Loring wants team to stay composed against Kentucky

On paper, it appears IU’s match Saturday against Kentucky will be a blowout.

The Hoosiers enter the match at 9-2 and have jumped 10 spots in the latest national rankings to No. 37. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are just 2-6 on the season, despite winning their past two matches.

But IU coach Lin Loring said he expects the match to be tough because the Hoosiers have no experience playing the Wildcats. Loring said the team has only seen Kentucky’s No. 1 player in previous years.

“They’ve got five new players at two through six, so it’s hard to prepare for them,” Loring said. “And they know everyone on our team. Every starter on our team is the same but Kayla (Fujimoto), I guess, so they’re pretty much familiar with our team and that’s an advantage for them.”

Loring said his team will practice on Kentucky’s courts Friday to get comfortable on their surface before Saturday’s match. He said that should help neutralize the home court advantage but that the Wildcats play well at home.

Kentucky has played three home matches this season, winning two and losing 4-3 to No. 43 Ohio State.

“They’re a little tougher in their building,” Loring said. “They lost 4-3 to Ohio State in their building, and we lost 4-3 to Ohio State last year, so I think they’re another level tougher at home, and hopefully we’ll be ready for it.”

— Daniel Allar