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(10/10/11 3:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Entering the weekend riding a six-game losing streak, the IU women’s volleyball team needed its big-time players to answer the competitive challenge of traveling to Iowa and No. 6 Nebraska.Even though junior right-side hitter Kelci Marschall led the team in kills in both games, the results were the same as IU’s last six games.Despite Marschall’s 29 total kills this weekend, the Hoosiers lost to both the Hawkeyes and the Corn Huskers. The loss moved the Hoosiers to 8-10 overall and 0-6 in the Big Ten and extended the team’s losing streak to eight games.IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said Marschall’s versatility in stepping into a new role this year has helped her lead the Hoosiers.“She has made a huge transition this year playing as a six-rotation player as a left-handed hitter,” Dunbar said. “With the injuries that we have had this year, she has stepped into a new role and will be one of our most versatile players in the future of our program.”The weekend started with a five-set match in Iowa City as the Hawkeyes beat the Hoosiers to earn their first Big Ten win of the season, 25-14, 20-25, 25-21, 16-25, 15-13.After dropping the first set, Marschall led the team with six kills in the second set to even the match at a set a piece.The play wavered through the third and fourth sets.In the third set, the Hawkeyes withstood a 7-2 Hoosier run to bring the score to 22-21 before burying the Hoosiers to take the third set.Led by Marschall and middle blocker Samantha Thrower, the Hoosiers bounced back in the fourth set. Marschall and Thrower dominated with seven and five kills, respectively.In the fifth set, with the score tied at 9-9, the Hawkeyes took the advantage at 13-10 before IU junior outside hitter Ivie Obeime smashed back-to-back kills, drawing the Hoosiers within a point. But 13-12 ended up being the closest the Hoosiers got before the Hawkeyes closed the match, 15-13.Saturday, the Hoosiers entered the 4,030-seat Nebraska Coliseum against the Corn Huskers in a game that was broadcast live on ESPN3.com and delay-broadcast nationally on ESPN2.In a match that marked the first time the teams had ever met in Big Ten play, the Corn Huskers swept the Hoosiers, defeating them, 25-19, 25-14, 25-13.For the second consecutive night, Marschall led the Hoosiers with seven kills. Freshman middle blocker Morgan Leach added five. Dunbar said the Hoosiers’ journey through the Big Ten this year will be a long one if the team focuses on not playing its best volleyball.“We can’t dwell on it,” Dunbar said. “The journey for me is to find out how to get them to play to their full potential.“What I know is I want them to find enjoyment out of playing at a high level instead of worrying about how many wins or losses there are.”
(10/07/11 4:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last season, the IU women’s volleyball team lost its first four Big Ten games before beating Ohio State and Penn State. The team won 11 of their final 19 games en route to the program’s first Sweet 16 appearance.After losing the first four Big Ten games again this season, IU Assistant Coach Paul Koncir said — like last year — this weekend’s games at Iowa and No. 6 Nebraska can be a turning point in the team’s season.“We were looking down the same barrel (last season), and winning those two matches really turned everything over for us and after that we were off,” Koncir said. “Wins this weekend — especially against Iowa, whom we match up well with — we have to kick the weekend off like that.”The Hoosiers travel to Iowa City, Iowa, on Friday night to play the 10-7 Hawkeyes. Like the Hoosiers, the Hawkeyes are winless in the Big Ten at 0-4.Freshman Alex Lovell and senior Megan Eskew lead the Hawkeyes in kills with 166 kills and 162 kills, respectively.On Saturday, the Hoosiers will compete at the 4,030-seat Nebraska University Coliseum for the first time since losing to the Cornhuskers on Sept. 24, 1988.No. 6 Nebraska (11-1), which has won three national championships, has started its first Big Ten season with a quick 4-0 record, including wins against then-No. 5 Penn State and No. 17 Michigan.“With a team like Nebraska, it’s like being in against a big boxer you can’t defend all night,” Koncir said. “You have to figure out the best way to attack them, and go for that. Those are the ideas that we will go with into that match.”Freshman middle blocker Morgan Leach has led the team with 62 blocks and ranks fourth on the team with 121 kills.While Leach has stepped up to fill the void left by last year’s All-American middle blocker, Ashley Benson, Koncir said the team’s success does not revolve around one superstar but instead is dependent on the whole team.“We are, this year, a conglomeration of parts,” Koncir said.IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said the problem with the team has been individual inconsistencies.“When that light goes on, some people are not stepping up to that challenge, and they are not enjoying the challenge like they need to be at this level,” Dunbar said. “The hunger has not been there.”
(10/05/11 2:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A season ago, the Indiana volleyball program swept away the non-conference portion of the schedule before failing to register a win in the first four conference matches of the season.When the Hoosiers seemed done for the season, they came crawling back to win nine of their final 16 matches before rallying for their best postseason finish in school history.This season, they could use a little more of that magic, as they are again stuck at zero wins in conference play after four Big Ten matches.The grueling conference schedule has yet again proven to be a nemesis, but welcome to Big Ten Athletics, where more than half the conference appears in the Top-25 NCAA volleyball rankings this week.Is the IU volleyball team experiencing a roadblock like last year, or is it subpar this season? In the offseason, IU Coach Sherry Dunbar received a hefty contract extension. It seemed to be well-deserved after the team posted a program-best Sweet Sixteen appearance a season ago.A few months later, her team started with an 8-2 record and looked to have another promising season ahead.Now, three weeks later, this team seems to be far from any sort of promise or success.IU has been awful since returning from a West Coast road swing last month, which provided just one win in three matches.The Hoosiers have lost their first four Big Ten Conference matches for the second straight season, and they have not been close to victory in any match.This weekend’s defeats at the hands of two Illinois institutions leveled the team’s record at a dismal .500 win percentage. No. 1 Illinois took out IU on Friday, 3-1, before Northwestern pummeled the Hoosiers 3-0 Saturday.“There are a lot of individual inconsistencies,” Dunbar said. In their last six defeats, the Hoosiers have managed to win only four of the 22 sets. Something has to change quickly if Dunbar’s extension is to pay off.“When that light goes on, some people are not stepping up to that challenge, and they are not enjoying the challenge like they need to be at this level,” Dunbar said. “The hunger is not there.”Despite the struggles, the players cannot afford to hang their heads, or the conference will continue to put a stranglehold on IU.In three short weeks, IU has plunged to last place in the Big Ten standings. Sixteen matches remain for IU, and 11 of those are against ranked opponents.It is time for the senior leadership to grab the reigns and lead the Hoosiers out of the dark hole they have dug themselves into.No coach can step on the floor and play for her players. Now is the time for the Hoosiers, senior to freshman, to get to University Gym and work to improve their skills both on the floor and in the film room.The Hoosiers have been mentally ready, it seems, but nothing has worked. It needs to be fixed now if a Sweet Sixteen run is in any deck of cards.So, what do you think — Is Dunbar overpaid, or is this team underachieving? The coming weeks are sure to be a telling sign because it is win now or bust for the 2011 campaign.
(10/03/11 2:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Time to rally.That’s how IU’s Coach Sherry Dunbar described the mood of the team bus traveling home late Saturday night after getting swept by No. 1 Illinois and Northwestern.“I had a great feeling going into (Northwestern), and I think the team did too, but I couldn’t have been more disappointed,” Dunbar said. “You think you have taken those little steps forward, and you think you are finally getting to that point, and a different team shows up.”The weekend sweep extended the Hoosiers’ losing streak to six matches — the longest losing streak since 2009, when the team lost seven Big Ten matches from Oct. 18 to Nov. 6.Friday night, the Hoosiers stepped into one of the rowdiest atmospheres the Big Ten has to offer — Illinois’s Huff Hall — and played the No. 1 Fighting Illini to four sets before losing 25-14 in the final set.Junior Kelci Marschall led the team with 12 kills and graduate student Kristen Seaton added eight of her own.Assisting Marschall and Seaton was senior Mary Chaudoin, who had 30 assists on the night.“I was really happy with how we played going into the No. 1 team’s sold-out stadium,” Dunbar said. “That was the most we consistently fought in a match in a long, long time. We took a lot of steps forward that night.”Freshman middle blocker Morgan Leach, a native of Champaign, Ill., returned home to play the Illini for the first time. She had a few rocky moments, but she put up six kills with a .235 average on the night.Dunbar said the crowd was getting on Leach — even chanting “traitor” — when the freshman served, but Dunbar said she was proud of the way Leach responded to the raucous atmosphere.“It was definitely a learning experience, and she will benefit from her first Big Ten road match being in her hometown,” Dunbar said. “She will be ready next time she goes back.”After what Dunbar said was one of the Hoosiers’ best practices of the season early Saturday morning, the Hoosiers got swept in straight sets by Northwestern on Saturday.The Wildcats went up early on the Hoosiers, winning the first set 25-10, and never lost control.Offensively, Marschall and junior Samantha Thrower led with seven and six kills, respectively. Although the team has showed spurts of great play, Dunbar said she does not know why the team has not been able to consistently bring the high level of practice into the games.“There are a lot of individual inconsistencies,” Dunbar said. “When that light goes on, some people are not stepping up to that challenge, and they are not enjoying the challenge like they need to be at this level. The hunger is not there.”
(09/30/11 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After losing in a two-game home stand for the first time since Nov. 20 and 21, 2009, the IU women’s volleyball team has used this week of practice to focus on fighting for victories.“It’s something we’ve been working on and will continue to work on because if we don’t fight, we are going to get beat a lot,” outside hitter Ivie Obeime said.The Hoosiers will have to bring the fight from the practice court to the road. The team travels to Champaign-Urbana, Ill., to take on the No. 1 Fighting Illini.Obeime, a junior from Carmel, Ind., is coming from one of her best weekends of the season, racking up 21 kills total, including 15 kills Saturday night against Michigan State. Currently, Obeime ranks second on the team in both kills (121) and kills per set average (2.33).The junior said getting swept at home last weekend was a wake-up call for the veterans that need to lead the less-experienced players. She said there will be no easy wins in the Big Ten.“We are starting to realize (we need to fight) and the young girls are realizing that, and we need to make a few changes,” Obeime said. “That’s (the veterans’) job to help lead the team and the younger girls who don’t have the experience.”Freshman middle blocker Morgan Leach, who grew up and lived in Champaign, Ill., said she looks forward to a big game in her homecoming against the Fighting Illini.After attending a number of games in Illinois’s Huff Hall, Leach said she doesn’t know what to expect in her first game as a Hoosier in her hometown.“I think it will be a little different,” Leach said. “It will be kind of weird, because I am used to going to games at Huff. I’ve been there so many times, but I am excited to get there and play.”IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said she hopes Leach — like all her players — embraces traveling to a tough Big Ten road environment that happens to be her hometown.“Everyone wonders how it is going to be the first time you go home and play, and literally, she is going home to Champaign,” Dunbar said. “We will see how she handles that pressure and that environment going on the road in the Big Ten for the first time.”After Friday’s game against the Illini, the Hoosiers will travel north to Evanston, Ill., on Saturday to complete the weekend trip against Northwestern.Like Leach, the match against Northwestern will provide middle blocker Samantha Thrower, who came from Sycamore, Ill., the chance to play in front of her friends and family from home.Thrower said the team is ready to compete during its first Big Ten road trip.“I always love playing Illinois and Northwestern because all my family and extended family get to see me play,” Thrower said. “As a team, we are all coming in early doing extra work and getting extra reps because we want to do well this year. We are ready to compete.”
(09/30/11 2:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Competitive. Intense. Passionate.These are words that define the new attitude of the IU women’s volleyball team, which is coming off of its Sweet 16 appearance and best season in program history. “I think what the success of last year does is it gives you confidence,” coach Sherry Dunbar said. “It doesn’t give you any wins, but it definitely gives you confidence to say, ‘We trust what we are doing. We know that it is working.’ So now we have to figure out how to keep moving forward.”After losing All-American Ashley Benson to graduation and last year’s outside hitter, Jordan Haverly, to a season-ending knee injury, the team will have to adjust to a new core group. Last season as a sophomore, Haverly led the team with 463 kills. After last year’s success, she was regarded as one of the Big Ten’s top players to watch coming into this season. With the loss of Haverly, Dunbar said the team’s playing style might be a bit unorthodox this season as the coaching staff figures out who will step up.“We have two lefties (junior Kelci Marschall and graduate student Kristen Seaton), so we are trying to figure out where they will fit in the line-up,” Dunbar said. “We are really trying to figure out who can handle a bigger load, who wants the pressure and who can sustain playing a lot more.”Marschall was third on the team last year with 287 kills, but she will need to be the player the Hoosiers count on most this year to replace Benson and Haverly.She said her goal this year is not necessarily to replace Haverly; instead, it is to become a better all-around player and to find different ways to score.“We aren’t really looking to replace her, just trying to find different ways to be successful,” Marschall said. “You have to have a lot of versatility at the college level to be successful, so that’s what we all got to work on.”Dunbar said junior outside hitter Ivie Obeime, along with Marschall, has come into the season ready to take on more responsibility as an all-around player.“They both played three rotations last year, so this year we are trying to see if they can both play six rotations and handle the passing, the serving, the defensive part, plus the front row,” Dunbar said. “They really busted it this spring and summer.”The five new girls (transfer Kristen Seaton and freshmen Chante George, Morgan Leech, Colleen Smith and Jennifer Smith) Dunbar has brought in will need to learn on the fly with the start of the season fast approaching.“These freshmen are like sponges,” Dunbar said. “They are a little overwhelmed right now, to be honest. It’s a lot of information they are getting, so it’s going to take them a while.”Dunbar said she has faith that the transition for all of the new players will go smoothly because of the level of success the players have had throughout their careers.“The biggest thing we did when we got here as a program was to bring in winners,” Dunbar said. “People that understand and expect to win, and these kids expect to win.”For the success to come, senior libero Caitlin Cox said she has tried to work on calming the freshmen down to help them relax and play their best games.“I think it’s reiterating just to relax,” Cox said. “I remember as a freshman going out there and playing in front of thousands of people. It’s nerve-wracking, but once you get a few points under your belt and you get used to it, you’re fine.” As the season begins, the pressure of trying to top the program’s most successful year might present a challenge, but Marschall said previous success will only help moving forward.“It’s something you know you have,” Marschall said, “and you kind of keep it in your back pocket and remember you were good enough to get there. But it’s in your back pocket and you move forward with that. You build with new members and different strengths.”
(09/28/11 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A road trip to take on the No. 1-ranked team in the nation would come with pressure for any freshman, but for IU’s Morgan Leach, the Oct. 30 trip to Champaign, Ill. to play the Fighting Illini will be an emotional experience.Leach, who lived in Champaign before attending IU, will be playing in her hometown for the first time since high school.The IDS sat down with Leach to talk about her journey from Champaign to IU and what it will be like playing in front of her old “home crowd” as a Hoosier.IDS: How have the first few weeks of being an IU volleyball player gone?Leach: It’s felt really good. I’m finally getting into the swing of things, and I’ve been pretty good adapting as a freshman. Everyone is really welcoming, so it’s been good.IDS: What first drew you to play at IU?Leach: I really liked all the teammates. They were really welcoming. They all knew my name from the beginning, and they were hugging me. Everyone was really personable and actually cared about getting to know you. Also, building up the program (drew me in) not to just come into a program that was already good but instead helping to build something new.IDS: Did you follow Fighting Illini volleyball growing up?Leach: Yeah, I did. I went to some games, and that’s when I knew that I wanted to play in the Big Ten. I saw how competitive it was, and I wanted to, at some point, maybe get into it and now I did.IDS: Take us through the recruiting process. Was there interest from other Big Ten schools?Leach: My freshman year, I was kind of lanky, and I didn’t even know that I was going to be able to play in college. Sophomore year, I started to get some looks, but then junior year was the year that I really decided that I wanted to play in the Big Ten. I looked at a couple schools and took a couple visits to schools like Northwestern, Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. Those were the big four, and then I decided IU.IDS: Was there any pressure for you to stay home and go to the University of Illinois?Leach: I did visit there, but I kind of wanted to get away from home. This was a good in-between because it wasn’t too far if I wanted to go home on the weekends. I think I wanted to get away. I’ve been in Champaign my whole life, so I already know it. I wanted to still be close because I have a little sister who is three, and I wanted to still be able to see her.IDS: Will you have family or friends at the game against No. 1 Illinois?Leach: A bunch of my family is coming, and my high school team is coming, so I am very excited to see everyone. A lot of my friends will be coming back for it.IDS: What will it be like playing at “home” for the first time as a Hoosier?Leach: I think it will be a little different. It will be kind of weird because I am used to going to games at Huff (Hall). I’ve been there so many times, but I’m excited to get there and play.
(09/28/11 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Across collegiate sports, each individual sport has its own power conference that dominates every season.For college football, it’s the SEC. For college basketball, it’s the ACC.NCAA Division-I women’s volleyball has been dominated by two conferences since the first NCAA Championship game in 1981 — the Big Ten and the Pac-12.In fact, out of the 30 National Championships that have been played since 1981, only one championship game (1988: Texas vs. Hawaii) has featured neither a Big Ten nor a Pac-12 team, and 21 out of the 30 championships have gone to either Big Ten or Pac-12 teams.With the recent addition of three-time national champion Nebraska to the Big Ten, the conference now boasts eight National Championships (Penn State: 5, Nebraska: 3).This year, the conference has seven of its 12 members ranked in the top 25.Historically, the Pac-12 has held an advantage against the Big Ten with 13 national championships, the most of any conference. Stanford leads the way with six titles of their own.Six out of the last 10 years, the conference rivalry has culminated with one final showdown at the end of the season in the National Championship game.The edge in the last decade, though, has gone to the Big Ten, as the Penn State Nittany Lions won their fourth consecutive national championship last season.2011 Big Ten Teams in the Top 25 rankings (7 total)No. 1 Illinois (13-0)No. 7 Nebraska (9-1)No. 9 Penn State (8-4)No. 10 Minnesota (7-3)No. 12 Purdue (13-0)No. 17 Michigan (13-1)No. 24 Ohio State (11-4)2011 Pac-12 Teams in the Top 25 rankings (6 total)No. 2 UCLA (11-2)No. 3 Washington (10-1)No. 4 California (13-2)No. 5 USC (9-3)No. 6 Stanford (8-3)No. 15 Oregon (11-1)Big Ten Championships (8 total)5 for Penn State(2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 1999)3 for Nebraska(2006, 2000, 1995)BIG TEN Runner-ups (8 total)3 for Nebraska(2005, 1989, 1986)1 for Minnesota (2004)1 for Wisconsin (2000)3 for Penn State(1998, 1997, 1993)Pac-12 Championships (13 total)6 for Stanford (2004, 2001, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1992)3 for USC (2003, 2002, 1981)3 for UCLA (1991, 1990, 1984)1 for Washington (2005)Pac-12 Runner-ups (14 total)1 for California (2010)8 for Stanford(2008, 2007, 2006, 2002, 1999, 1987,1985, 1984)4 for UCLA(1994, 1992, 1983, 1981)1 for USC (1982)BIG TEN vs. Pac 12 championships2010Penn State defeats California 3-02008Penn State defeats Stanford 3-02007Penn State defeats Stanford 3-22006Nebraska defeats Stanford 3-12005Washington defeats Nebraska 3-02004Stanford defeats Minnesota 3-01999Penn State defeats Stanford 3-01997Stanford defeats Penn State 3-2
(09/26/11 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Starting the season, the IU volleyball team knew the Big Ten would be a constant battle.“We have been talking a lot about fighting and fighting in the Big Ten to get wins,” junior outside hitter Ivie Obeime said. “We’ve had a problem bringing (that fight) over from practice. We have great practices, and then in games there’s a little gap missing right there, and we are trying to figure it out.”Despite flashes of effective team play, Obeime and the Hoosiers lost both of their games this weekend against No. 18 Michigan and Michigan State to drop to 8-6 this season and 0-2 in the Big Ten.Friday, the Wolverines — led by outside hitters Lexi Erwin and Alex Hunt — swept the Hoosiers in straight sets.Erwin led the Wolverines with 14 kills while Hunt added 11 kills and three aces herself.During the match, many of the Wolverines’ kills were the result of deflecting the ball off of the arms of the Hoosiers’ block. Hunt said the Wolverines’ game plan started with an aggressive serve and ended with strong play at the net.“I tried to get (their defense) out of system and to serve as hard as I could,” Hunt said. “It’s always smarter to try and hit off the blockers hands then into the meat of the block.”Junior right-side hitter Kelci Marschall had nine kills, Samantha Thrower had seven kills and Obeime had six kills, but IU had a .100 percentage.Marschall said the Hoosiers did not match the intensity of the Wolverines.“We didn’t come out with the same fire and aggressiveness that they had,” Marschall said. “That mentality really determines a match.”After dropping the Big Ten opener, the Hoosiers welcomed the Spartans into University Gym on Saturday night. Like the Hoosiers, the Spartans got swept in their conference opener Friday night against No. 13 Purdue.Led by the trio of Obeime, Marschall and freshman middle blocker Morgan Leach with four kills each, the Hoosiers jumped out to a quick start against the Spartans taking the first set 25-15.Sophomore defensive specialist Melanie Hicks began with three aces in the first set including back-to-back aces that pushed the Hoosiers’ lead to 12-2 early.The Spartans responded to the Hoosiers’ first set intensity in the next two sets by not allowing the Hoosiers to take the lead at any point in the second and third set.Trailing two sets to one, the fourth set featured 11 ties and four lead changes as the Hoosiers tied the score at 14-14, but eventually fell to the Spartans 25-18.Hicks finished with three aces and four service errors. Obeime and Marschall led the team’s attack with 15 and 13 kills, respectively.Obeime said she ended the weekend more confident than she was entering the weekend after putting up 21 kills in two games.“Everything was kind of flowing for me, and I was pretty confident out there,” Obeime said. “It was one of those things where even if I did do well, the team didn’t win, so I need to add on to what I was doing or tweak a little thing to get the team a win.”IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said she felt Obeime took some big steps in opening weekend of Big Ten play.“With a big block in front of her, I thought she stayed aggressive,” Dunbar said. “She stayed confident even when she got blocked, but she would come back with another aggressive swing, and that’s what great hitters do.”
(09/25/11 1:54am)
Let's take a quick look at the Big Ten match-up between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Michigan State Spartans Saturday night in Bloomington, Ind.
(09/24/11 1:30am)
Let's take a quick look at the IU women's volleyball game against the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines Friday night in Bloomington, Ind.
(09/23/11 4:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A rude awakening.That’s how IU women’s volleyball player Ivie Obeime described the team’s straight set loss to No. 17 San Diego last Saturday as the Hoosiers prepare to start the Big Ten season this weekend.“(San Diego) definitely had the caliber of athletes that we have in the Big Ten,” Obeime said. “We will be seeing that Friday and Saturday nights from here on out, so that game prepared us for our first real look at what we will see for the next ten weeks.”First on the Big Ten schedule for IU is a weekend battle against Michigan’s biggest contenders.On Friday night, the Hoosiers begin Big Ten play against No. 18 Michigan. Led by five players with more than 100 kills in 2011, including team leader Alex Hunt (145 kills), the Wolverines lead the Big Ten in team kills per set (15.10) and in service aces (87 aces).Saturday, the Michigan State Spartans bring their 11-1 record to University Gym.With a great start to the season, the Spartans lead the Big Ten in hitting percentage, .334, and blocks per set, with a 3.11 average.Leading the way for the Spartans’ offense is Jenilee Rathje, who ranks fifth in the conference with 4.22 kills per set.To combat the good killing ability of both teams this weekend, senior outside hitter Lindsay Enterline said the team’s energy and mindset has to be right before the matches.“Coach always says attitude before outcome,” Enterline said. “When we put that part first, the outcome is usually good for us.”IU’s sophomore defensive specialist Caitlin Hansen said the Hoosiers’ biggest problems against San Diego occurred when people tried to be overaggressive.“We definitely have roles on our team,” Hansen said. “People are trying to be more aggressive to try and make up for other people’s mistakes, but you need to do your own role before you make sure everyone else is doing theirs, and then we can all be more aggressive.”As the team strives for consistency in its roles, the Hoosiers will need big contributions this weekend from hitters — especially Obeime and Enterline.For Obeime, one of the toughest things she has been working on in the last few weeks is keeping the same level of confidence in herself that her team has in her.“My role is to put balls down and create some kind of offense,” Obeime said. “I know my teammates have a lot of confidence in me, and I just need to make sure I have it in myself. It’s a mental process and a slow process, but I’m trying to speed it up before Michigan.”While confidence is a focus for Obeime, Enterline said she wants to focus on keeping the team’s energy level high.The senior, known as one of the Hoosiers’ most excitable and energetic players, will need to spread that “Enterline electricity”.“The more excitement and enthusiasm we play with kind of defines our team,” Enterline said. “Obviously, not everyone is going to play in the exact same way, but everyone has their own unique thing, and when we see that out on the floor, it gets those other five teammates fired.”
(09/19/11 4:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was a weekend of ups and downs for the IU women’s volleyball team, but libero Caitlin Cox remained a model of consistency as the senior earned another All-Tournament team selection in San Diego.IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said there was a level of excitement in Cox’s face to play against the best competition IU has seen thus far. The Hoosiers won one match before dropping the next two in the University of San Diego tournament.“She loves those matches,” Dunbar said. “We need more people that like to take on those challenges. She is always steady, but it was nice to see her add even more this weekend against tough competition.”The weekend started with an upset — a five-set win against previously undefeated George Washington on Friday.After dropping the fourth set by 10 points, the Hoosiers went down by four points early in the final set before battling back to win the set, 15-13, and the match.Junior Kelci Marschall led the comeback with 17 kills against the Colonials.Dunbar said Marschall has learned how to handle pressure situations and has become one of the Hoosiers most clutch players.“She has really grown personally and physically,” Dunbar said. “She wants the ball in crucial times. She wants to be back serving with the game on the line. She wants that pressure.”While the Hoosiers pulled off the upset Friday night, the team could not duplicate the result Saturday morning against UC Santa Barbara.The Hoosiers dropped the first two sets of the match but rallied behind Marschall and Cox to force a fifth set — which they eventually lost to the Gauchos, 13-15.Cox — who was selected to the all-tournament teams of both the Hoosier Classic and the Hokie Classic — led the Hoosiers back with 21 digs and six aces. The libero’s aces tied for the fourth most in IU history for a single match.Although the match ended in a loss, it was an example of a total team effort as the Hoosiers had three players with double-digit kills and three players with double-digit digs.“With the type of team that we have, that is the type of team we are going to be,” Dunbar said. “We need to have a lot a people stepping up with not just the kills, but with the percentages, too.”In the tournament’s final game, the Hoosiers played their toughest opponent of the season — No. 17 San Diego. Unlike the rest of the weekend, the match versus San Diego did not provide as many fireworks, as the Hoosiers were swept in straight sets, 13-25, 17-25, 16-25. “I thought we played safe,” Dunbar said. “When you start playing safe, safe gets you losses. ... It was an eye opener for me. “The talent is there, but the mentality needs to change to believe that you can play at that level consistently. That’s the step we still need to take — playing with confidence consistently.”
(09/16/11 4:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the Big Ten season one week away, the IU women’s volleyball team will travel to San Diego and play three games this weekend, including two against undefeated teams.“We are going to have to bring our game every single day and every single minute of the day in order to compete at that high level,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said.After sweeping the Hoosier Classic at home last weekend, the Hoosiers will begin their California road trip with a matchup against undefeated George Washington on Friday night.George Washington is led by outside hitter Lauren Whyte, who is tied for 22nd nationally in kills per set with 4.42.To combat Whyte and offenses this weekend, Dunbar said the team’s blocking needs to build off last week’s aggressive play.“I think the biggest part of what we were talking about (last weekend) was attack blocking,” Dunbar said. “I thought they did a much better job of lining up with the hitters and then just being really aggressive with their hands, which I thought helped a lot.”On Saturday, the Hoosiers will continue with an early match against UC-Santa Barbara and a late game versus the host team, No. 17 San Diego.San Diego’s offense, which led the nation in kills per set and assists per set last year, is led by a trio of hitters that all have each more than 100 kills for the season.Senior libero Caitlin Cox said the team needs to start this weekend with the same energy it finished with last weekend.“We are playing some pretty good teams and if we are not ready, we are going to have our eyes opened really quick,” Cox said. “Getting focused and prepared is something we really need to keep working on.”The Hoosiers’ trip to California will be the second road trip of the year so far.Dunbar said the weekend in San Diego will be a good challenge for the team, while also giving it time to build chemistry off the court to create an identity on the road.“We need to really challenge ourselves to create our identity of energy without our fan base behind us to help us figure it out,” Dunbar said. “We are going to have to learn how to do that on the road in the Big Ten.”
(09/14/11 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Big Ten Conference has some of the best volleyball in the country.When Indiana (7-2) began the season losing two of three in Blacksburg, Va., it looked as if it could be a long season in Bloomington.The Hoosiers had different plans.Last season, IU finished 23-12 and had a record-setting run to the NCAA Regional. The strong finish set the expectations high for this season.In the offseason, IU Coach Sherry Dunbar signed a multi-year contract through 2017 for her efforts in rebuilding IU’s volleyball programShe now has a base salary of more than $141,000, raising expectations even higher for 2011 success.A team with many new players led to a shaky start this season. However, the Hoosiers knew that a new lineup should not be the reason for a slow beginning. Upon returning to IU, the Hoosiers refocused and have been spectacular since their opening trip.The Hoosiers have ripped off six straight victories and have looked nothing short of impressive. During this win streak, IU has dropped just one set out of 19. The lost set came last weekend in the first match of the Hoosier Classic against Gonzaga. During the weekend, senior libero Caitlin Cox became the all-time digs leader at IU. Her 61 digs took her to 1,569 for her career, a number that will continue to grow during the remainder of the season.On Monday, the Big Ten Conference announced that Cox was the Co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.Earlier this season, Dunbar and the Hoosiers were looking for a player to lead the Hoosiers to success. With the absence of Ashley Benson, arguably the best volleyball player in IU history, the Hoosiers found themselves leaning on their upperclassmen to lead them back to prominence. Not only has Cox stepped up, but juniors Samantha Thrower and Kelci Marschall have helped lead the Hoosiers to an impressive turnaround.This weekend, IU heads west for the final three matches before the Big Ten season begins. The Hoosiers have a tough road ahead as they take part in the University of San Diego Tournament on Friday and Saturday. George Washington (9-0) is first up before a double-header on Saturday. The weekend slate concludes with matches against UC Santa Barbara (5-4) first and host San Diego (10-0) in the finale.If the Hoosiers can sweep the weekend, or even take two of three, expect big things for the remainder of the season. However, a losing road trip could bring back the questions of whether or not this team will continue its success as conference play begins after the weekend.This week, seven Big Ten teams appeared in the Top-25 rankings. IU did not receive any votes, but expect that to change if this streak continues.High expectations and a determined bunch of Hoosiers should all be reasons to head over to University Gym to witness great volleyball. When the Hoosiers return to Bloomington, they’ll make a deep run in the tournament yet again — if they have Big Ten success.
(09/13/11 3:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Competitive.It seems this is the only word used by anyone in the IU women’s volleyball program to describe senior libero Caitlin Cox.“If you ask our players, ‘Who is the most competitive player on our team?’ the overwhelming selection would be Caitlin,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “That’s the kind of person you look for (at libero).”During the weekend, Cox passed Juli Pierce to become IU’s all-time digs leader with a total of 1,569 digs. To add to her new record, Cox also earned the Co-Defensive Big Ten Player of the Week and Hoosier Classic MVP honors this weekend.Dunbar said while Cox’s competitive spirit has been the same since day one of her freshman year, experience helped her put all the pieces together to reach her goal of becoming an elite Big Ten player.“This year, maybe because it’s her senior year or she just matured, but she’s making that a reality and really finding ways to do the extra,” Dunbar said. “She has always been one of the most competitive kids in the gym, but I think now she is starting to put it into her play of making the extra things.”Early years at IUWhile being recruited out of Springport, Ind., at first, Cox said, she did not consider playing for IU. But once IU hired Dunbar, Cox’s perception of the program changed.It wasn’t long before Cox fell in love with the IU coaching staff and playing for the cream and crimson.“I knew they were here for a reason,” Cox said. “To change the program and win.”In her freshman season, Cox played in all 32 matches. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team, breaking the IU freshman single-season digs record and leading the Hoosiers with 402 digs.Cox followed her freshman year by breaking IU’s single season digs record — racking up 488 — in her sophomore year.Former teammate and now IU Student Assistant Coach Ashley Benson said she knew Cox would be a good addition to the program the first time they took the court together during Cox’s freshman year.“When we were playing with her, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this girl has heart,’” Benson said. “She kind of intimidated me.”Benson, a 6-foot-3 All-American middle blocker last season for the Hoosiers, said the 5-foot-2 Cox’s presence is an intimidating force on the court — even if she is the shortest on it.“She is the kind of 5-foot-nothing that thinks she’s 6-3,” Benson said. “She doesn’t care what people think, and she will act like she’s 6-3. She intimidates a lot of people.”Sweet 16 run Cox said she doesn’t have a favorite moment of IU volleyball, rather a favorite year. Her junior season, the Hoosiers advanced all the way to the Sweet 16 — the best finish in program history.Whether it was beating highly-ranked Minnesota or sitting at Yogi’s Grill & Bar listening to the announcement that IU would host NCAA tournament games, Cox said it was a year she can’t even describe.In 35 matches, Cox broke her own school record with 513 digs and set a new single-game high of 27 digs in a match versus Illinois.Last chanceWith her volleyball games numbered, Cox said she wants to make sure her game continues to rise to the next level.“I was sitting there one day, and I was just like, ‘This is my last year ever to play volleyball,’” Cox said. “I have been playing for 14 years now, and that’s something I’ll never get back, so I was like, ‘Why not make it memorable?’”In nine matches, the senior has 166 digs (5.19 digs per set average), won two tournament MVPs and led the Hoosiers to a 7-2 record.“I’ve noticed a lot this year that she is kind of taking control over the team and has fought really hard to get the wins this year,” Benson said.Dunbar said the team is feeding off her leadership.“She’s not just making the plays that are at her now, she’s making and finding ways to dig the extra balls,” Dunbar said. “It’s making a huge difference, and I think her teammates can see that, too. And it is getting them riled up about defense.”While Cox still has a season left to cement her legacy in IU volleyball history, Benson knows exactly how she will always remember the competitive libero.“I loved turning around after a kill or a block and within a second she’s right there in my face,” Benson said. “She is the first one to congratulate you on that big kill. It’s not like a ‘Hey, good job.’ It’s more like a ‘Hey, you’re awesome,’ and then she shoves you.“You don’t think this 5-foot-nothing girl can shove you, but she just brings so much energy to the team and makes you want to fight harder.”
(09/12/11 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Midway through the second set of the IU volleyball match against Gonzaga on Friday, play was stopped as the crowd rose to their feet to applaud IU’s new all-time digs leader, senior libero Caitlin Cox.Cox broke Juli Pierce’s career record of 1,525 digs by tying her own single-game best of 27 digs. The senior ended Friday with 1,535 total digs.“I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet,” Cox said. “It’s nice to do it in front of the home crowd who’s supported me for the last four years.”While Friday was a record-setting night for Cox, who was later voted MVP of the tournament, the Hoosiers had another successful weekend at home, beating Gonzaga, Niagara and Eastern Illinois to sweep the Hoosier Classic.IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said while the team may have looked flat in the first two matches, the Hoosiers played “very emotional in a good way” in the final match as they swept EIU.“If we do what we did (against EIU) with that emotion level and that type of aggressiveness, we will be a good team, but we have to be that team more often,” Dunbar said. “The team we were (Friday) night and (Saturday) morning — although we got wins — will not be the level we need to be at to play in the Big Ten. It’s about consistency.”Middle blockers Morgan Leach and Samantha Thrower have been the Hoosiers’ models of consistency throughout the past two weeks.Both Leach and Thrower were selected to the all-Hoosier Classic tournament team — the second all-tournament team selection in as many weeks for the pair, as they were both a part of the All—IU Classic tournament team last weekend.“It’s made it very nice to have two brand-new middles playing this year in our program, to have them both be an All-tournament two weeks in a row,” Dunbar said. “That says something about what they have done during the off-season with (Thrower) and what they’ve done so far in the preseason.”Although Cox, Leach and Thrower received the recognition as All-Tournament players, the Hoosiers received vital contributions from other players throughout the weekend of play.Senior setter Mary Chaudoin’s high energy level and timely kills provided a spark for the Hoosiers all weekend.“We subbed her in during the morning match, and I think that kind of changed the momentum for us because of her energy level,” Dunbar said.Chaudoin said with her outgoing and energetic personality, she is more than happy to bring some excitement on the court.“Being a senior, I’ve been through a lot of matches, and I see in this team that we really need some energy,” Chaudoin said. “If that’s my role on this team — to bring energy to the court— I’m more than happy to fill it.”
(09/11/11 2:10am)
Let's take a quick look at the IU women's volleyball team's win over Eastern Illinois University, Saturday night at the Hoosier Classic.
(09/09/11 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>One week after sweeping the IU Classic at home, the IU women’s volleyball team returns this weekend to welcome Gonzaga, Niagara and Eastern Illinois at the Hoosier Classic.Last weekend, the Hoosiers dominated in three matches and didn’t drop a single set.IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said the Hoosier Classic will provide a challenge she feels will help prepare the team for the high level of play in the conference.“We need the challenge,” Dunbar said. “We are two weeks from Big Ten season, so these next two weekends we are going to get some good competition, and I think that will help us step up our game and understand the level that we need to play at.”Dunbar said one focus in practice this week has been improving blocking.“We were a really strong blocking team last year, and I think we will be this year,” Dunbar said. “I’m not sure we will be right now, but that is something that gets better as the season goes along.”The team’s progress will be tested Saturday by Niagara’s Hannah Hedrick, who already has 104 kills for the season — 33 more than junior Kelci Marschall, who leads IU with 71 kills.Junior outside hitter Ivie Obeime, who ranks fourth on the team in blocks, said the team has been working on consistently lining up in the right position to block.“We are working on trying to get our hands over the net and line up in the correct spot, because a lot of times why we don’t get blocks — it’s because we aren’t in the right spots,” Obeime said.Leading the team in blocks is freshman Morgan Leach, with 31 blocks and a 1.41 block-per-set ratio.Dunbar said she has been pleased with Leach’s defense but believes she can do more.“I think she’s really improved on the discipline of what the swing blocking means,” Dunbar said. “She’s learning that it’s okay to sit, load and wait for wherever you want to go. You want to be anxious, but in this type of technique you have to be patient and wait.”Setter Whitney Granado said while blocking will be a key this weekend, the offensive tempo, which is usually dictated by the setters, is crucial to offensive execution.“We build a lot of trust (with our hitters) with how the flow goes and how tempo is,” Granado said. “They trust the ball is going to be how fast it needs to be and where it needs to be, and then that gives them all the options they want to hit.”With an energetic home crowd behind the Hoosiers this weekend, Granado said the team needs to feed off each other’s excitement and energy.“Our passion as a team and how much fun we have together really needs to show in our play,” Granado said. “That’s when we all get together and when we keep it rolling.”
(09/06/11 2:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team did not drop a set all weekend, beating Southeast Missouri State, Youngstown State and Buffalo to win the IU Classic at home.The Hoosiers had three players named to the All-IU Classic team, including tournament MVP Kelci Marschall.Marschall said the strong play and support of her teammates enabled her to perform her best.“I know my teammates believed in me, and that helped me more than anything,” Marschall said. “To have their emotions and their play backing me up helped me play more aggressively.”IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said Marschall’s all-around performance, from her serving to her defensive passing to her blocking, came together this weekend to make her a complete player.“We have been seeing a little bit of it throughout the last two weekends, but today she really put it together (against Buffalo),” Dunbar said. “She was really a complete player this tournament and really deserved that honor.”Although Marschall received MVP honors, her fellow All-IU Classic selection, junior middle blocker Samantha Thrower, made history Saturday against Buffalo by breaking the Big Ten record and tying the national record for hitting percentage.Thrower had 15 kills on 15 attempts, including starting 8-for-8 in the first set. She broke Purdue player Debbie Mcdonald’s Big Ten record of 13-for-13, which was set in 1987. By going 15-for-15, Thrower also tied Arkansas State player Katie Silliman’s record for the best hitting percentage with a minimum between 15 and 19 swings.While Thrower was perfect on kills against Buffalo, junior setter Whitney Granado’s 26 assists against Buffalo and 80 total assists for the tournament put Thrower and the other hitters in position to earn the kills all weekend. Dunbar said when Granado is in the game, the offense flows better.“When she’s in there, the tempo of our offense is really fantastic,” Dunbar said. “She’s just steady right now, and I feel really comfortable with her on the court. I think there’s a trust there with her and the hitters that’s really starting to develop.”The Hoosiers’ third All-IU Classic selection, freshman middle blocker Morgan Leach, racked up 31 kills on the weekend, with a high of 14 kills against Southeast Missouri State.Leach put an exclamation mark on the sweep against Southeast Missouri State as she drilled a floating free ball to the ground to earn her sixth kill of the third set and 14th of the night.“It felt awesome to really contribute to the team as a freshman and to go out there and demand the ball to help us out and put it away,” Leach said.Dunbar said the perfect weekend at home was a statement about protecting home court.“It’s all about defending your home court,” Dunbar said. “Whether you’re playing in the Big Ten or outside of the Big Ten, this is our home, and we talk about it all the time. This is the place that it is mandatory to win.”