CHAMPAIGN – Get used to seeing more of freshman Betsy Spicer.

Maybe even in the starting lineup tonight when Ohio State visits Huff Hall.

"It's very possible," Illinois volleyball coach Don Hardin said Friday night after watching Spicer play the match of her young collegiate life in a 16-14, 15-7, 15-7 victory over Purdue. "We'll look at Ohio State and decide what we need."

What the Illini needed in Game One of this Big Ten Conference match against last-place Purdue was some kind of spark. Along came Spicer to light the fuse.

Summoned off the bench with Illinois trailing 10-7, the 6-foot-1 middle blocker delivered a kill to stop Purdue's scoring run and ignite the Illini's own. Illinois scored the next five points – including one on a kill by Spicer – for a 12-10 lead.

"She came in and turned it up," Purdue coach Joey Vrazel said. "She did some clutch blocking, too. I know that had to be a lift for Illinois."

No block in the match was as crucial as the one Spicer came through with late in the first game. But first Illinois had to fend off four game-point opportunities by Purdue after falling behind 14-12.

"I think we just kept digging deep in our hearts," said UI middle blocker Cristy Chapman, who knocked down 22 kills for the second match in a row.

Illinois finally ended the tense run of sideouts and drew within 14-13 when Spicer – with an assist from Tracey Marshall – stuffed back a Purdue shot attempt.

"It was frustrating at the beginning because we weren't doing our job, and finally I got one," Spicer said.

Got Illinois started on a game-winning 4-0 run, too, a spurt that was capped by yet another Spicer block.

"It was the difference between winning and losing," Hardin said of Spicer's contributions.

The Barrington native finished with seven kills, four digs and three block assists in her most extensive duty of the year. Before Friday, Spicer had appeared in just 11 of Illinois' 52 games.

"Her performance doesn't surprise me," said Hardin, whose Illini are 12-5 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten. "She keeps working hard, and she's been very impressive in practice."

Chapman also received more playing time en route to hitting a torrid .710 while making no hitting errors in 31 kill attempts. Hardin normally subs for the 6-2 middle blocker when it's her time to rotate into the back row. Not Friday night.

"Cristy was unbelieveable," Hardin said. "Any time you set someone 31 times and they hit .710, that's phenomenal.

"What I'm learning is her presence and her attitude out on the court means something in itself. And taking her out of the backcourt ... sometimes hurts our chemistry."