IU will be traveling to Michigan this weekend to go against their first Big Ten opponents of the regular season, Michigan and Michigan State.
The Hoosiers play the Spartans first at 7 p.m Friday in East Lansing, Michigan, and then IU plays Michigan at 7 p.m. Saturday in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
After finishing 10-2 in the preseason, the Hoosiers said they are excited and eager to go into the regular season and take on the Big Ten opponents they’ve been preparing for.
“For a lot of us, we’re so much older and mature that we’ve experienced playing the Big Ten, that’s what we all live for, and that’s why we come to play in the Big Ten,” senior middle blocker Chantè George said. “So the only feeling that we have is excitement.”
Currently the Hoosiers are on a seven-match win streak coming out of the preseason, and they said they have no intention of slowing down.
This week the team has focused on preparing for Big Ten opponents and staying on the four standards set in their preseason: the out of system offense, serving smart, aggressive hitting and defense.
“You see the change of attitude in preparation and understanding,” Dunbar-Kruzan said. “It’s a test on Friday night just like you take in class. Here’s the preparation for it, and, however much you do to prepare, that’s going to help you on Friday and Saturday night.”
The Hoosiers have been adamant about getting as much preparation in advance as possible this week in practice, whether it be physically or mentally.
Dunbar-Kruzan said the Hoosiers have been playing more 6-6 games with each other, as well as talking more about Michigan State and Michigan to get the team in the mindset of playing for Friday.
Not even the common difficulty of traveling is anticipated to be a challenge for IU this weekend. In fact, the Hoosiers said they’re welcoming it.
“It’s all about how you talk about it and how you embrace it,” Dunbar-Kruzan said. “It’s exciting to come back and play in your own gym, and I think we’ll be excited for that, but I don’t think it’ll be a fear right now.”
George said IU’s main goal is to start the Big Ten season on the right foot.
“I think we’ll do a really good job as long as we bring out our speed from the very beginning,” George said. “If you’re really consistent on your speed and your communication, it’ll make your side a lot easier so that you don’t have to worry about the other side you only have to focus on your side.”
