Most players keep the ball a couple feet above their head, just barely out of reach.
Rather than using a float serve, Lebo puts front spin on the ball. She started serving that way when she was 12 years old and playing on her club volleyball team.
When she was younger, her coaches told her she’d never be able to serve that way in the Big Ten.
Lebo now has 49 aces this season, second best in the conference.
Five of those came in IU’s 3-0 (25-20, 27-25, 25-15) win against Rutgers on Tuesday night at University Gym.
Lebo said she often works extra with the serve receivers during practice to perfect her serve.
“Actually, yesterday was the first time I hit the beam at the top,” she said. “Tonight I was a little nervous I was going to hit that beam again.”
Lebo finished with 11 kills and 14 digs. The Hoosiers improve to 6-8 in conference play with the win.
In the first two sets Tuesday, senior Morgan Leach had 11 kills on 15 tries. She finished with 14 kills and a .591 hitting percentage.
The Hoosiers had a .299 hitting percentage as a team after hitting .013 against ?Nebraska.
IU Coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan said when her players gets stressed on the court, they don’t play their best. Tonight, they were able to stay calm and play more like themselves.
“The past couple games we just haven’t been ourselves chemistry-wise,” Lebo said. “It was nice to have one, a win at home, and two, for everyone to come together and play well.”
After the first set, Kyndall Merritt replaced Courtney Harnish at the libero ?position.
Dunbar-Kruzan said the decision was a combination of Harnish “not passing great” and Merritt, who had 10 digs in the match, excelling in practice recently.
But she said the two are great friends off the court and are happy for each other no matter who’s on the court.
“Kyndall earned that tonight,” Dunbar-Kruzan said.
In the second set, it was back and forth for 25 points. After 20 tie scores and 11 lead changes, the Hoosiers took the final lead 27-25 on a kill by junior middle blocker Chante George.
Junior outside hitter Amelia Anderson had 14 kills and seven digs.
Lebo said the difference between tonight and a 3-set loss to Nebraska over the weekend was playing how they’re capable of playing, not to their opponent’s level.
The Hoosiers play in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday.
“I think we’re going to have a really good opportunity on Saturday,” Dunbar-Kruzan said. “That’s all you can ask for is an opportunity. Then you gotta do ?something with it.”
