SAVOY – Cortney Lamb learned his lesson last season. Learned it well, the University of Illinois junior proved once again Saturday.

CHAMPAIGN – Never has Illinois delivered a more potent one-two punch this season.

There was Tracey Marshall, pounding out a season-high 24 kills. And there was Cristy Chapman, shattering her previous career high by eight en route to 22 kills.

CHAMPAIGN – No, they didn't need to ask directions to Huff Hall. Nothing quite that dramatic. But it had been 21 days since the University of Illinois volleyball team last played a match on its home court. And in the interim, some of the details of their normal routine at Huff on match night had become a little hazy, admitted Tracey Marshall.

   CINCINNATI  In 16 years as volleyball coach at St. Ursula Academy, Julie Thoman Perry has seen dozens of her players continue their careers in college.

   None was ever as hotly pursued by the major colleges, she says, as current senior Shadia Haddad.

   CHAMPAIGN  Don''t begrudge Tarnisha Thompson for wanting University of Michigan volleyball to be successful.

   After all, the Ann Arbor school is her alma mater. And the Detroit native played setter for four years for the Wolverines.

   Shadia Haddad, a 6-foot middle blocker from St. Ursula Academy in Cincinnati, has orally committed to the University of Illinois volleyball team.

University of Illinois volleyball coach Don Hardin isn't as worried about his team's record as he is its state of mind.

"Our concern is can we keep our motivation intact through this swing," Hardin said after the Illini's 15-9, 15-5, 15-2 loss to top-ranked Penn State on Friday night in State College, Pa. "That's a big question mark right now because each time we lose, it takes another chip off our confidence."

CHAMPAIGN – When the University of Illinois volleyball team embarked on its current stretch of four Big Ten Conference road matches in a row, the finale appeared to be the most winnable in the bunch.

It still is, but now the task looks more formidable than it did a week ago.