IU looks to defeat Northwestern, Illinois in rematches

IU sophomore middle blocker Morgan Leach will likely hear the chant of “traitor” from Illini fans again when she goes back to her hometown Champaign, Ill.

“Last year I got the ‘traitor’ chant,” Leach said. “They completely just go after me. It’s weird, but it’s cool because my friends and family come to support me, and usually my high school team comes to watch me.”

Leach and her Hoosiers (10-14, 2-10) look to rebound against Illinois (10-13, 4-9) and Northwestern (15-8, 4-8) this weekend after dropping their previous matches against both schools.

IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said she was disappointed in her team last weekend.
In practice Monday, the team watched the tape of two top-five programs go at it.

“You know what we actually watched was the (No. 4) Nebraska and (No. 3) Penn State match,” Dunbar said. “I just had them watch those teams, not technically, but just what it looked like to watch two teams fight.”

After an Oct. 5 loss at home to Iowa, IU started to click and played well against ranked competition, Dunbar said.

The team took Nebraska to five sets, stole a set from then-No. 19 Ohio State and then-No. 1 Penn State, took down then-No. 17 Purdue and defeated Wisconsin for their first conference winning streak in two years.

Last weekend, the team submitted a lackluster performance in which they won only one set combined against unranked Michigan State and Michigan.

“I don’t know the answers, and I’m not afraid to say that,” Dunbar said. “We’re moving in a certain direction for two and a half weeks, and all of a sudden that changes. I don’t have the answers as to why that changed.”

IU looks to get back on track against defending NCAA Tournament runner-up Illinois Saturday night.

When the teams met in Bloomington on Sept. 28, the Fighting Illini took down the Hoosiers in four sets.

Since then, the Illini have gone 2-8 and are in the midst of a four-game losing streak.
IU will try to get its first win in five years at Huff Hall.

First, the Hoosiers travel to the shores of Lake Michigan to play the Wildcats on Friday.

IU will need to contain Stephanie Holthus, who averaged 5.25 kills a set against the cream and crimson earlier this year and who has a good relationship with one of the Hoosiers.

“Me and her were actually on the same team in club,” senior middle blocker Samantha Thrower said. “So it’s always an enjoyable challenge playing against a great player like that.”

Holthus is third in the conference, averaging 4.21 kills per set, and was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team.

“I think those players are going to get kills,” Dunbar said. “That’s the first thing you have to know. You have to try and limit them. You can’t let them have a hay day on you, but you have to understand they are going to do their thing.”