Indiana volleyball had a perfect record ahead of its match with Western Kentucky University on Friday night.
The Hoosiers had only dropped three sets through eight matches this season, but the high-powered Hilltopper offense was too much for Indiana to handle, as Indiana was swept by Western Kentucky at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
In the contest, the Hilltoppers recorded 51 kills, compared to the Hoosiers’ 39, and had a hitting percentage of .269, while Indiana recorded a hitting percentage of .233.
Indiana was led offensively by seniors opposite hitter Avry Tatum and outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles, who recorded 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager, who averaged 11.63 kills per match ahead of the contest, was limited to just five.
Defensively, Alonso-Corcelles and freshman defensive specialist Audrey Jackson each recorded 10 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema tallied a game-high four blocks.
Eighth-year Indiana head coach Steve Aird elected for Jackson and freshman defensive specialist Avery Freeman to don black uniforms while their teammates wore white — the mark of a libero. But after the second set, graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith wore the black uniform with Jackson. Freshman defensive specialist Emma Segal was slotted into the libero position alongside Jackson for the opening matches of the season.
The Hoosiers won the first point of the first set off an attack error from Western Kentucky sophomore outside hitter Alivia Skidmore, but the Hilltoppers came right back with a point of their own off a kill from Skidmore.
Indiana and Western Kentucky continued to trade points into the middle of the set, as neither team held more than a 1-point lead until the Hoosiers went on a 4-0 run to take an 11-8 advantage.
However, Western Kentucky quickly closed the deficit. After going back-and-forth for a few points, the Hilltoppers put together a 4-0 run of their own to tie the game at 17, causing Aird to call a timeout.
Western Kentucky scored the first point out of the timeout with a kill from redshirt junior outside hitter Kendall Meller, but the two teams continued to trade points until the end of the match. The Hilltoppers created a 2-point lead and a kill from freshman right-side hitter Kaira Knox — who recorded nine kills in the first game — sealing the first set for Western Kentucky.
The second set started like the first — both teams trading points to keep it close. Indiana went on a 4-0 run to put the set at 10-6, but Western Kentucky immediately responded with its own 6-0 run to take a 12-10 advantage.
Indiana faced a 3-point deficit after a service ace from Western Kentucky senior defensive specialist Abby Schaefer. The Hoosiers pulled within 1 point with a kill from freshman middle blocker Victoria Gray and an attack error from the Hilltoppers, but Western Kentucky went on a 3-0 run to put the set at 20-16, and Aird called a timeout.
Out of the timeout, Indiana took the first point off a service error from Western Kentucky, but the Hilltoppers didn't slow down and won the second set 25-20.
With Indiana down 2-0 in the contest, it was looking to successfully complete a reverse sweep for the second time this season, but the Hilltoppers — who received votes in the AVCA poll — proved to be powerful offensively.
The Hilltoppers pulled ahead early in the second set, taking an 8-5 lead. Indiana responded with a 3-0 run off two kills and a block to tie the set. An ace from Boersema and an attack error from the Hilltoppers awarded the Hoosiers an 11-9 lead.
Knox — who recorded a game-high 22 kills — left the third set with an injury in the closing minutes. But that didn’t stop Western Kentucky from continuing to put pressure on Indiana offensively.
After taking the lead, the Hoosiers did not trail Western Kentucky until a kill from Knox put the score at 18-19. Indiana regained the lead with a kill from Tatum and did not fall behind until an attack error from Jager made the score 25-26. A kill from Alonso-Corcelles tied the set, but a service error from sophomore opposite hitter Avery Daum and a kill from Hilltopper sophomore outside hitter Faith Young gave Western Kentucky a 28-26 lead to win the set and sweep Indiana.
Indiana will close its non-conference slate against Bradley University at noon Saturday in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki8773 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
