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(09/06/13 3:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team (3-0) will head to Charleston, S.C., this weekend for its first road matches of the year in the College of Charleston Invitational.The tournament is four-team style, similar to the one the team just played at home. IU will take on South Carolina State, College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina.“The first week is always a good test to see where we are,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “We have to come in hungry and fix the things we didn’t do well because the competition is only going to get better over the weekend.”South Carolina State (0-3) was swept in all three of its matches last weekend in the Gamecock Invitational by South Carolina, High Point and Florida International. South Carolina State will play the Hoosiers Friday.“We are just going to go in with an attack mentality the same way we approached last tournament, come out fighting and show them what Indiana volleyball is,” IU junior middle blocker Morgan Leach said.College of Charleston (4-0) is coming off a weekend similar to IU’s, having played in the Georgia Tech Tournament and won all three of its matches against Chattanooga, Florida A&M and an impressive win over Georgia Tech.College of Charleston also beat Charleston Southern Tuesday.“College of Charleston is playing very good volleyball,” Dunbar said. “They have a lot of weapons, and they have a transfer from Penn State that has done a great job for them playing six rotations.”Coastal Carolina (1-2) is coming off its own tournament, the Coastal Carolina Tournament, where it lost to Youngstown State and Iowa, but beat Wofford. Coastal Carolina is a big, physical team, Dunbar said, adding IU must serve the ball well to win.Serving was a strong point last weekend, especially sophomore outside hitter Amelia Anderson, who led IU in aces.“I think going into this weekend we are more motivated,” Anderson said. “We are hungry for more wins.”Dunbar said that she is currently limiting redshirt senior Jordan Haverly in practice.Haverly leads IU in kills so far this season, and is expected to be one of the most consistent players throughout the season for the Hoosiers.“We are practicing her about half, not a lot of jumping in practice, more defense and passing. We’ll see how she feels,” Dunbar said. The last game of the tournament will be IU against College of Charleston and is expected to decide the winner of the entire tournament.“That is going to be a huge match,” Anderson said. “We’ve known that, but going into it, we are just going to bring our energy and play our game.”Follow volleyball reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVcourt.
(09/02/13 8:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU women’s volleyball team (3-0) started its season off by dominating three opponents to win the Indiana Invitational this past weekend.Senior Caitlin Hansen and sophomores Amelia Anderson and Awele Nwaeze were named to the all tournament team, with Nwaeze named the tournament’s most valuable player.“I’m more happy that we won, but it is an honor to be MVP and an honor to be on the all tournament team,” Nwaeze said.IU pounded Robert Morris in the opener Friday night, winning 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-18). Fifth year senior Jordan Haverly led the Hoosiers with 11 kills and seven digs. Sophomore Katie Gallagher had 17 assists, Hansen led the team in digs with eight and Nwaeze had eight kills and a team high five blocks.“Our mentality was really good throughout the entire tournament,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said. “We talked about having an attack mentality, and I thought we came out with that and used our physicality in this tournament against teams that weren’t as physical as us.”Saturday morning IU took down future Big Ten member Rutgers in another 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-21, 25-20). Senior Jade Henderson and junior Morgan Leach each had nine kills, Leach also added five blocks. Hansen led the team with 11 digs and freshman Megan Tallman had 16 assists. IU had control in each set but the third until the Hoosiers pulled away on a 6-1 run to win the set. “We didn’t let the pressure get to us,” Nwaeze said. “We didn’t let up. We went out there for every point and attacked, and that showed a lot of character for our team.”In the closing match of the tournament, IU knocked off the Kent State Golden Flashes 3-1, (25-11, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22). After winning the first eight sets of the season, IU dropped the third set after Kent State rallied from being down by five to win by three. IU came back to win a tough fourth set. Haverly had 16 kills and seven digs. Nwaeze had 13 kills, three blocks and two aces. Anderson had 10 kills to go with an ace. Gallagher led the team in assists with 29, and Hansen led in digs with 16 for IU.“Awele was our MVP, and I thought she did some really nice things for us. She was just very dynamic, made some big plays when we needed her to make some big plays, and I think that’s what great players do when they’re needed,” Dunbar said. “We call that competitive greatness.”Haverly, who has been battling an injured knee following surgeries, helped the Hoosiers with 34 kills in the tournament.“I was really proud of (Haverly),” Dunbar said. “The knee is not great, and she pushed through three long matches, playing six rotations — the only player playing six rotations.”Dunbar said IU also communicated well, talking throughout each match, and it showed in their play.“Caitlin was our most consistent player,” Dunbar said. “She passed really well. She led the court, ran the court and no matter what the score was, she was in their ears telling them we are going to win and this is what we are going to do, and I think you have to have someone like that as your libero, and I thought she did a good job.”After an exciting start this weekend, Anderson said the team has high hopes for the rest of the season.“We are going to the tournament this year,” Anderson said. “We are going.”Follow volleyball reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter at @AndrewVcourt.
(08/30/13 5:06am)
The IU Volleyball team will open up the new season Friday evening when they take on Robert Morris at 7pm at University Gym in the second match of the annual Indiana Invitational. In the first match at 5pm, Kent State will take on future Big Ten member Rutgers.“It’s always exciting to start playing other teams instead of just practicing,” IU Head Coach Sherry Dunbar said.Coming off of a disappointing season, the Hoosiers will have to play well to take all three of their matches this weekend. “We’ll get our first test against Robert Morris, who is a team that has gone to the NCAA tournament I think 14 years in a row, picked second in their conference, they’re going to give us our first challenge,” Dunbar said. “They know how to win.” Robert Morris went 17-17 overall and 13-3 in the Northeast conference last year, and is led by juniors Hannah Hoffman and Becky Jay, setter and middle back respectively. They have no seniors on their roster.“We are taking it one step at a time. We can’t look past that first game [against Robert Morris],” sophomore setter Katie Gallagher said. Saturday at 11:30am IU will take on Rutgers, who Dunbar said is looking to make a statement. “Rutgers is coming and is joining the Big Ten so you know they’re going to be ready to play us,” Dunbar said. Rutgers went 18-12 overall and 4-11 in the Big East conference last year, and returns three starters. They are led by junior setter Tracy Wright, and sophomore outside hitter Kelli Mullane. n their final match of the weekend, Saturday at 7pm, IU plays Kent State. Kent State is looking to bounce back after going 6-22 overall and 3-13 in the MAC conference last year. “This has been a long summer for us and a long preseason, and it has been a good one,” Gallagher said. “We have made lots of big changes and a lot of little changes, which have created a new identity for our team, and I think we are going to go with it and run.” Kent State is led by junior outside hitter Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola and senior defensive specialist Hannah Herc. Aderemi-Ibitola led the team in kills, while Herc led the team in digs. Being the beginning of a new year, this means this weekend will be the first time seven team members will be playing be IU. They include true freshmen Allison Hammond, Taylor Lebo, Jazzmine McDonald, Megan Tallman, redshirt freshman Mariah Coleman, and transfers Danetta Boykin and Awele Nwaeze. “I’m really really pumped [to play at IU],” Nwaeze said. “Last year I didn’t play at a school that had a ton of support for volleyball from the students.” After a rigorous offseason, Nwaeze also said that she is ready to get the season started. “[The offseason program] taught me a lot of discipline and drive. There was a lot of stuff that you would say oh no way I can’t come in three times and run, and still go to class, and make good grades, but that stuff is possible, and they tested us a lot this summer with work ethic and effort,” Nwaeze said. Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVCourt
(08/29/13 4:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the first volleyball games coming this weekend, senior team captain Jade Henderson said the team is excited to get started.“This is the most excited I’ve been for a season,” she said. “This year we have great potential and chemistry. We have the talent, and we have put it out there that we are ready for the season.”After missing the NCAA tournament the past two seasons, this year’s squad is looking to remind people of the 2010 team that made it all the way to the Sweet 16. Returning all but three seniors, IU also adds a talented freshman class. IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said she doesn’t see why there is any reason the team shouldn’t make the tournament.“NCAA tournament is our goal,” she said. “The journey is to figure out ways to get there, but that has been our goal since January when we started training again, and I think it’s very clear, and we have been working towards that every day.”Seven teams in the Big Ten are ranked in the top 25 nationally. Four Big Ten teams are in the top 10. Indiana, however, is not ranked.Defending conference champion Penn State comes to the University Gym Oct. 3 to face the Hoosiers, who will look to upset the No. 3 team in the country.“You’re seeing the best conference in volleyball in America,” Dunbar said.Other notable games on the schedule include home matches against No. 22 Ohio State Oct. 5, No. 8 Minnesota Nov. 2, No. 7 Nebraska Nov. 23, No. 15 Purdue Nov. 27 and the home finale against No. 5 Michigan Nov. 29.“We want to go undefeated in the preseason, and we want to compete hard in the Big Ten,” Henderson said. “We want to go to the tournament. We will go to the tournament.”Players say an advantage the Hoosiers appear to have heading into their opening matches this weekend against Robert Morris, Rutgers, and Kent State is team chemistry. The team has spent all spring and summer working out and preparing for the season and are hoping that their hard work pays off. “We have a new identity this year, and we can’t wait to show everyone,” senior team captain and defensive specialist Caitlin Hansen said. “Our camaraderie and our togetherness is unbelievable. I’ve been here for four years now, and I’ve never had this feeling before."IU had an average attendance of 676 people for their home matches at University Gym, and is hoping to draw more attention this year from students.“We are going to put on a show for them,” Hansen said. “We are going to show them how hard we worked, and I’ll tell you it’ll be an experience that you will never forget. We will bring you energy, and we’ll bring you a show. We’re excited to play at IU, and we bring our pride and play with our pride.”Follow reporter Andrew Vailliencourt on Twitter @AndrewVcourt.