After its Big Ten home opening win against Illinois, Indiana traveled to No. 1 ranked Wisconsin on Sept. 24. In a hard-fought match, the Hoosiers were swept in three sets, snapping their eight-game win streak.
Wisconsin won the first set in dominant fashion 25-13, led by junior middle blocker Anna Smrek with five kills. The Hoosiers struggled offensively, hitting negatively as a team compared to the .476 hitting percentage from the Badgers. Indiana’s Senior and graduate student middle blockers Savannah Kjolhede and Kaley Rammelsberg both tacked on three kills apiece.
After a disappointing opening set, Indiana fought back in the second set. The Hoosiers were able to keep the set close but ended up dropping it 23-25. Sophomore outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles led Indiana in the second set with five kills. Errors plagued the Hoosiers throughout the match, but in the second set alone they had eight errors on 32 swings.
In the third and final set of the match, Indiana fell 18-25. The Hoosiers continued their defensive power, tallying 14 digs and four blocks. The Badgers seemed to have an answer for any play Indiana tried to run. Facing a big block and strong defense, the Hoosiers struggled to get the ball down on the floor on the Wisconsin side.
Despite losing in three straight sets to the top-ranked Badgers, the Hoosiers were able to show fight and continue their climb through the Big Ten. Wisconsin led all statistical categories besides digs, where Indiana had 36 led by 16 from freshman libero Ramsey Gary. Senior outside hitter Morgan Geddes had 10 kills — the only Hoosier with double-figure kills. Both Kjolhede and Rammelsberg contributed seven and eight, respectively.
Indiana will be back at home for a pair of matches. The first match will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 29 against Iowa in Wilkinson Hall. The Hawkeyes head into the match after dropping their last two matches to ranked opponents.
Another test awaits the Hoosiers when they host No. 2 ranked Nebraska at 7 p.m. Sept. 30. Saturday’s match marks the second of four nationally televised matches for the Hoosiers, airing on Big Ten Network. The Cornhuskers are led by the top defense in the country, holding opponents on average to a hitting percentage under .100.
