By Ashley Stadnicki
Knoxville showed up. Tennessee volleyball made sure it was worth the trip.
A record 8,212 fans packed into Food City Center Tuesday night, and the No. 22 Lady Vols gave them plenty to cheer about, cruising past Illinois in straight sets, 25-19, 25-17, 25-11.
Just a few days after Tennessee set its previous attendance record of 7,924 against Colgate, the Lady Vols did it again. This time adding nearly 300 more fans to the record book.
And the team gave that crowd a show.
Tennessee came out swinging from the opening serve, taking control early and never really giving Illinois a chance to settle in. The Lady Vols hit .422 as a team, turning Food City Center into a party as they rolled through the Fighting Illini.
The third set was where Tennessee really slammed the door. The Lady Vols jumped out to a double-digit advantage and turned the final frame into a runaway. Illinois managed just 11 points as Tennessee finished the sweep with a 14-point win in the third set.
But there was another storyline walking into Food City Center Tuesday night.
Across the net was a familiar face. Paityn Chapman was back in Knoxville.
Chapman spent the last two seasons in Orange before transferring to Illinois in January. The 6-foot-3 opposite hitter knew the building, knew the team and knew exactly what Tennessee is capable of.
What she may not have expected was just how little the Lady Vols would let that familiarity matter. Chapman finished with nine kills for the Illini, but Illinois couldn’t keep pace with a Lady Vols team that looked comfortable from start to finish.
That has become a theme for the Lady Vols early this season.
Tennessee entered Tuesday night with three straight sweeps already under its belt.
Now make it four.
Four matches. Four sweeps. A perfect 4-0 start.
And a new record crowd along the way.
The Lady Vols aren’t just winning right now. They’re giving Knoxville plenty of reasons to keep showing up.
If the first two home matches are any indication, Food City Center might need to make room for another attendance record sooner rather than later.