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(09/18/13 3:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At times it wasn’t pretty, but somehow the IU volleyball team went undefeated in three games this weekend, winning the Hoosier Classic tournament to improve to 8-1 on the year.Throughout the entire weekend, the team kept doing what it needed to do to win.That’s what makes this team great.Even when it looks like it may be down, it still pulls through and finds a way to get the victory.That’s why this team will continue to find success this season.The first challenge of the weekend came Friday night when the Hoosiers went head-to-head with the University of Wyoming. Oftentimes in sports it is said the game is not as one-sided as the score sometimes indicates. That seemed to be the case Friday as the Hoosiers seemed to be a step behind — and that translated to the scoreboard — as the Hoosiers spent a good portion of the evening fighting from behind.Let’s be clear, it was not for lack of effort. The Cowgirls were just all over the place. They were fast. Very fast.Good thing the crowd was into the game because it seemed at times like the Hoosiers bit off more than they could chew.It was one of those games where fans look up at the score, then look a few moments later, and their team is down by four or five scores. Good thing some Hoosiers didn’t like that idea very much.The Hoosiers, led by sophomore outside hitter Amelia Anderson, who set a career mark with 21 kills on the evening, battled all night and eventually put the Cowgirls away 3-1.The Hoosiers’ next challenge came a day later as they faced Tennessee State University, who spent Friday evening scouting both the Hoosiers and Cowgirls, who they would play on Saturday.Someone must have delivered a killer motivational pregame speech before the Hoosiers’ match against Tennessee State Saturday because the Hoosiers were not in a playful mood as the offense came out on fire. The defense wasn’t too shabby either, defeating the Tigers 3-1.With the win, the Hoosiers moved on to the championship round of the Hoosier Classic, facing off against the University of Alabama at Birmingham team that entered the final round of the Hoosier Classic with a record of 9-2 after disposing of Tennessee State and Wyoming earlier in the weekend.The championship round was more like a scrimmage for the Hoosiers. The outcome was never really in question during the contest as the Hoosiers swept the Blazers 3-0 to claim the classic championship.With the win, the Hoosiers remain unbeaten at home this season, improving to a record of 6-0 at University Gym.That match was sad to watch. Originally it made me wonder whether UAB deserved to be a Division I team, but it soon became obvious that the Hoosiers just have game.A far cry from the back and forth battle with Wyoming on Friday night, but the end result was the same as it has been throughout the season for the Hoosier volleyball team — another win.The Hoosiers have a challenge in front of them as they first take on a scrappy Duke team Friday followed by a huge test against the No. 18 North Carolina Saturday.I predict the Hoosiers will make short work of the Blue Devils, 3-1, but will ultimately fall to the No. 18 Tar Heels after a lackluster effort for their second loss of the season.— pdolly@indiana.eduFollow columnist Pat Dolly on Twitter @MinReport_IDS.
(09/16/13 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team (8-1) took care of business this weekend by beating Wyoming, Tennessee State and UAB in the Hoosier Classic tournament in Bloomington. Senior Jordan Haverly was named tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by sophomores Amelia Anderson and Katie Gallagher.“I couldn’t do it without my teammates, and it’s really nice, especially in the last home tournament in my senior year,” Haverly said.In the first match of the tournament, IU took on Wyoming (7-3) and won in four sets (25-17, 23-25, 25-21, 25-22). Anderson had a career high 21 kills and hit 0.457. Senior Caitlin Hansen led the team in digs with 13, and Gallagher led the team in assists with 35. Redshirt sophomore Chante George had five blocks for the Hoosiers.“Katie did phenomenal — so did Megan,” Anderson said. “Both the setters did amazing, and they really set us up for success.”On Saturday, the Hoosiers faced the Tennessee Sate Tigers (1-5) and won (25-27, 25-15, 25-21, 25-14). IU had four players with at least 12 kills: junior Morgan Leach with 16, Anderson with 14, Haverly with 13 and sophomore Awele Nwaeze with 12. Hansen led the team with 18 digs, and Gallagher had 39 assists to go with 12 digs.“We changed our mentality going into the next three sets,” Anderson said. “We really focused on what we could do better on our side — minimizing errors and really focusing on our communication.”Tennessee State led for most of the first set before closing it out. “Tennessee State came out on fire,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said. “They were communicating. They were high energy. They’re a quick, very athletic team, and I just thought they utilized that to their advantage.”Saturday night was the game that would decide the tournament winner with IU taking on the UAB Blazers (9-3). IU swept the Blazers (25-13, 26-24, 25-14). Haverly had a team-high 13 digs to go with 12 kills and three aces, Anderson had a team-high 15 kills, and Gallagher had a team-high 25 assists. The Hoosiers came out strong and made it look easy, despite the second set being close, and the feeling was that IU was always in control.“Physically, we were more dominant,” Dunbar said. “Being able to pass, which was a huge key, and being able to get first-ball kills with all of our hitters, and I thought we distributed the ball really well. I thought we were more physical than they were at the net.”Next weekend, the Hoosiers will head south and battle North Carolina and Duke in the ACC/Big Ten challenge. Following this, the Big Ten season will be underway.“It’s really nice to have the record that we do going into the weekend,” Haverly said. “North Carolina is ranked in the top 25, so they’re really good, and Duke is always really good and feisty, too.”Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVcourt.
(09/13/13 3:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After suffering its first defeat last weekend to College of Charleston, the IU volleyball team (5-1) looks to get back on track with its second home tournament of the year. In this tournament, called the Hoosier Classic, IU will take on Wyoming, Tennessee State and University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB).“We have a long way to go,” junior Morgan Leach said, “and that makes us even more hungry for next weekend, to come out and show what Indiana volleyball really is.”Wyoming (6-1) played in two tournaments and went 4-0 in the first one against Stetson, Idaho, Montana State and Drake. In its second tournament, Wyoming defeated James Madison and Presbyterian, and was defeated by CSU Bakersfield. The Cowgirls are led by senior Becky Stewart, who leads the team in digs, and by redshirt freshman Mikaela Ryshytylo, who leads the team in kills.“Both Wyoming and UAB are playing really good volleyball right now. I think both will be a challenge for us,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said.Tennessee State (1-2) lost to Southern Alabama and Georgia Southern and beat Utah State in its only tournament of the season. The Tigers are led by redshirt junior Naomi Wells, who leads the team in kills and is a close second to junior Ileanushka Maldonado in digs.“We take it one match at a time,” Dunbar said. “A win is a win right now, and I think we have done a pretty good job. Every tournament has had a team we don’t want to overlook, and I think we have handled that well and will continue to do it.”UAB (7-2) comes to Bloomington with wins against Mercer, Jacksonville State, Presbyterian, Samford, North Dakota, Austin Peay and Georgia State. The Blazers’ two losses came from Minnesota and Virginia Tech. They are led by sophomore Sam Skinner, who leads the team in kills, and by senior Becca Howard, who leads the team in assists.“We have to step in and know that these teams are coming out to win,” sophomore setter Katie Gallagher said. “We have great chemistry and we need to use that to our advantage.”IU also has a player who is somewhat in the national spotlight this year. Redshirt senior Jordan Haverly is third of all active NCAA players in kills, behind only Megan Devine of East Tennessee State and Lauren Wicinski of Michigan State, who leads all players.“Hopefully this year we will open up even more for her this year, because of the type of athletes we have in our program,” Dunbar said. “The most important thing, though, is that our team wins, and I think she would say the same thing.”Dunbar also said she expects the team to be able to bounce back from its loss on Saturday in this tournament, especially because of the team’s leaders.“We had our first loss Saturday night, and Monday they came in and had one of their best practices of the season,” Dunbar said. “(Caitlin Hansen) is another coach on the floor, which is what you want your libero to be. Her leadership has changed dramatically from last year, from a more supportive role last year to a more demanding role this year.”Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter at @AndrewVcourt.
(09/11/13 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The whole point of the Minority Report is to begin a dialogue about the other Hoosier sports teams on campus that seem to have for some reason gotten lost in the minds of Hoosier fans.There is no need for me to talk about how good this team is. All you need to do is take a look at their record to find that out. For volleyball, things look good with a 5-1 record overall on the young season, 3-0 at home and a record of 2-1 on neutral locations. I was having a conversation with a student in the Indiana Memorial Union about how I felt that women’s sports need to start drawing the types of crowds that men’s sports draw. I told him not to sleep on the IU volleyball team. He said he wasn’t impressed. “Have you even gone to a game?” I asked. “Never,” he said. Did I already mention that this team is 5-1 this season?During a similar conversation with another individual about the IU volleyball team, I threw out that record.“Yeah, but who have they played?” he said.Every game, there has to be a decision on the outcome made in terms of wins, losses or ties, and the Hoosier volleyball team has lost only once.That one, single, lonely loss came at the hands of the College of Charleston, a team that happens to be undefeated so far this season.The Hoosiers blanked both South Carolina State, 3-0, on Friday and Coastal Carolina on Saturday.The team went to South Carolina and skunked two different South Carolina teams before falling to College of Charleston, 3-1.Not to mention that loss was in the championship round of the Hampton Inn College of Charleston Invitational.Show them some love, people.Imagine Hoosier Nation packing University Gym. You think it gets loud at a Hoosier basketball game, but the acoustics in University Gym would not be able to contain the amount of noise fans would make. These girls are winning. We would do well to remember that. With stats like that, there is no guessing that win, lose, or tie, this next game against Wyoming will be a good one.The Wyoming volleyball team also happens to be 6-1, so it won’t be a cakewalk. Speaking of the Hoosiers’ next volleyball game, I will issue a simple call out using a line from one of my favorite movies of all time, Half Baked. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna do what you all think I’m gonna do which is freak out, man. All I wanna know is who’s coming with me, man?”Who will be there when the IU volleyball team goes head-to-head with Wyoming at 7 p.m. Friday in Bloomington?Oh, you have plans to go out to a bar or party that night? No bar in Bloomington jumps off that early, so knock that off.Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Fred Glass has been strongly pushing this ‘24 sports, one team’ creed lately. Make him proud.Like all the other non-revenue generated sports on campus, I want to remove volleyball from the Minority Report, and put it where it deserves to be. While 24 sports, one team is IU’s creed, it is so much more than that. It means Hoosier Nation supports its teams when they win and when they lose. It means they hold it down and represent for their teams, and the best way to do that is to show up to a game, right?Talk to your friends, hit up the next volleyball game. Let’s move volleyball from the Minority Report to the front page of the IDS sports section. — pdolly@indiana.eduFollow Hoosier sports columnist Patrick Dolly on Twitter @MinReport_IDS.
(09/09/13 4:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team (5-1) picked up two more wins and suffered its first loss of the season over the weekend at the College of Charleston Invitational. The Hoosiers had two players make the all-tournament team — senior defensive specialist Caitlin Hansen and junior middle blocker Morgan Leach. Hansen led the team with 29 digs, and Leach led the team in kills with 32.“Morgan Leach had just a great tournament,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “She was our best player the entire weekend. Caitlin Hansen was also very good. She led very well, stayed in the match all the time and did a really good job carrying a lot of the load for us with passing and defense.”Friday, IU swept South Carolina State (25-13, 25-22, 25-16). Leach had 11 kills and four aces. Sophomore Katie Gallagher had a season-high 31 assists with two blocks.Freshman Taylor Lebo had a team-high 10 digs and added five aces, which tied her for second-most in IU history for aces in a three-set match. “This weekend we came out on fire. Our biggest thing was our attack mentality,” Hansen said.Saturday, the Hoosiers swept Coastal Carolina (25-21, 25-21, 25-21). Sophomore Awele Nwaeze had a team-high 11 kills with three blocks, while sophomore Chante George had a career-high seven kills. “We came out and got some big leads and did a pretty good job with our serving,” Dunbar said.Saturday, College of Charleston came out on top (22-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-21).“Charleston is a really good team. They have a lot of really great hitters,” Leach said. “It’s kind of a wake up call.”Dunbar said College of Charleston is the best team IU has played this season.“They have gone to the tournament 12 years in a row, so they have a kind of swagger about them and they expect to win,” Dunbar said. “They might only lose one or two matches this year.”Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVcourt.
(09/06/13 3:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team (3-0) will head to Charleston, S.C., this weekend for its first road matches of the year in the College of Charleston Invitational.The tournament is four-team style, similar to the one the team just played at home. IU will take on South Carolina State, College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina.“The first week is always a good test to see where we are,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “We have to come in hungry and fix the things we didn’t do well because the competition is only going to get better over the weekend.”South Carolina State (0-3) was swept in all three of its matches last weekend in the Gamecock Invitational by South Carolina, High Point and Florida International. South Carolina State will play the Hoosiers Friday.“We are just going to go in with an attack mentality the same way we approached last tournament, come out fighting and show them what Indiana volleyball is,” IU junior middle blocker Morgan Leach said.College of Charleston (4-0) is coming off a weekend similar to IU’s, having played in the Georgia Tech Tournament and won all three of its matches against Chattanooga, Florida A&M and an impressive win over Georgia Tech.College of Charleston also beat Charleston Southern Tuesday.“College of Charleston is playing very good volleyball,” Dunbar said. “They have a lot of weapons, and they have a transfer from Penn State that has done a great job for them playing six rotations.”Coastal Carolina (1-2) is coming off its own tournament, the Coastal Carolina Tournament, where it lost to Youngstown State and Iowa, but beat Wofford. Coastal Carolina is a big, physical team, Dunbar said, adding IU must serve the ball well to win.Serving was a strong point last weekend, especially sophomore outside hitter Amelia Anderson, who led IU in aces.“I think going into this weekend we are more motivated,” Anderson said. “We are hungry for more wins.”Dunbar said that she is currently limiting redshirt senior Jordan Haverly in practice.Haverly leads IU in kills so far this season, and is expected to be one of the most consistent players throughout the season for the Hoosiers.“We are practicing her about half, not a lot of jumping in practice, more defense and passing. We’ll see how she feels,” Dunbar said. The last game of the tournament will be IU against College of Charleston and is expected to decide the winner of the entire tournament.“That is going to be a huge match,” Anderson said. “We’ve known that, but going into it, we are just going to bring our energy and play our game.”Follow volleyball reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVcourt.
(09/02/13 8:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s volleyball team (3-0) started its season off by dominating three opponents to win the Indiana Invitational this past weekend.Senior Caitlin Hansen and sophomores Amelia Anderson and Awele Nwaeze were named to the all tournament team, with Nwaeze named the tournament’s most valuable player.“I’m more happy that we won, but it is an honor to be MVP and an honor to be on the all tournament team,” Nwaeze said.IU pounded Robert Morris in the opener Friday night, winning 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-18). Fifth year senior Jordan Haverly led the Hoosiers with 11 kills and seven digs. Sophomore Katie Gallagher had 17 assists, Hansen led the team in digs with eight and Nwaeze had eight kills and a team high five blocks.“Our mentality was really good throughout the entire tournament,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “We talked about having an attack mentality, and I thought we came out with that and used our physicality in this tournament against teams that weren’t as physical as us.”Saturday morning IU took down future Big Ten member Rutgers in another 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-21, 25-20). Senior Jade Henderson and junior Morgan Leach each had nine kills, Leach also added five blocks. Hansen led the team with 11 digs and freshman Megan Tallman had 16 assists. IU had control in each set but the third until the Hoosiers pulled away on a 6-1 run to win the set. “We didn’t let the pressure get to us,” Nwaeze said. “We didn’t let up. We went out there for every point and attacked, and that showed a lot of character for our team.”In the closing match of the tournament, IU knocked off the Kent State Golden Flashes 3-1, (25-11, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22). After winning the first eight sets of the season, IU dropped the third set after Kent State rallied from being down by five to win by three. IU came back to win a tough fourth set. Haverly had 16 kills and seven digs. Nwaeze had 13 kills, three blocks and two aces. Anderson had 10 kills to go with an ace. Gallagher led the team in assists with 29, and Hansen led in digs with 16 for IU.“Awele was our MVP, and I thought she did some really nice things for us. She was just very dynamic, made some big plays when we needed her to make some big plays, and I think that’s what great players do when they’re needed,” Dunbar said. “We call that competitive greatness.”Haverly, who has been battling an injured knee following surgeries, helped the Hoosiers with 34 kills in the tournament.“I was really proud of (Haverly),” Dunbar said. “The knee is not great, and she pushed through three long matches, playing six rotations — the only player playing six rotations.”Dunbar said IU also communicated well, talking throughout each match, and it showed in their play.“Caitlin was our most consistent player,” Dunbar said. “She passed really well. She led the court, ran the court and no matter what the score was, she was in their ears telling them we are going to win and this is what we are going to do, and I think you have to have someone like that as your libero, and I thought she did a good job.”After an exciting start this weekend, Anderson said the team has high hopes for the rest of the season.“We are going to the tournament this year,” Anderson said. “We are going.”Follow volleyball reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter at @AndrewVcourt.
(08/30/13 5:06am)
The IU Volleyball team will open up the new season Friday evening when they take on Robert Morris at 7pm at University Gym in the second match of the annual Indiana Invitational. In the first match at 5pm, Kent State will take on future Big Ten member Rutgers.“It’s always exciting to start playing other teams instead of just practicing,” IU Head Coach Sherry Dunbar said.Coming off of a disappointing season, the Hoosiers will have to play well to take all three of their matches this weekend. “We’ll get our first test against Robert Morris, who is a team that has gone to the NCAA tournament I think 14 years in a row, picked second in their conference, they’re going to give us our first challenge,” Dunbar said. “They know how to win.” Robert Morris went 17-17 overall and 13-3 in the Northeast conference last year, and is led by juniors Hannah Hoffman and Becky Jay, setter and middle back respectively. They have no seniors on their roster.“We are taking it one step at a time. We can’t look past that first game [against Robert Morris],” sophomore setter Katie Gallagher said. Saturday at 11:30am IU will take on Rutgers, who Dunbar said is looking to make a statement. “Rutgers is coming and is joining the Big Ten so you know they’re going to be ready to play us,” Dunbar said. Rutgers went 18-12 overall and 4-11 in the Big East conference last year, and returns three starters. They are led by junior setter Tracy Wright, and sophomore outside hitter Kelli Mullane. n their final match of the weekend, Saturday at 7pm, IU plays Kent State. Kent State is looking to bounce back after going 6-22 overall and 3-13 in the MAC conference last year. “This has been a long summer for us and a long preseason, and it has been a good one,” Gallagher said. “We have made lots of big changes and a lot of little changes, which have created a new identity for our team, and I think we are going to go with it and run.” Kent State is led by junior outside hitter Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola and senior defensive specialist Hannah Herc. Aderemi-Ibitola led the team in kills, while Herc led the team in digs. Being the beginning of a new year, this means this weekend will be the first time seven team members will be playing be IU. They include true freshmen Allison Hammond, Taylor Lebo, Jazzmine McDonald, Megan Tallman, redshirt freshman Mariah Coleman, and transfers Danetta Boykin and Awele Nwaeze. “I’m really really pumped [to play at IU],” Nwaeze said. “Last year I didn’t play at a school that had a ton of support for volleyball from the students.” After a rigorous offseason, Nwaeze also said that she is ready to get the season started. “[The offseason program] taught me a lot of discipline and drive. There was a lot of stuff that you would say oh no way I can’t come in three times and run, and still go to class, and make good grades, but that stuff is possible, and they tested us a lot this summer with work ethic and effort,” Nwaeze said. Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVCourt
(08/29/13 4:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the first volleyball games coming this weekend, senior team captain Jade Henderson said the team is excited to get started.“This is the most excited I’ve been for a season,” she said. “This year we have great potential and chemistry. We have the talent, and we have put it out there that we are ready for the season.”After missing the NCAA tournament the past two seasons, this year’s squad is looking to remind people of the 2010 team that made it all the way to the Sweet 16. Returning all but three seniors, IU also adds a talented freshman class. IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said she doesn’t see why there is any reason the team shouldn’t make the tournament.“NCAA tournament is our goal,” she said. “The journey is to figure out ways to get there, but that has been our goal since January when we started training again, and I think it’s very clear, and we have been working towards that every day.”Seven teams in the Big Ten are ranked in the top 25 nationally. Four Big Ten teams are in the top 10. Indiana, however, is not ranked.Defending conference champion Penn State comes to the University Gym Oct. 3 to face the Hoosiers, who will look to upset the No. 3 team in the country.“You’re seeing the best conference in volleyball in America,” Dunbar said.Other notable games on the schedule include home matches against No. 22 Ohio State Oct. 5, No. 8 Minnesota Nov. 2, No. 7 Nebraska Nov. 23, No. 15 Purdue Nov. 27 and the home finale against No. 5 Michigan Nov. 29.“We want to go undefeated in the preseason, and we want to compete hard in the Big Ten,” Henderson said. “We want to go to the tournament. We will go to the tournament.”Players say an advantage the Hoosiers appear to have heading into their opening matches this weekend against Robert Morris, Rutgers, and Kent State is team chemistry. The team has spent all spring and summer working out and preparing for the season and are hoping that their hard work pays off. “We have a new identity this year, and we can’t wait to show everyone,” senior team captain and defensive specialist Caitlin Hansen said. “Our camaraderie and our togetherness is unbelievable. I’ve been here for four years now, and I’ve never had this feeling before."IU had an average attendance of 676 people for their home matches at University Gym, and is hoping to draw more attention this year from students.“We are going to put on a show for them,” Hansen said. “We are going to show them how hard we worked, and I’ll tell you it’ll be an experience that you will never forget. We will bring you energy, and we’ll bring you a show. We’re excited to play at IU, and we bring our pride and play with our pride.”Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVcourt.
(04/18/13 4:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior college transfer Danetta Boykin has signed a National Letter of Intent with the IU volleyball team, the team announced in a press release Wednesday.The 6-foot-1-inch Boykin is an American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American transferring in from Los Angeles Pierce College in California. She is the sixth player to join the 2013 recruiting class.“Danetta is a great addition to our program,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said in the release. “Her experience at a high-level junior college and most importantly her winning mentality will help us a great deal ... Add her athletic ability into the mix and I couldn’t be happier that Danetta is a Hoosier.”Boykin led Pierce College to back-to-back undefeated seasons and California Community College Athletic Association titles, a 66-0 record during two seasons. She was named Most Valuable Player of the Western State Conference in 2012.Boykin joins Miami (Florida) transfer Awele Nwaeze and high school signees Allison Hammond, Taylor Lebo, Jazzmine McDonald and Megan Tallman in the 2013 class.— Joe Popely
(04/17/13 8:49pm)
Junior college transfer Danetta Boykin has signed a National Letter of Intent with the IU volleyball team, the team announced in a press release today.
(04/02/13 12:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball has gone a combined 5-34 in Big Ten play in its last two seasons.That culture of losing is over, IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said.“The culture, I think, is different in the gym right now,” Dunbar said. “It’s a competitive culture in the gym right now ... I just think the environment overall is just way better.”IU volleyball is in the midst of its everyday spring practices and will pick up with its season in the fall.One key addition to the program has been sophomore middle blocker Awele Nwaeze, who has brought something different to the gym, Dunbar said.“Physically, she’s gifted,” Dunbar said. “And I think she challenges every hitter and every blocker to be better. And in the end I think it’s making her better, too. I think she’s a great addition.”The sophomore transferred from the University of Miami (Florida) last year and thoroughly enjoys the new change of scenery, she said.“Miami was a really small private school, and I was looking for a change,” Nwaeze said. “And for volleyball, Big Ten is where it’s at.”Nwaeze also appreciates the level of care and detail she gets from each and every one of her coaches, she said.“The coaches are so invested in our program, and it’s way more than I could even expect,” Nwaeze said. “They are invested not only in your playing but your life.” The Raleigh, N.C., native brings a level of competitiveness to other players, which is vital to the team’s overall success.“She just pushes everyone on this team to be better,” junior defensive specialist Melanie Hicks said. “People in her position, she challenges them, but it’s not like a negative challenge. She’s made them better.”Unlike during the fall season, IU does not have a game to look forward to every weekend to keep up motivation. However, throughout the spring, the team plays several exhibition matches, and it uses those as a measuring stick to see where they are against other competition, Hicks said. Her coach added that this team is different and does not need extra motivation from the coaches to work hard.“Normally I would say yes, but I would say no this year,” Dunbar said. “Because of where we want to go and the path we’re on, it’s very clear where we want to go.” During the first part of the spring season, the team focuses more on the individual with drills tailored to a specific person. Now, members are able to practice as a team.“This is our opportunity to show we aren’t the same Indiana volleyball that we were last year,” Nwaeze said. “We have the fight and the true notion to be contenders.” Looking forward to summer practice, Hicks said keeping up the intensity is vital for the team’s success.“What’s important is maintaining that level of play we’re getting and not letting it drop off,” Hicks said. “We have to make sure we’re just as ready and don’t take a step backwards.”
(01/17/13 12:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team added its fifth player to the recruiting class of 2013 last week.Sophomore Awele Nwaeze transferred from the University of Miami and will play either middle blocker or right-side hitter for the Hoosiers this fall, IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said.“We are excited to have Awele join the Hoosier family,” Dunbar said in a press release.“She is an exceptional athlete that will compete for playing time as a middle blocker and a right-side hitter, so it is nice to add more depth to those positions. “We are also thrilled that she is starting school this semester, allowing herself to get acclimated to Indiana, our program and be ready to contribute in the fall.”Last fall, right-side hitter Kelci Marschall and middle blocker Samantha Thrower graduated and left statistical holes that Nwaeze and her new teammates will try to fill.Marschall and Thrower were second and fourth on the team, respectively, in total kills, with 548 between the two, 34 percent of the team’s total kills.The 6-foot-1-inch Raleigh, N.C., native also will have a significant portion of blocks to fill that will be left behind by Thrower.Thrower accounted for more than one-third of IU’s blocks with 153 and ranked second in the Big Ten with 1.27 blocks per set average.Nwaeze and her fellow members of the 2013 class, outside hitter Allison Hammond, libero Taylor Lebo, middle blocker Jazzmine McDonald and setter Megan Tallman will try to fill the role of the three seniors who left the program this fall.During her time as a Hurricane, Nwaeze notched 25 kills and 14 blocks in 30 sets during her freshman campaign.When Nwaeze was being recruited by the Hurricanes, Miami Coach Nicole Lantagne Welch said of Nwaeze, “Great middle blockers are hard to find, and (Nwaeze) has the potential to be exceptional.”Nwaeze was also named one of the top 80 players in the country after her junior season in high school by PrepVolleyball.com and was named first-team all-conference and academic all-conference all four years at Millbrook High School in Raleigh, N.C.— Evan Hoopfer
(11/27/12 10:21pm)
Junior outside hitter Jordan Haverly of the IU volleyball team has been named an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.
(11/26/12 5:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The three seniors on the IU volleyball team, setter Whitney Granado, middle blocker Samantha Thrower and right-side hitter Kelci Marschall have played their last IU game.“You’re a freshman and you’re like ‘It’s never going to get here’, then it just kind of snuck up on me,” Granado said. “It’s just surreal and too soon.”The Hoosiers (12-20, 4-16) finished the season on a four match losing streak, losing to No. 2 Penn State, No. 15 Ohio State, No. 22 Purdue and No. 11 Minnesota.The Hoosiers started off their last portion on the season losing to Penn State in three sets, 25-21, 25-23, 25-16.“They’ve got tons of talent,” Marschall said. “They’re a great team, they got a great coach and know how to play the game and execute very well. So they really are the best team we played.”Opponents outscored IU 12-1 in total sets during their last four matches. The Hoosiers’ lone set win came on senior night against Ohio State. Despite the festivities and celebration after the match, the Buckeyes stole the contest, 25-18, 25-21, 26-28, 25-23.Ohio State outscored IU by 11 points in the first two sets, but IU came out with a regained focus and almost pushed Ohio State to a fifth set.“The first two sets were kind of a shell-shocker, I don’t know what was going on there,” Granado said. “I was definitely happy with the third and the fourth set with coming together and how we fought.”With the rest of the matches, junior outside hitter Jordan Haverly led her team with 15 kills against the Buckeyes.During the team’s final four matches, Haverly tallied up 62 total kills.On Wednesday, the Hoosiers traveled to West Lafayette to face the Boilermakers. IU picked up its first conference win of the season against Purdue back on Oct. 16.This time, the Boilermakers got revenge on their in-state rival. They picked up valuable Crimson and Gold Cup points by besting IU in straight sets 25-21, 25-20, 25-23.In the last match of the season, IU welcomed the Golden Gophers into University Gym on Saturday. The team ended the 2012 season on a sour note, losing in straight sets 25-22, 25-20, 25-22.Haverly recorded five aces, which tied for second-highest in a three set conference match in IU history.The third set saw the Hoosiers jump out to a 21-13 lead before falling apart and surrendering a 12-1 run to the Gophers, and ending the seniors’ careers in the process.“It’s definitely rewarding,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “It’s sad to see them go, but it’s also one of the most rewarding nights for me. They’ve grown up as people, not just as players.”
(11/16/12 5:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The three seniors on the IU volleyball team, middle blocker Samantha Thrower, setter Whitney Granado and right-side hitter Kelci Marschall will be honored Nov. 17 when the Hoosiers play Ohio State.“It’s hard, it’s not something that I try to think about a lot,” Marschall said. “But I’ll be thinking about all the memories that I have here and how much I love my teammates and appreciate playing with them.”IU and their seniors (12-16, 4-12) welcome No. 2 Penn State (25-2, 15-1) and No. 15 Ohio State (20-8, 11-5) this weekend into University Gym.“This has been a long time coming, but it’s still pretty surreal that senior night is actually this Saturday,” Granado said. “I can’t admit to myself yet that it’s going to end yet.”The maturation not only as players, but as people, is what makes the experience moving for IU Coach Sherry Dunbar.“(The seniors) always look forward to it, but it’s sad,” Dunbar said. “Not just as players, but they’ve matured as young women.”The Hoosiers kick off the weekend against the Big Ten leader, Penn State, Nov. 16. This marks the first of four straight matches against ranked opponents for IU.The Hoosiers played the Nittany Lions earlier this season on Oct. 13 and lost in four sets.IU is one of only six Big Ten teams to win a set against Penn State, and the Nittany Lions haven’t lost a set in their last three games.Junior outside hitter Jordan Haverly ranks sixth in the Big Ten with a 3.93 kills-per-set average in conference games and said taking down the conference juggernaut won’t be easy, but it is feasible.“If we play to our potential, we could make it interesting,” Haverly said. “I mean, it just depends on what we decide to do. We could if we all decided we wanted to.”If Dunbar’s team wakes up Nov. 17 having upset the Nittany Lions, the key was likely being the aggressor, she said.“You have to just go all out against a team like that,” Dunbar said. “You can’t play it safe.”During Senior Night on Nov. 17, Ohio State will come into Bloomington hoping to spoil the festivities and beat IU for the second time this season.The Buckeyes’ conference record is tied for third-best in the Big Ten, and they won six of their last seven matches heading into this weekend.IU will have to contend with senior outside hitter Mari Hole. The UCLA transfer ranks second in the Big Ten with an average of 4.27 kills per set in conference games and was named Big Ten Player of the Week for last week’s performance.The last time the two teams faced off was over a month ago, and since then the Hoosiers have grown in talent and experience, Marschall said.“I think that we are really hitting our stride now,” Marschall said. “I think we’ve learned a lot about ourselves and how we work better and how we play better, and I think that’s helping us with our competition.”
(11/15/12 6:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Setter Whitney Granado: the shy, quiet one. Right-side hitter Kelci Marschall: the outspoken leader. Middle blocker Samantha Thrower: the cool, calm one who goes about her business. The three seniors of the IU volleyball program will be honored at Senior Night against Ohio State on Saturday and lace up their shoes for the last time against Minnesota on Nov. 24.This group helped lead IU to some of its best moments, particularly the Sweet 16 run in 2010. The eclectic and diverse threesome has become inseparable.It wasn’t always that way, though.“I didn’t like Kelci at all,” Granado said while laughing at the memory. “Because when we were on a visit together, I thought she was so mean.”Granado had a simple explanation as to why her fellow senior was mean.“Because she was,” Granado said. “It was probably just because I was so quiet and she was very outspoken.”They have come to love each other and have already made plans to be in one another’s weddings.“I think we have really different personalities, but opposites attract,” Marschall said. “I was obnoxious, Whitney was dead silent and Sam was in between. We didn’t know what to think of each other.”Granado has become more outspoken and is now a leader of the team, IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said.“Whitney came in and was this quiet kid from California,” Dunbar said. “Then things changed last year. She really took it upon herself to be a leader. It was really nice to see someone who was able to make that decision to change.”This year has been plagued by injuries for Granado, as was most of her career, Dunbar said.She missed the first 12 games of the season due to complications with mononucleosis and had a leg injury that caused her to miss some action in the conference portion of the schedule.When she came back this season, she was one of the conference’s best setters.“I would have loved to see her healthy for four years and see what she could have done,” Dunbar said.Her teammates said Granado came into the program as a shy, quiet kid and leaves as one of the most vocal leaders of the team.But she’s not shy anymore, just reserved, Marschall said.“She’s not shy, she just doesn’t feel the need to tell everyone what she’s thinking,” Marschall said. “Like I do.”Marschall is the primary vocal leader of the team and the one who addresses her teammates during timeouts and pre-game pump up speeches most of the time.“She’s really a student of the game,” Dunbar said. “She’s got a true love for the sport, which I love.“If we walk into practice and it’s 30 minutes before practice and someone’s hitting balls, she grabs balls and wants to hit with them.”Marschall and Thrower hit it off right away, the friends said, partly because of the valuable asset Marschall had that every college kid desires — a car.“And you guys used my car and snuck to the mall, I know you did,” Marshall said to her teammates to the left and right of her. “That was just evil.”Then there’s Thrower, master car thief and middle blocker for the team. The one who always plays it cool, her teammates said.Except on the court, where she dominates, Dunbar said. Her coach added she wishes Thrower had one more year, as she’s playing the best volleyball of her career right now.“Physically, she’s a monster,” Dunbar said. “Teams are running their defenses around her and trying to stop her, because she’s such a significant presence out on the court.”Thrower is one of the top players in the Big Ten at protecting the net. She ranks third in the conference with a 1.28 blocks-per-set average.The middle blocker has matured and taken her senior year seriously, which is different from when she first came into the program, Dunbar said.“She was kind of goofy, and everybody picked on Sam,” Dunbar said with a smile. “Now she’s a woman. I don’t know. She’s just different.”Her fellow senior teammates thought she was cool and easy to get along with when they first met her. They didn’t have the rocky start Granado and Marschall had.“I thought Sam was cool,” Granado said. “I didn’t really know her, but she was fine, just kind of there and happy.”Marschall agreed.“Sam was just Sam,” she said. “There’s no other way to describe her.”To her coach, Thrower’s business-like attitude and lunch-pail mentality stands out to her.“Never complains. That’s the one thing I’ll say about Sam,” Dunbar said. “She’s not been in the training room for four years, maybe except to get a Band-Aid. Never complains. It is rare to have a kid on your team who never complains.” After the trio experienced a sophomore year regarded as the best in program history — the Hoosiers’ had their only Sweet 16 appearance — the program took a dramatic hit the following year.The team went 1-19 in Big Ten play and was tied for the worst conference record with Iowa.This year, the final for these three players, the team has gone 4-12 in the Big Ten, adding to the consistency they gain as they go throughout the season.IU started the year 0-8 in the conference and since has gone 4-4.For the seniors, building the program to what it was two years ago is their main focus.“This year it’s coming back,” Granado said. “It’s kind of where we were at as freshmen. So if that’s the trend to get back where we were when we leave, then I would feel really proud that we helped make that step.”The chain of command has been passed down throughout the years, Marschall said. The installments of character that were drilled into them as underclassmen are the same values they are trying to give the underclassmen.“That’s the reputation that volleyball has and we’ve worked hard to get,” Marshall said. “Doing things the right way, even when no one is looking.”Dunbar is happy the seniors want to leave the program better then when they came in.“They’ve had one of those careers where it’s been kind of up and down,” Dunbar said. “Last year being obviously the worst year, and this year where we actually have talent, but we’re not consistently winning.”It’s not just the wins and losses that will be the legacy of these three teammates, their coach added in.“They do well in school, make good decisions and care a lot about the program and the University,” Dunbar said.After graduation and when their eligibility for volleyball dries up, they each plan to go in different directions.Granado hopes to go to law school, Marschall wants to continue playing volleyball in Puerto Rico and Thrower is applying for an internship this spring in sports marketing.No matter what, though, they will still be inseparable.“We’re best friends,” Marschall said. “We don’t have to worry about staying in touch. It’s not something we are going to stress about, because we know wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, we’ll find a way.”
(11/12/12 5:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After starting the Big Ten season 0-8, the IU volleyball team has rallied in the second half of the season, going 4-4 in the team’s last eight matches.“After seeing the entire conference, we said ‘We can play with this group,’” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “It’s a very talented Big Ten, but we knew we could play with them.”IU (12-16, 4-12) continued its steady play this weekend, going 1-1 out in the western outskirts of conference territory by losing to No. 9 Nebraska (20-5, 12-4) and taking down Iowa (10-19, 2-14).Junior outside hitter Jordan Haverly led the Hoosiers in kills for both matches this weekend, and she said she thinks her team is undergoing a psychological change these last eight matches.“In the first part of the season, we were really close,” Haverly said. “We’ve been really working on fighting hard and trying to outwork our opponents. That’s allowing us to get these wins.”IU started off the weekend losing to Nebraska (25-11, 18-25, 25-13, 25-22) in front of a crowd of 4,109. Dunbar said the Huskers have the best fan base in the country.“It’s the friendliest environment you can play in front of,” Dunbar said. “They just appreciate good volleyball. It was really tight and the crowd was into it. You just can’t get that anywhere else in the country.”Being down 2-1 sets heading into the fourth, IU had a chance to push the Huskers to a fifth set for the second time this season.The Hoosiers were up 21-20, then saw the match slip away as Nebraska went on a 5-1 run to take the set and the match.The Huskers, a perennial volleyball powerhouse, joined the Big Ten last season and brought their tradition and fan support with them.“I’m really happy they’re in our conference,” Dunbar said. “They’re such a competitive team, they make you step up to the highest level and they just add so much to our conference.”IU picked up its fourth win of conference play against Iowa Saturday night (25-21, 25-23, 25-16).In the Hoosiers’ second sweep of a Big Ten foe this season, Haverly and senior middle blocker Samantha Thrower each had double-digit kills to lead the team.“I think we’re just finding our level of play,” Thrower said. “We are playing at the level we know we can.”Thrower also had five blocks to go along with her kills, and the senior ranks third in the conference with a 1.28 blocks per set average.“I thought (Thrower) dominated,” Dunbar said. “We told her she was going to have a chance to do that tonight against this team, and I thought she really embraced that.”Despite going into the locker room up two sets to none, the team was not satisfied with their level of play up until that point, Dunbar said.“They just didn’t feel like they were playing their level,” Dunbar said. “I thought we came out in the third set and really dominated.”
(11/09/12 4:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Oct. 6, the IU volleyball team flirted with the biggest upset of the season, coming within a few points of beating then-No. 4 Nebraska.“I think its gives us a little more confidence,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “When you play a team like that to five sets, and you feel like you probably should have won in four sets, it gives us confidence going in.”IU (11-15, 3-11) flies west on its final road trip weekend of the season to play No. 9 Nebraska (18-5, 10-4) and conference cellar-dweller Iowa (10-17, 2-12).In the October match, the Hoosiers had more digs, assists and kills than the Cornhuskers but could not come out with the win.Nebraska lost three of its last four matches, dropping two last weekend to Michigan and Michigan State. This was the first time since Nebraska has been in the Big Ten that they dropped back-to-back conference games.The Nebraska University Coliseum is one of the most hallowed courts in the country, Dunbar said. “We need to go in and embrace the crowd,” Dunbar said. “It’s one of the neatest environments in college volleyball. I’m really excited for the kids to be able to play there and the seniors to be able to play there one last time.”In Nebraska’s last home match, the attendance was 4,193. Comparatively, IU’s highest attended game this year was Oct. 16 against Purdue with 1,107 people in attendance. Last year when the Hoosiers went 1-19 in the conference, their one win was against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Earlier this year, the Hoosiers lost in four sets to Iowa. In the last six games, the two teams have gone in opposite directions. IU has won three of its last six matches after starting out the Big Ten season 0-8.The Hawkeyes haven’t won a set during that stretch, being outscored 18-0 in total sets during their swoon.Overall, Iowa is 2-27 in the last 29 conference games.IU will not have a postseason, Dunbar said earlier this year, so these will be the last six matches for the three seniors, right-side hitter Kelci Marschall, setter Whitney Granado and middle blocker Samantha Thrower.“We’re just trying to drill in the standards that our upperclassmen drilled into us,” Marschall said. “Doing the right thing when nobody is looking: that’s the reputation volleyball has. Things like that, that’s what we want to uphold and pass on.”These last matches will help define the seniors’ careers, Dunbar said.“They want to leave the program better than when they got here,” Dunbar said. “I look at the last six matches, and we’ve won three of them. Not many teams in the Big Ten can say that.”
(11/05/12 4:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In a tale of two matches this weekend, the IU volleyball team swept Northwestern on Friday and fell to Illinois the next day, winning only one set.“With Northwestern, we attacked them really well and played to our game plan,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “Illinois changed their lineup a little bit. I think they’re trying to find something that works for them, and we didn’t have the best matchups against them.”Indiana (11-15, 3-11) started its four-game road trip going 1-1 in the Prairie State, defeating Northwestern (15-10, 4-10) and falling to Illinois (11-13, 5-9).“We really did some good things against Northwestern and fought really hard,” junior outside-hitter Jordan Haverly said. “We didn’t find a way to bring that same determination and fight to the match tonight.”The Hoosiers swept the Wildcats for their third conference win of the season (25-20, 25-14, 25-23). The victory gave the Hoosiers their first sweep of a conference opponent in 33 Big Ten matches. Northwestern standout Stephanie Holthus averaged 5.25 kills per set against the Hoosiers on Sept. 29, leading her team to the four-set victory in Bloomington.This time the Hoosiers kept Holthus to a 2.67 kills per set average and didn’t allow a single Wildcat to get double-digit kills.Haverly had a match-high 15 kills, and senior right-side hitter Kelci Marschall contributed 12 kills.“We had really aggressive serving when we were there,” Haverly said. “And we had some really good defense, and we got them out of their system.”The second set saw the Wildcats score 14 points, the least amount of points the Hoosiers had given up to a conference opponent all season.“I think they got rattled,” Dunbar said. “I don’t think they were ready for us and expected us to play with that type of emotion.”Seniors Marschall, mid-blocker Samantha Thrower and setter Whitney Granado picked up their first win against the Wildcats of their career.“We all wanted to work really hard to get them a win in that match,” Haverly said.The next day the Hoosiers took the bus to Champaign, Ill., to play the Fighting Illini. IU had 31 hitting errors and never got on track in Huff Hall.After falling behind in a 2-0 set deficit, the Hoosiers claimed the third set and were up 10-8 in the fourth set.At that point the Illini went on a tear, outscoring Indiana 17-8 the rest of the set to hand IU its 15th loss of the season.“Illinois was just hammering balls out there and really swinging to kill balls,” Dunbar said. “And I think on our side our passing broke down a little bit.”Thrower said the Illini didn’t turn up their game, but the Hoosiers failed to execute.“It was mostly on our part,” Thrower said. “I think it’s just keeping that level of play. They stepped up in the fourth set, and we need to keep the level of play we know we can play.”