Saturday night was a reality check for the Hawkeyes. After being swept at home by a Rutgers team with just one win in Big Ten play all season, it was an empty feeling all around.

“The most important thing is to put it behind us, but to keep working on what we need to work on and not focus on other teams and what they represent,” sophomore Courtney Buzzeiro said.

Brie Orr will not be available for Iowa’s match against Illinois as she recovers from an unspecified injury. Her timetable to return is still day-by-day.

Orr has been missed the past few games, and although Buzzeiro has performed at the position in Orr’s absence, the team is having trouble adjusting to a lineup without her at the net. Buzzerio was originally a setter, so the move has been a swift one to for the California-native. 

“Courtney was a former setter for most of her career, so it’s kind of like riding a bike, she had to get back on,” head coach Vicki Brown said.

The Hawkeyes will get another shot to win at home this week, with the No. 21 Illini coming to town. The first time these sides met this season, the Hawkeyes were swept in Champaign as Illinois tallied 49 kills to Iowa’s 27.

For Iowa to stay in the match, Griere Hughes will need to have a big game. The junior has stepped up on offense recently, as the outside hitter has tallied at least ten kills in her last four matches. 

Illinois has had mixed results against a loaded schedule as of late. Illinois is a clear top-25 team but are just a step below the Big Ten’s elite. In the Fighting Illini’s five games against top-ten teams in Big Ten play, the Illini have forced three five-set matches and have won a set in every match. Despite this, Illinois sits at 11-10 overall with six losses in Big Ten play. 

“I expect to see a scrappy defense and some hard-driven swings,” junior Halle Johnson said. “We’re doing a good job preparing for them, so we’re all really excited to play them, but we know it is going to be a tough game.” 

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The Fighting Illini are beatable, but it will be an uphill climb for the Hawkeyes. As a team, the Illinois is aggressive on offense, averaging 13.6 kills per set. However, the team boasts a modest .234 attacking percentage. If the Hawkeyes can come up with several blocks and make things difficult for Illinois at the net, then Iowa should be able to force a fair amount of errors. 

2018 All-Big Ten honoree Jaqueline Quade leads the Fighting Illini with 4.24 kills per set, while senior Ashlyn Flemming boasts an average of 2.55 kills per set at an incredible hitting percentage of .354. 

Iowa will have a slim margin of error against Illinois, and, in order to turn a tough conference record around, the Hawkeyes will need to play a clean game.

Wednesday’s game begins at 7 p.m. at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.