Volleyball team back on a roll

The Hoosier volleyball team is on a roll again. The squad has risen from a four game losing streak to begin anew with three straight wins. IU is now looking to extend this streak with two home matches this weekend against Iowa and Minnesota Friday and Saturday, respectively.\nBoth teams will certainly provide challenges for the Hoosiers, although each team will be a challenge of a different type.\nThe Hawkeyes' main weapons are scrappiness and an unorthodox playing style, junior middle blocker Melissa Brewer said.\n"The thing about Iowa is that they're a very scrappy team that doesn't play as orthodox as other teams play," Brewer said. "They send a lot of first and second balls over, a lot of back row attacks; it's one of those teams that can be really frustrating if you don't play your game."\nIowa is also coming off of two straight home losses. The Hawkeyes' offense is led by Renee Hill, who leads the team with a 3.75 kills per game and 3.08 digs per game. Hill has elevated her level of play for conference opponents averaging 4.21 kills per game against Big Ten teams.\nThe Hawkeyes' main defensive weapon is libero Pam Kavadas who averages 3.56 digs per game, which puts her at third in the Big Ten. Kavadas is flanked by the blocking prowess of middle blocker Abby Tjaden who averages 1.06 blocks per game.\nThe Minnesota Golden Gophers bring a completely different challenge to the Hoosiers with an impressive physical stance and a No. 8 USA Today/ACVA ranking to boot. Minnesota has 12 players standing at 5-feet, 10-inches or more, including eight standing at six feet or more.\n6-1 junior Cassie Busse leads the Gophers' offensive attack with a 4.18 kill per game average and a .309 hitting percentage. Busse's hitting is aided by sophomore setter Lindsey Vander Well's 12.53 assists per game along with 2.76 digs per game. Vander Well has been named the Big Ten co-player of the week two times this season.\nThe Gopher's defense is paced by 5-9 freshman libero Paula Genti,l who leads the Big Ten with 4.59 digs per game.\nDespite a pair of worthy opponents, the Hoosiers are confident in their playing ability and their chances. Senior libero Hillary Toivonen comes into Friday's match just seven digs away from overtaking assistant coach Cydryce Carter for second all-time on IU's career dig list.\n"I told Cydryce at the beginning of the year that my goal was to beat her, and I'm about to," Toivonen joked. "It's something that's in the back of my mind, but I don't concentrate on it."\nAlong with Toivonen's defensive ability comes three impressive offensive attackers ranking within the Big Ten top 20 in kills. Sophomore outside hitter Christina Archibald, sophomore middle blocker Katie Pollom, and Brewer lead the Hoosier offensive attack to 16.41 kills per game. Ranking third in the conference, Archibald leads the team with a 4.51 kill per game average, followed by Brewer's 3.67 and Pollom's 3.35. Pollom and Brewer also rank 1-2 on IU's block list with 1.10 and 1.04 blocks per game respectively.\nBut, a team cannot have good hitting without good setting, and sophomore setter Victoria Zimmerman fills that bill for the Hoosiers. Zimmerman brings 13.56 assists per game which ranks her fourth in the Big Ten.\nWhile Zimmerman's own statistics rank amongst the country's best, she is quick to credit her teammates' play.\n"The libero position and (sophomore defensive specialist) Beth Heimann coming back, and their passing makes it really easy to set," Zimmerman said.\nDespite ranking No. 20 in the nation kills per game and No. 15 in assists, IU has only managed a No. 34 ranking in the USA Today/ACVA polls. \n"We're just trying to work up that ladder, slowly; we're going to get there to that top 25," Archibald said. "I think it's an advantage because other teams still see us as 34th, but we're going to prove them wrong."\nDespite the relatively low ranking, coach Katie Weismiller said the IU team is happy where it stands and remains confident regardless of where USA Today/AVCA ranks them.\n"We certainly know what we're capable of, but it's going to take time for people to believe in us," Weismiller said.\nAfter stopping a four game skid, pulling themselves back to a .500 Big Ten average and starting a new winning streak, Brewer said a fire has ignited in the Hoosier volleyball team.\n"I think things have picked up tremendously; everyone's going hard all the time," Brewer said. "There's a new fire now that we're back on a winning streak"