IU goes for sweep of Boilermakers tonight

The IU volleyball team (15-13, 6-10) travels to West Lafayette at 7 p.m. today to take on Purdue (15-12, 8-8). With four matches left in the season, IU still has an opportunity to secure an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. The bid would be IU’s first tournament appearance since 2002. The Hoosiers know the only way they can achieve that goal is by not looking ahead. \n“We are taking it game by game,” freshman setter Mara Hilgenberg said. “Right now, we just need to focus on Purdue.” \nIU will likely have to win three of the next four games to have a good chance of receiving an at-large bid. Even with a 9-11 conference record, a bid is not guaranteed for the Hoosiers. With the pressure to play well down the stretch, IU coach Sherry Dunbar feels that this week’s games gives her team an added advantage. \n“I feel we have an incentive this week. It is nice that we have Purdue. I do not think it will be hard for the team to get up for this game, because it is a rivalry game and a game that is televised.” Dunbar said. “We do not have to play back-to-back (matches) this weekend, and on Saturday we have a home match and it is Senior Night.”\nIn the team’s first meeting on Oct. 17, the Hoosiers defeated the Boilermakers 3-1.\nSince then, Purdue has changed its scheme, going from a 5-1 formation with only one setter to a 6-2 formation with an additional setter. Dunbar said this formation generates more opportunities on offense, but requires more of the setters. \nIU’s chances of victory may depend on the play of one of Purdue’s key players. Junior Stephanie Lynch comes into the game ranked fourth in the conference with a .348 hitting percentage. In IU’s win earlier in the season, the team held Lynch to a .259 hitting percentage.\nBefore Saturday’s win against Iowa, IU came into last Saturday’s match on a six-game losing streak.\nOne thing sophomore outside hitter Kelsey Hall said about the losing streak is the team got away from things it used to do well.\n“We got away from fighting and playing as a team,” Hall said. “During some of our loses our intensity level was down.”\nWednesday night, senior co-captain Juli Pierce will in all likelihood break the all-time single-season dig mark. Currently, Pierce sits at 434 digs, which puts her just three shy of the single-season record. Pierce also comes into this week’s play as the Defensive Player of the Week in the Big Ten. \nThis was the very first Player of the Week award in her career. In games against Minnesota and Iowa last weekend, Pierce totaled 35 kills and averaged 5.83 digs per game.