Junior Rachel VanMeter was named tournament MVP on Saturday night as Illinois wrapped up a wild week by winning the "Hurricane Frances" Classic in Oxford, Ohio.

The Illini, who were scheduled to play in Miami, Fla., before the hurricane approached Florida, instead headed to Miami (Ohio). In their second match Saturday, they beat the host RedHawks 30-26, 30-18, 30-23 to improve to 3-0.

"I felt our young players responded remarkably in a visiting gym for the first time this season," UI coach Don Hardin said. "Sometimes inexperienced players don''t play the same when it''s a true road match, but tonight that wasn''t the case at all."

VanMeter, a junior, had 43 kills and 41/2 blocks in two tournament matches.

Senior Lauren Harks and junior Rasa Virsilaite also were named all-tournament. Harks combined for 31 digs in the two matches, and Virsilaite totaled 26 kills.

VanMeter had a career-high 28 kills in the Illini''s 30-26, 27-30, 30-21, 30-21 victory against Texas Christian.

Harks led Illinois with 19 digs against the Horned Frogs, and Virsilaite tallied a career-high 15 kills.

Against Miami, Meghan Macdonald chipped in five blocks and four of the Illini''s nine aces.

Wallor leads way

Eric Wallor, a former junior college All-American, led Illinois to victory in the Redbird Challenge on Saturday in Bloomington.

Wallor, competing in his first race for the Illini, won in 19 minutes, 17.27 seconds. Illinois, which got a second-place finish from Tim Kelly (19:44.43), totaled 20 points. Illinois State tallied 30 and Northern Iowa 68.

"We did a very good job today," UI coach Paul Pilkington said. "Today showed that we have the depth this season that we didn''t have last year."

Illinois'' Matt Flaherty was third and Justin Aronson fourth.

LaMantia earns sixth

Sophomore Michelle LaMantia led Illinois to second place at the Redbird Challenge, finishing sixth in 15:27.

Illinois State won the team title.