Senior setter Camryn Haworth began her final match for Indiana volleyball with a statement.
Standing behind the service line to open the first set, she delivered an ace that landed just inside the back of the court, catching Illinois off guard as the Fighting Illini assumed the ball was out of bounds.
From that moment, the momentum was firmly on Indiana’s side. Despite the absence of students, fans packed Wilkinson Hall for one final time this season, creating an atmosphere that fueled the Hoosiers' dominant performance.
Illinois struggled to counter Indiana’s energy, and the Hoosiers swept the Fighting Illini to close out the season. The victory also served as redemption for Indiana, which had been swept by Illinois on Oct. 16 in Champaign, Illinois.
Indiana head coach Steve Aird pointed to his team’s improved health as a factor in the turnaround. The Hoosiers applied consistent pressure, out-serving Illinois with six aces to one.
“We had a lot of aces and put a lot of pressure on them,” Aird said postgame. “I think for the most part, it looked like the team when healthy is kind of exactly what I thought we’d be.”
Indiana’s balanced attack proved too much for Illinois’ defense to handle. Junior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles led the way with 18 kills, while two other Hoosiers contributed eight or more.
On the other side, Illinois struggled to find a rhythm. Graduate student outside hitter Raina Terry was the lone bright spot, tallying 10 kills — the only Illini player to reach double digits.
Indiana’s defense played a significant role, totaling 46 digs. Sophomore libero Ramsey Gary highlighted the effort with a crucial pancake in the second set that extended a key rally.
Though Alonso-Corcelles fell just short of 20 kills, her impact went beyond offense. Late in the third set, she recorded a block that brought head coach Steve Aird to his feet in celebration.
“She drives me crazy,” Aird said. “Every once in a while, she does something we tell her to in the scouting report and it works out.”
After the match, all seven seniors were recognized for their careers as Hoosiers.. All of them had a white jersey placed in a frame, and each player received a bouquet of flowers from an underclassman on the team.
Some players, like Haworth and outside hitter Mady Saris, smiled and waved to the crowd during the post-match senior celebration. Others, like fifth-year outside hitter Morgan Geddes — who spent her entire collegiate career in Bloomington — became emotional. As Geddes wiped away tears, Aird leaned over with a smile to her, saying, “Don’t cry,” as they posed for a photo beside her framed jersey.
Reflecting on the seven seniors, Aird praised them as program builders. When he took over in 2018, the team had won just one Big Ten match the previous season. Now, with the victory over Illinois, the Hoosiers secured their third consecutive season finishing at or above .500 — their first such streak since 1998-2000.
“When we got here, we had won one match,” Aird said. “There (were) a couple hundred people that would come to matches. We’re selling out Wilkinson Hall now.”
As the season ends, Aird is looking forward to next season as he feels “the skies the limit” with most of his players returning while also recruiting some of the top players in the country. Although injuries may have held this year’s team back, Aird is confident that next season’s squad has the potential to make a serious impact.
Follow reporter Parker Rodgers (@parrod153) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
