Senior setter Ruthie Welch scores a point Monday against St. Thomas More in Champaign. Uni dropped the match in two games. The Illineks will play Normal Calvary Baptist tonight at Kenney Gym, their first home match of the year. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

CHAMPAIGN — The Illineks' long road trip to open the season is finally over.

The girls fell to host St. Thomas More Monday night in their 13th straight match away from Kenney Gym since the season began Aug. 30 at Oakwood High School. Uni lost to the Sabers in two games: 10-25, 16-25.

The Illineks head into tonight's home contest against Normal Calvary Baptist 7-6 overall and 2-0 in East Central Illinois Conference play. The JV match will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity.

Monday's crosstown visit to St. Thomas More was the team's toughest challenge yet. The Sabers entered this season with 11 letter winners from last year's 21-10 squad.

Six of STM's players are being recruited to play in college. In its preseason picks, The New-Gazette ranked the Sabers No. 2 in the area, behind only Class 3A Centennial.

Although Uni and STM are both in the IHSA's newly created Class 2A division in volleyball, the Sabers play in the much tougher Sangamon Valley Conference, where they compete against the likes of St. Joseph-Ogden, Clifton Central, and Paxton-Buckley-Loda.

The difference in height, quickness, and strength was apparent as STM built up a double-digit lead in the first game. The Sabers were led by News-Gazette "Nifty Fifty" picks Kailey Buenting, a senior setter who has more than 1,500 career assists; senior outside hitter Brianna Jacobs; and senior outside hitter/middle hitter Kaela McCabe.

Still, the second game featured a spirited comeback attempt by the Illineks. Down 9-18, they rallied for 5 straight points, with most of them coming while sophomore Michelle Wong served. But 14-18 was the closest the Illineks would get as STM outscored them 7-2 the rest of the way.

Senior Karen Woodley and junior Rachel Skoza each had 2 kills on the night. Senior Ruthie Welch had 4 assists. Skoza, Woodley, and senior Sarah Pfander each had 1 block.

Wong and senior libero Jamie Weiser shared the team lead in digs with 4. Junior Annie Machesky added 2. Welch scored 2 aces, followed by Machesky with 1.

In junior varsity action, Uni lost to STM in two games: 19-25, 13-25. The JV record is now 2-1 overall, 1-0 in the ECIC.

Tonight's home contest will be the first of three straight matches at Kenney Gym. The girls will host DeLand-Weldon (varsity only) on Friday and Fisher (JV and varsity) on Monday.

MORE PHOTOS: UNI AT ST. THOMAS MORE

Coach Amanda Palla, a former Uni player herself (Class of 1997), talks to her team during a timeout in Monday's match against St. Thomas More. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

Senior Chelsea Freeland goes up against a wall of two St. Thomas More hitters. Six of the Sabers are being recruited to play in college, according to The News-Gazette. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

St. Thomas More players Emilee Kunas (13) and Erin Wachtel (1) celebrate after scoring a point against Uni Monday. The Sabers entered the season ranked No. 2 in the area by The News-Gazette, behind only Class 3A Centennial. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

THE SEASON SO FAR

2007 GIRLS VOLLEYBALL VARSITY RECORD: 7-6, 2-0 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: see above
• 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)

Next match: vs. Normal Calvary Baptist, Sept. 11, Kenney Gym; JV match to begin at 6 p.m.