The No. 15 Gophers volleyball team defeated No. 3 Illinois in straight sets, 25-19, 25-20 and 25-15, Saturday night in Champaign, Ill. It was the highest-ranked opponent defeated by the Gophers in school history. The Gophers earlier this year had defeated No. 4 Texas, tying a school record.

The Gophers were propelled by a season-best seven aces. They also outblocked the Illini 9.0-8.0 and held them to a .087 hitting percentage. Ashley Wittman had 10 kills and a match-high 10 digs, while Hailey Cowles had seven kills and nine digs, and Ariana Filho and Tori Dixon has six kills. Dixon also led the team with four aces. Filho led the match with six block assists.

MIAC cross-country championship At Como Park Golf Course in St. Paul, Hamline edged St. Olaf in a tight team race to win its third consecutive MIAC cross-country championship, and St. Thomas senior Ben Sathre ran away from the field to win the individual title. The next three to cross were all Pipers: Devin Monson, Jack Reichert and Ellis Richardson finished 2-3-4, boosting Hamline's team score of 45 to the Oles' 54.

In the women's competition, the Carleton women's squad finished 1-2-3 with seniors Simone Childs-Walker and Alison Smyth and junior Rachael Klehm sparking Carleton to its fifth conference crown. The Knights earned the team title, besting crosstown rival No. 11 St. Olaf.

Etc. • The No. 2 Gophers women's hockey team fell to 8-2-0 and 6-2-0 with a 2-1 loss to Bemidji State at the Sanford Center. Bemidji State improved to 6-2-2 overall and 3-2-1 in WCHA games.

• Gopher Michael Sicora advanced to the round of 16 with a 6-3, 7-6 win against 10th-seeded Barrett Franks of Michigan at the Big Ten Men's Indoor Tennis Championships at the University of Iowa. The only Gopher still in the field, Sicora will face seventh-seeded Stephen Hoh of Illinois on Sunday morning with the chance to advance to the quarterfinals.