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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Women gear up for match against rival

The Hoosiers are out for a win as they travel to Lafayette Saturday to carry on IU's long-standing rivalry with Purdue. IU was defeated Wednesday by top ranked Illinois, who out-scored and heavily blocked the Hoosiers in three games. After the mid-week loss the Hoosiers carry their 4-13 overall and 1-8 conference record to Purdue, who was defeated in three games by Wisconsin last Saturday. The Boilermakers fell to 2-13 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten. \nAfter tough losses to Michigan and Michigan State during the weekend the Hoosiers are taking their mistakes and turning them into building blocks for their much-anticipated match against Purdue. \n"We are obviously disappointed that we lost, but we are looking to win this week," sophomore Anna Makowski said. "The Michigan game gave us another idea that we really can win and we just need to push to the end of the game." \nThe Boilermakers are also recovering from tough losses to top Big Ten teams, but are looking at the Hoosiers as a chance to regain confidence. \n"I feel like we've improved a lot from the beginning of the season, however, we play in a conference that leaves little room for any errors," Purdue head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer said. "We really just have to focus on what we are doing on our side of the net and execute. To be successful against Indiana we will need a total team effort." \nPurdue's team troubles have not stood in the way of individual player success, though. Two sophomore Boilermakers have stepped up to score in the double digits. Against Northwestern, Joanna Lowry had a standout performance as she led the team with 15 kills. In Purdue's last match Eryn Leach led Purdue with 11 kills in the effort against Wisconsin. \nThe in-state rivalry against IU and Purdue is a tradition that each varsity sport carries on. For women's volleyball, the rivalry started in 1975 with the first Purdue victory over IU. The win against Purdue Saturday would award the Hoosiers with the Monon Spike, a traveling volleyball trophy Purdue has had custody of after they defeated IU in five games last season. \n"I think (the rivalry is) definitely a big deal for us because we have a lot of Indiana people on our team and I know we have some freshman that are from out of state, but I think once we get them in the atmosphere of playing against our big rival everyone will instill that among the younger girls," junior Hillary Toivonen said. \nThe preparation has been tough for IU, but with sophomore powerhouse Melissa Brewer, who scored her 500th career kill against Illinois, and freshman newcomer Christina Archibald, who leads IU with 212 kills of the season, anything can happen. \n"As the season goes on we are getting better and better and I think that\'s the most frustrating thing. We are getting better as a team we are just making unforced errors at real key times for us," Head coach Katie Weismiller said. "We are working on how to finish a game; we are competing, we are in the matches, it doesn\'t matter who we play…we are doing everything except for finishing the match. When you look at the big picture it\'s Indiana against Purdue and that\'s a night that everyone gets up for no matter what"

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