Volleyball makes last road trip of regular season

IU volleyball is in the final stretch of its season with just four games left.

The two games this weekend are the final road games of the season, as IU faces Michigan State (12-15, 4-12) and No. 20 Michigan (21-7, 10-6) on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

“I think we just need to go in with the same mentality,” sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Enterline said. “When we come out and stun them right away, that takes their home court advantage away.”

IU defeated both opponents at University Gym less than a month ago, beating the Wolverines in three sets and the Spartans in five sets.

IU coach Sherry Dunbar talked about the positives from the October matches.
“I thought our block defense was really good,” Dunbar said. “We really formed good blocks and set the tone for those matches.”

While the Hoosiers are 9-2 at home, they have lost their last four road games.
Dunbar said the game plan for the October match against Michigan was to stop Lexi Zimmerman, who is third in the Big Ten with 1,093 assists on the year.

Indiana-native Alex Hunt leads the Wolverines and the Big Ten with 441 kills.

In practice this week, Dunbar has gotten the team ready for the road by wearing their red away jerseys each practice.

“I think just wearing jerseys, it feels more like a game and wearing red makes them feel like a road match,” Dunbar said.

Dunbar also said consistency would be important for the Hoosiers on the road, and sophomore defensive specialist Laura Matula agreed.

“Keeping it point by point will have players think in the moment,” Matula said.

Currently, the Hoosiers stand at eighth in the Big Ten with a 7-9 record.

IU can make up some ground with wins in Michigan.

“We have become comfortable at being that away team and we just have to be better than the other team,” Dunbar said.