Volleyball goes to Minnesota

After losing two games more than the weekend on the road, the IU volleyball team (8-3) doesn’t get much of a chance to rest before tonight’s match with
Minnesota.

“It is a very tough place to play, and I am excited about it,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “It’s on the Big Ten Network, and it is another opportunity for us.”

The Hoosiers are coming off a weekend where they picked up two losses at Duke and North Carolina to finish out the non-conference schedule and will play Big Ten teams for the remainder of the regular season.

No. 9 Minnesota (12-1) is coming off a 4-0 weekend that saw the Golden Gophers beat Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Dartmouth in the Dartmouth Tournament.

The Gophers have also swept both UAB and Duke, whom IU has also played this season. The Gophers have picked up quality wins against Louisville and Ball State.
Minnesota’s only loss was in five sets to No. 18 Kentucky.

“We will focus on having really good practices before we fly out,” IU senior Jordan Haverly said.

Minnesota is led by senior middle blocker Tori Dixon, who leads the team in kills with 166 and is 22nd in the country in kills per game at 4.26. She also leads the team in blocks and aces.

Senior setter Alexandra Palmer leads the Gophers in assists with 433. Senior outside hitter Ashley Wittman leads the team in digs with 110.

Minnesota is 34th in the country in kills per set as a team, and the Hoosiers are tied for 41st, but Minnesota is sixth in the country in hitting percentage. IU isn’t in the top 50.

The Golden Gophers are also 16th in the nation in blocks per set.

“We know a little bit about them, obviously, because we play them every year,” Dunbar said. “We know their players and have a feel for what they have.”

IU goes into the match with four players all having similar numbers in kills, as junior Morgan Leach has 105, sophomore Amelia Anderson has 103, sophomore Awele Nwaeze has 102 and Haverly has 100.

Nwaeze also leads the team in blocks. Senior Caitlin Hansen leads the Hoosiers with 129 digs, while sophomore Katie Gallagher leads the team in assists with 261.

The Hoosiers have had their work cut out for themselves in practice as Dunbar has repeatedly said their passing game needs some improvement.

“Serving and passing at any level, Olympic level down to elementary level, are the two most important skills that you have,” Dunbar said. “And we work on them all the time, but you have to be able to do it against pressure.”

IU will return only to leave again as the Hoosiers will take on Wisconsin in Madison on Saturday. The next home match is Oct. 3, where they will play host to No. 1 Penn State. That game will be broadcast on ESPN2 and will be a red-out for all fans and students.

“We’re just excited to have another opportunity to play a ranked team,” Leach said.

Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVcourt.