CHAMPAIGN, ILL. ? Illinois used a first-half goal and stifling defense to hand No. 8 Kansas University its first soccer setback of the season, 1-0, Tuesday at the Illinois Soccer Stadium.

The 11th-ranked Fighting Illini (6-0) scored the game’s only goal in the 26th minute. Tara Hurless converted her fourth goal of the season off a rebound.

“I though that we played okay, but we just made a mental mistake, and one of their girls got loose, and was able to score,” KU coach Mark Francis said. “It was a tough game. I thought they played really tight on defense, especially in the second half, and we were not able to get any offensive pressure.

“We will just have to see how we respond after this.”

KU goalkeeper Meghan Miller, who had a season-high eight saves in the match, was able to keep the Jayhawks (6-1) in the game, but the Illini defense held KU’s offense at bay.

KU junior forward Caroline Smith, an Edina, Minn., native, was able to launch a team-high two shots in the match, but the Jayhawks’ chances were limited by Illinois, which held a 14-8 advantage in shots.

Kansas soccer will host a free clinic for children in kindergarten through 8th grade from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.

The Jayhawks will play host to Mississippi at 5 p.m. Friday at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.

Volleyball

Kansas City, Mo. — Kansas University’s volleyball team, playing its first match as a nationally ranked squad, cruised past Missouri-Kansas City, 3-0, Tuesday night at the Swinney Recreation Center.

The 24th-ranked Jayhawks (8-0) rolled to the win, 30-22, 30-19, 34-32, and improved to 7-0 against the Kangaroos (2-5) under seventh-year coach Ray Bechard.

The Jayhawks won games one and two in convincing fashion. They held UMKC to a .091 hitting percentage in the opener and then swung for an impressive .533 clip in game two.

A few Kansas hitting errors in game three allowed the Kangaroos to hang around late, but KU settled down and pulled out the sweep.

Junior middle blocker Josi Lima led all players with 15 kills. Senior Ashley Michaels pounded 11 kills for the Jayhawks and junior Paula Caten added 10. Freshman Emily Brown, a former Baldwin High standout, posted eight kills, five digs and five assists. Senior Jill Dorsey, a Wellsville native, chipped in a game-high 17 digs.

The Jayhawks hit an impressive .333 clip for the match and outblocked the Kangaroos, 10-4.

Next up for KU is its Big 12 Conference opener at 6 p.m. Saturday at No. 12 Texas A&M (4-2) in College Station, Texas.

Women’s golf

Albuquerque, N.M. — Kansas University’s women’s golf team shot a second-round score of 312 on Tuesday, good for 13th place out of 17 teams entering today’s final round of the McGuire Invitational.

After two rounds, KU totaled 620 strokes. Georgia shot 586 to lead, followed by New Mexico (588) and Brigham Young (591).

KU’s Tiffany Woods shot a 79 and is tied for 45th, Chelsey Pryor a 78 for a share of 57th, Meredith Winkelmann shot a career-best 75 to move up to a tie for 61st, Amanda Costner shot 81 to tie for 66th along with sophomore Jill Womble, who shot an 80.