 4: at Buckley Christ Lutheran, W 16-25, 25-19, 25-10

• Story: Conference play opens with Uni win
• Kills: Rachel Skoza 7, Sarah Pfander 5, Karen Woodley 4
• Assists: Ruthie Welch 11, Sheri Grill 2
• Blocks: Skoza 3, Woodley 1
• Digs: Annie Machesky 7, Welch 5, Jamie Weiser 5
• Aces: Welch 7, Claire Johnson 3, Weiser 2

Sept. 7: at Decatur Christian, W 25-21, 25-14

• Story: Uni wins again in conference play
• Kills: Rachel Skoza 5, Karen Woodley 5
• Assists: Ruthie Welch 7, Claire Johnson 4, Sheri Grill 1
• Blocks: Skoza 1, Woodley 1
• Digs: Jamie Weiser 6, Annie Machesky 5, Welch 5, Sarah Pfander 3
• Aces: Johnson 6, Welch 3, Weiser 1, Pfander 1
• Junior varsity match: W 25-11, 25-16 (JV record: 2-0 overall, 1-0 ECIC)

Sept. 8: at Westville Invitational, 3 wins, 1 loss (2nd place in 5-team tournament)

• Story: Uni meets challenge, places second in tournament
• Match 1: vs. Westville, W 25-22, 20-25, 25-18
• Match 2: vs. Georgetown-Ridge Farm, L 25-13, 18-25, 21-25
• Match 3: vs. Heritage, W 25-17, 23-25, 25-21
• Match 4: vs. Salt Fork, W 25-23, 25-20
• Kills (tournament): Rachel Skoza 21, Karen Woodley 14, Chelsea Freeland 10, Claire Johnson 10, Sarah Pfander 10, Ruthie Welch 10, Annie Machesky 6, Sheri Grill 2
• Assists (tournament): Welch 40, Grill 19, Freeland 1
• Blocks (tournament): Woodley 8, Skoza 4, Pfander 1
• Digs (tournament): Jamie Weiser 45, Pfander 32, Machesky 26, Welch 20, Michelle Wong 20, Freeland 9, Grill 9, Johnson 3, Woodley 2
• Aces (tournament): Welch 9, Machesky 5, Woodley 5, Freeland 2, Pfander 2, Weiser 2, Wong 2, Johnson 1, Skoza 1

Sept. 10: at St. Thomas More, L 10-25, 16-25

• Story: Uni ready for first home match after falling to strong St. Thomas More squad
• Kills: Karen Woodley 2, Rachel Skoza 2
• Assists: Ruthie Welch 4
• Blocks: Skoza 1, Woodley 1, Sarah Pfander 1
• Digs: Jamie Weiser 4, Michelle Wong 4, Annie Machesky 2
• Aces: Welch 2, Machesky 1
• Junior varsity match: L 19-25, 13-25 (JV record: 2-1 overall, 1-0 ECIC)

Sept. 11: vs. Normal Calvary Baptist, L 18-25, 25-13, 22-25

• Story: Home debut ends in close loss to Normal Calvary Baptist
• Kills: Rachel Skoza 9, Karen Woodley 6, Chelsea Freeland 5
• Assists: Ruthie Welch 17, Sheri Grill 7
• Blocks: Freeland 2, Skoza 1
• Digs: Annie Machesky 13, Michelle Wong 9, Jamie Weiser 3
• Aces: Welch 3, Woodley 2
• Junior varsity match: W 25-8, 25-15 (JV record: 3-1 overall, 2-0 ECIC)

Sept. 14: vs. DeLand-Weldon, W 25-18, 25-15

• Story: Uni makes quick work of DeLand-Weldon
• Kills: Rachel Skoza 7, Karen Woodley 3, Claire Johnson 2
• Assists: Ruthie Welch 8, Sheri Grill 3
• Blocks: Skoza 3, Woodley 2, Sarah Pfander 2
• Digs: Jamie Weiser 7, Michelle Wong 4, Welch 4
• Aces: Welch 3, Machesky 2, Pfander 2
• Junior varsity match: none

Sept. 17: vs. Fisher, L 22-25, 23-25

• Story: see above
• Kills: Karen Woodley 5, Rachel Skoza 5
• Assists: Ruthie Welch 9, Sheri Grill 4
• Blocks: Chelsea Freeland 3, Skoza 2
• Digs: Sarah Pfander 10, Jamie Weiser 7
• Aces: Welch 1, Weiser 1, Michelle Wong 1
• Junior varsity match: L 9-25, 13-25 (JV record: 3-2 overall, 2-0 ECIC)

Next match: at Lutheran School Association, Sept. 21, Decatur (directions); JV match to begin at 6 p.m.