Team looks to get back on track after loss

After receiving votes in the top 25 of the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Poll, the women's volleyball team will travel to Michigan this weekend to battle the Wolverines Friday night and the No. 21 ranked Michigan State Spartans Saturday.\nIU (11-3, 1-1) has won six of seven games, but are coming off a loss to the No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions last weekend. The Hoosiers look to build upon a 1-2 road record this season, but said they know things will not come easy against the fast-paced Wolverines.\n"They will be out to beat us," sophomore middle blocker Katie Pollom said. "It will be tough since it is their 'pack the place night.'"\nMichigan, (7-5, 1-1) is led by Greenwood, Ind. native, sophomore Jennifer Gandolph, who leads the team with a 3.80 kills per game average. The Wolverines lone loss came to the No. 8 ranked Minnesota. Their Big Ten win came in the conference opener against Iowa. \nIU coach Katie Weismiller stressed the importance of not overlooking a good Michigan team.\n"UM is a very good team," Weismiller said. "It is important that we remember to play one point, one game and one match at a time."\nOn Saturday, the Hoosiers will play the 4th ranked opponent in their last five games as they head to East Lansing to face Michigan State. The Spartans, (9-3, 1-1) have beaten the likes of 24th ranked Kansas State earlier in the year. They are paced by junior Sara Villwock, who leads the team with just over four kills per game. \n"They are a top team every year," junior middle blocker Melissa Brewer said. "This would be a huge win for us. It's going to be fun on Saturday night."\nBrewer is 3rd on the team with 3.57 kills per game and leads the Hoosiers with 1.13 blocks per game.\n"It's the best skill I have that I can contribute to the team," Brewer said about her blocking. "As a team we are big, and its good that we are finally starting to use our size for blocking.''\nThe Hoosiers are 1-1 in the Big Ten, a conference which has 7 out of the 11 teams ranked in the top 37. \n"The Big Ten is tough," Weismiller said. "It is one of the best conferences in the country, which means every night is a big match."\nThe game Friday night against Michigan will be the Hoosiers first test after receiving the top 25 votes.\nWeismiller is well aware of the challenges that this respect brings. \n"We now have a mark on our back," she said. "But it does not change what we do or how we prepare"