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(10/05/09 2:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Following its five-set victory at Purdue, the IU volleyball team got another taste of how difficult the Big Ten can be Sunday.The Hoosiers (13-5, 2-2) fell to the Golden Gophers (13-3, 4-0) in straight sets by scores of 25-20, 25-19 and 26-24.“I don’t think we played bad volleyball today,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said. “I just think when you play a team like that, you have to play great volleyball.”Minnesota received an early boost from junior middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer, who posted three kills to guide the Gophers to a 13-7 start and forced an IU timeout. Gibbemeyer recorded seven total kills in the first frame.Gibbemeyer shifted between middle and outside frequently, something she said her team planned to do against IU.“It was really important for us to attack at the pins because Indiana’s a really good ... blocking team,” Gibbemeyer said. The Hoosiers pulled within three on freshman setter Whitney Granado’s serve, and sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin posted two key blocks to keep IU close. However, the Gophers maintained the advantage and won the set 25-20 on an IU service error.Minnesota continued its strong hitting and net play in the second set. Much of the Hoosiers’ offense came from outside hitters, freshman Jordan Haverly and senior Kelsey Hall, who posted six and four kills, respectively.Sophomore libero Caitlin Cox added a service ace, but the Gophers took to win the set, 25-19.IU emerged strong in the third set with freshman right-side hitter Kelci Marschall posting three consecutive kills to begin the frame.The set remained close and needed extra points. A block by Chaudoin and junior middle blocker Ashley Benson propelled the Hoosiers to within one while Minnesota had match point. Hall killed one to tie the set at 24-24 before Minnesota won the next two points to put away the match.“They have a lot of balance and play with a lot of fire,” Dunbar said. “We want to beat Minnesota someday.”
(10/02/09 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Now three games into the Big Ten season, each conference opponent the IU volleyball team has faced has been ranked at some point in 2009.The Hoosiers (13-4, 2-1) hope to seize another victory against a ranked foe as they face No. 8 Minnesota (11-3, 2-0) at 1 p.m. Sunday in University Gymnasium .“They’re great,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said. “They’re a fantastic team.”The Golden Gophers enter their second weekend of conference play as the top blocking team in the Big Ten at a 2.88 average per match. IU ranks third in the conference with a 2.69 average per set.Junior middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer leads the conference with a 1.52 block average and fifth nationally. Before coming to Bloomington to face the Hoosiers, Minnesota will stop in West Lafayette Friday for a date with Purdue, whom IU beat in five sets Wednesday.Dunbar said she was proud of her team winning in a hostile road environment, the freshmen players, in particular.Freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly totaled 19 kills and 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season. Middle blocker Samantha Thrower added five block assists and nine kills, including the match-winner in the fifth set.“I like that we can ... give a freshman the ball and let her put it away,” Dunbar said. “I was proud that they didn’t get tentative and stayed aggressive.”Junior middle blocker Ashley Benson, who led IU to victory against the Boilermakers with 21 kills and four block assists, said the team needs to keep in mind what it did Wednesday when it faces Minnesota.“I think, you know, just keep the thought in our minds about us playing Purdue and how hard we fought against them, and bring that to Minnesota,” Benson said.
(10/01/09 4:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said her team would have to be ready for a five-set match against Purdue given the rivalry’s recent history. That recent history repeated itself Wednesday, but this time the end result favored IU. The Hoosiers (13-4, 2-1) won the third straight five-set match against the Boilermakers (9-5, 1-2) to earn IU’s first victory over Purdue in any sport in the 2009-10 academic year. “When you go up 2-0, you’re excited, but you also know Purdue’s going to come back and play a lot harder,” Dunbar said of the match, which IU led 2 sets to none, followed by Purdue rallying and forcing a fifth set. “I was really proud of us just fighting.” The Hoosiers entered the hostile environment of Purdue’s Intercollegiate Athletic Facility and won a tight first set 25-22. Junior middle blocker Ashley Benson and freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly paced IU with six and five kills, respectively. IU controlled the match’s second contest, jumping to a 21-15 lead on sophomore libero Caitlin Cox’s serve. The Boilermakers managed to win two points before freshman right-side hitter Kelci Marschall and Haverly recorded kills to seal a 25-17 win. The teams went back and forth to begin the third set with a 7-7 start. However, several Hoosier errors allowed Purdue to jump to a 15-10 lead. The Boilermakers didn’t look back, cruising to a 25-17 victory in the frame. Purdue seemed to carry its momentum into the fourth set with a 3-0 start. The Boilermakers maintained their five-point advantage and capitalized, taking a 19-12 lead to force an IU timeout. The Hoosiers were able to stage a small rally behind Benson’s five kills before Purdue clinched the set, sending the rivalry to a fifth set for the third straight time. IU entered the final set with renewed vigor and started 4-0, but the Boilermakers responded with six straight points on sophomore libero Blair Bashen’s serve. The teams struggled for the lead until Haverly pushed the Hoosiers forward as they surged to match point at 14-11. For the second straight match, freshman middle blocker Samantha Thrower put away the winning point to clinch the win for the Hoosiers. Benson, who registered 21 kills to lead IU, said she was proud come through in the fifth set in a raucous environment. “We played really hard in that last game,” Benson said. “The Purdue fans are crazy and really loud. They pull out anything they can. Everyone just fought together and pulled it out.” Dunbar agreed. “Fifth sets to me are like gut-checks,” she said. “Technique is kind of out the window then. You’re just going all-out and playing aggressive, and I thought we did that well.” The Hoosiers return to action Sunday at home against No. 8 Minnesota. Dunbar said the team has a lot of work to do but will savor the moment of defeating a major rival. “Tonight, we’re going to enjoy Purdue,” she said.
(10/01/09 1:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said her team would have to be ready for a five-set match against Purdue given the rivalry’s recent history. That recent history repeated itself Wednesday, but this time the end result favored IU. The Hoosiers (13-4, 2-1) won the third straight five-set match against the Boilermakers (9-5, 1-2) to earn IU’s first victory over Purdue in any sport in the 2009-10 academic year. “When you go up 2-0, you’re excited, but you also know Purdue’s going to come back and play a lot harder,” Dunbar said of the match, which IU led 2 sets to none, followed by Purdue rallying and forcing a fifth set. “I was really proud of us just fighting.” The Hoosiers entered the hostile environment of Purdue’s Intercollegiate Athletic Facility and won a tight first set 25-22. Junior middle blocker Ashley Benson and freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly paced IU with six and five kills, respectively. IU controlled the match’s second contest, jumping to a 21-15 lead on sophomore libero Caitlin Cox’s serve. The Boilermakers managed to win two points before freshman right-side hitter Kelci Marschall and Haverly recorded kills to seal a 25-17 win. The teams went back and forth to begin the third set with a 7-7 start. However, several Hoosier errors allowed Purdue to jump to a 15-10 lead. The Boilermakers didn’t look back, cruising to a 25-17 victory in the frame. Purdue seemed to carry its momentum into the fourth set with a 3-0 start. The Boilermakers maintained their five-point advantage and capitalized, taking a 19-12 lead to force an IU timeout. The Hoosiers were able to stage a small rally behind Benson’s five kills before Purdue clinched the set, sending the rivalry to a fifth set for the third straight time. IU entered the final set with renewed vigor and started 4-0, but the Boilermakers responded with six straight points on sophomore libero Blair Bashen’s serve. The teams struggled for the lead until Haverly pushed the Hoosiers forward as they surged to match point at 14-11. For the second straight match, freshman middle blocker Samantha Thrower put away the winning point to clinch the win for the Hoosiers. Benson, who registered 21 kills to lead IU, said she was proud come through in the fifth set in a raucous environment. “We played really hard in that last game,” Benson said. “The Purdue fans are crazy and really loud. They pull out anything they can. Everyone just fought together and pulled it out.” Dunbar agreed. “Fifth sets to me are like gut-checks,” Dunbar said. “Technique is kind of out the window then. You’re just going all-out and playing aggressive, and I thought we did that well.” The Hoosiers return to action Sunday at home against No. 8 Minnesota. Dunbar said the team has a lot of work to do but will savor the moment of defeating a hated rival. “Tonight, we’re going to enjoy Purdue,” Dunbar said.
(09/30/09 3:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association top-25 poll, including top-ranked defending national champion Penn State.IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said she knows what it will take for her young squad to compete in and win matches in such a challenging conference.“We’re trying to get them better mentally focused,” Dunbar said. “We’re going to start at a higher level and teach them to compete, so that starts transferring over to matches. In reality, I think we need to play more now that we’re getting into Big Ten, so our kids learn how to compete at that level.”With a young 2009 roster, the IU volleyball team has already displayed flashes of competitive brilliance.The Hoosiers (12-4) enter their 2009 Big Ten slate as champions of two non-conference invitational tournaments and winners of two five-set matches against 2008 NCAA tournament participants Ohio and Missouri State.Dunbar said those two victories were especially helpful to the team’s confidence and motivation heading into the conference schedule.“It gives us more motivation to get ready for Big Ten season,” Dunbar said, “that we can beat quality opponents and fight.” In the Big Ten, IU can expect to be challenged every match. Following a loss to No. 8 Michigan and upset of No. 16 Michigan State last weekend, IU is 1-1 in Big Ten play.The Hoosiers will play the first of their home-and-away match series against Purdue (8-3) in West Lafayette on Wednesday. The Boilermakers were ranked to begin the season and currently stand just outside the top 25.Oct. 4, IU will play host to No. 9 Minnesota (11-3). The Hoosiers split their 2008 series with the Golden Gophers, losing in Minneapolis and then winning in Bloomington after five sets Nov. 1.The Hoosiers will kick off Hoosier Hysteria on Oct. 16 against Iowa in Assembly Hall.Seven of IU’s Big Ten matches will air on television, including Oct. 23 at Penn State and home matches on Oct. 30 against Illinois and Oct. 31 against Northwestern.Freshman setter Whitney Granado said the players understand what they have to accomplish in practice in order to succeed in the Big Ten.“Right now, we’re just trying to compete,” Granado said, “compete with each other and with ourselves.” Senior outside hitter Kelsey Hall said the Hoosiers’ preparation means nothing if they don’t keep up their energy level during matches.“Just trusting each other, going out there and fighting,” Hall said. “Like, when we get those big points, we need to celebrate.”
(09/30/09 3:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Compared to the 125 years of football or 108 years of basketball, the University’s volleyball program is still in its early childhood. However, IU volleyball has slowly but surely displayed signs of emergence among its fellow university sports teams as it enters its 34th season. IU has taken small steps to get its volleyball program out into the national picture, something current head coach Sherry Dunbar acknowledged. “Especially when you’re trying to build a national contender, you’ve got to have your name out there,” Dunbar said. IU laid the groundwork for that from the start. The Hoosiers began play under head coach Ann Lawver in 1975 and placed third in the Big Ten each of their first three seasons. The conference held a tournament to decide its champion until 1982. Doug West succeeded Lawver as head coach in 1983 and landed a vital piece to the Hoosiers’ building blocks the following season when outside hitter Karen Dunham, IU’s first hugely successful individual player, arrived on campus. The Muncie native recorded 46 service aces – now third all-time for IU freshmen – on her way to garnering Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 1984. Dunham totaled 154 career aces, now second in school history, and 3,925 career assists, a mark which still ranks third all-time. With three All-Big Ten designations, an All-America honorable mention in 1985 and winning records each of her four seasons, Dunham set an early standard for Hoosier volleyball players. In addition to Dunham, several IU players made marks in the 1980s. Julie Goedde, a first team All-Big Ten selection as a senior in 1989, is still the Hoosiers’ all-time leader in solo blocks and total blocks. Sheri Stout followed in Dunham’s footsteps as the Big Ten’s top freshman in 1989. Diane Hoereth, who played for IU from 1989-1990, is the career leader in hitting efficiency at a .290 clip. Despite individual success, IU did not reach the NCAA tournament until the 1990s under head coach Katie Weismiller. Hired in 1993, Weismiller led the Hoosiers to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1995, just her third season, and took them to their other three in 1998, 1999 and 2002, as well. The Weismiller era saw an even greater influx of individual talent as Julie Flatley, Ryann Connors, Amanda Welter and Melissa Brewer were all named first team All-Big Ten. Flatley and Connors were both named National Player of the Week by the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association. Under Dunbar, who took over in 2007, the trends have continued. Erica Short became the school’s all-time kills leader in 2008 with 1,889 and also received an All-America honorable mention. Juli Pierce set the digs record in the same year. Current junior middle blocker Ashley Benson is rapidly climbing the blocks and hitting efficiency boards. On top of all of that, the Hoosiers had a No. 22 recruiting class for 2009. The marks left in the past helped set the pace for IU volleyball. Now, it is up to the players to accelerate that pace in the 2009 season.
(09/30/09 4:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The 2009 Smithville Crimson and Gold Cup begins in a sport that saw both 2008 meetings between the two schools end in five-set thrillers.The IU volleyball team hopes the results of those matches are different this year.The Hoosiers (12-4, 1-1) play in West Lafayette for the first of two regular-season battles with Purdue (9-4, 1-1) at 7 p.m. Wednesday.The match also marks the first contest against the Boilermakers for any IU sport in the 2009-10 academic year.IU coach Sherry Dunbar said her team needs to be mentally prepared for the rivalry match. “The biggest thing for us is we’re going to scout them, just like we do everybody else,” Dunbar said. “But we’ve got to go up there understanding that’s our big rival. We’ve got to be ready to put it all out on the line.”IU engaged in a pair of five-set matches against Purdue last season, losing each one.Dunbar said the Hoosiers should expect more of the same from the rivalry given the recent history.“It’s probably going to be a long match because ever since I’ve been here, it’s gone five,” Dunbar said. “It’s our rival. It’s a dogfight. So we’ve got to prepare for that kind of battle, I think.”This battle will be IU’s third Big Ten match this season. The Hoosiers split the opening weekend of their conference slate, falling to then-No. 8 Michigan 3-0 Friday and then rebounding to beat then-No.16 Michigan State in four sets Saturday.The Boilermakers opened their Big Ten schedule against the same two opponents, tallying the same results. Purdue handed Michigan State its first loss of 2008 on Friday and then fell to Michigan on Sunday.Several freshman players made significant contributions for IU in their Big Ten debuts, including hitters Jordan Haverly and Kelci Marschall and middle blocker Samantha Thrower.Dunbar said she was pleased to see her young players rise to the occasion against Michigan and Michigan State. She said it shows signs of things to come.“If we can have freshmen come in and bring that energy and make impacts at that young of an age, that’s only going to help us in the future,” Dunbar said. “So I really like that they’re getting some playing time and making a difference out there.”Thrower, who totaled 11 kills and six total blocks last weekend, said she is ready for her first IU-Purdue experience.“I’m really, really excited,” she said. “We’re all fired up.”Haverly, who currently leads the Hoosiers in kills per set with 3.57, agreed.“We’re just going to focus on competing and coming out hard once we get there and showing them that Indiana is ready to take it to them,” Haverly said.Dunbar said the veteran players on the team will also have to step up for Purdue as well as the rest of the Big Ten.“We’ve got to get some more leadership on the floor and know that this is the Big Ten Conference, and we’ve got to step up,” Dunbar said.
(09/28/09 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar spoke of the need to apply pressure on favored Big Ten foes as her team prepared to enter its conference slate.Her players took that message to heart.The Hoosiers (12-4, 1-1) split their first two Big Ten matches at home, falling to No. 8 Michigan on Friday and then upsetting No. 16 Michigan State on Saturday.The Hoosiers entered University Gym on Saturday with renewed energy and chemistry after a loss against Michigan and knocked off the No. 16 Spartans (12-2, 0-2) to earn their first Big Ten victory of the season.IU won the match by scores of 25-19, 18-25, 25-23 and 25-18.“I think we earned it,” Dunbar said. “I think for once, we went out, we really competed, we fought for every point and we got rewarded for it.”The Hoosiers started strong in the first set as freshmen Kelci Marschall, Samantha Thrower and Jordan Haverly recorded four, three and two kills, respectively. Thrower and Haverly also posted two block assists.The momentum shifted to Michigan State’s court in the second frame as the Spartans’ hitting evened the match at one set apiece.IU’s freshmen continued to shine in a tight third set as Haverly recorded two consecutive kills late in the frame and Marschall had another, leading to a set-clinching ace by sophomore libero Caitlin Cox.The Hoosiers carried momentum into the fourth set to seal the upset. Thrower put away the final point.“It was really amazing,” Thrower said of the win. “Everyone was out there supporting each other, just firing each other up, and it was awesome.”IU opened its conference schedule against the Wolverines (13-1, 1-0), whose hitting and serving proved too much for the Hoosiers as they swept the contest by scores of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-23.“They earn their eighth ranking in the country,” Dunbar said of Michigan. “You’ve got to respect teams like that. I never say anything bad about those types of programs because they have great tradition and they earn it, but we’ve got to find a way to get to that point, too.”For IU, junior middle blocker Ashley Benson and freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly led the way with 12 and 10 kills, respectively.After Michigan cruised in the initial two frames, IU kept the third set tight, climbing to a 19-17 lead before the Wolverines surged to match point. The Hoosiers staged a run on Haverly’s serve, but Michigan held on to seal the match.Dunbar said IU needs the energy displayed in that third set from the moment the team takes the court.“We needed it a lot earlier,” Dunbar said. “We really talked after the match, and we’ve got to find a way to come out and have that fire from set one, not after I give them that fire. That’s a great team and we’ve got to give them respect, but we also have to earn respect on our side. ”IU continues Big Ten play against Purdue at 7 p.m. Wednesday in West Lafayette. Haverly said the Hoosiers want to make a statement to their in-state rival.“We’re just going to focus on competing and coming out hard once we get there and showing them that Indiana is ready to take it to them,” Haverly said.
(09/25/09 3:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said that as underdogs, IU will have to overcome the pressure to win each match and apply that pressure on their favored conference opponents.That approach starts this weekend as the Hoosiers (11-3) open the Big Ten season with home matches against ranked foes in No. 8 Michigan (12-1) and No. 16 Michigan State (12-0). IU plays its first conference match against Michigan at 7 p.m. Friday in the University Gymnasium. “Their pen attackers, their outsides and their right-sides are very good, so we’re going to have to do the best job we can to slow them down,” Dunbar said.Dunbar said the Wolverines are particularly dangerous from the service line. “They’re rocket servers,” Dunbar said. “I think they either lead the Big Ten in aces per game or are right up there in two or three, so for us to be successful, we’re going to have to serve tough against them and we’re going to have to pass their serves.”The Hoosiers will conclude their first Big Ten weekend at 7 p.m. Saturday against Michigan State. “Not as good a serving team as Michigan, but a very good volleyball team,” Dunbar said of the Spartans. “They know how to win right now, and they had a great preseason beating some good opponents.” Junior middle blocker Ashley Benson, an All-Big Ten selection last year, said applying pressure is paramount in the conference. “The Big Ten is unpredictable,” Benson said. “There’s always going to be those random upsets that you never see coming. This year, I feel there’s going to be a lot of teams that underestimate us, and against those teams we have to fight as hard as we can to show them that we’re better than what we think they are.” Sophomore libero Caitlin Cox, a Big Ten All-Freshman selection last year, agreed. “You have to be on your toes all night and ... compete all 25 points until the game has ended,” Cox said.
(09/22/09 2:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Her face beaming, sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin pops onto the computer screen and greets viewers, ready to take them on a tour that extends beyond University Gym.This volleyball season, thanks to Chaudoin, fans can see deeper into the happenings of the Hoosiers.Chaudoin is the host of “Here’s Something from Mary,” a video blog on the 2009 IU volleyball team. A new episode launches every Monday during the season.“I think I’ve got some good stuff,” Chaudoin said.Chaudoin said she was approached by the IU media relations staff directly to unveil the happenings of the team.“Our media relations guy, Kyle Kuhlman, came up to me and said, ‘You know, we have a great idea,’” Chaudoin said. “‘You should do a video blog ... And you can show everyone, kind of give them a little bit of an insight into what it is to be an IU volleyball player.’ I said, ‘Okay, you know, whatever.’”Chaudoin said Kuhlman told her the project is at her discretion and that she can show anything about the team she wishes.“I said, ‘Well, do I have to follow any rules?’ And he was like, ‘No, as long as it can be aired and I don’t get into trouble, you can do whatever you want,’” Chaudoin said.For the Atlanta native, the process of creating videos about the team to share with all of Hoosier Nation is entirely new, but simply making videos is a different story.“I’ve always made goofy videos with my friends back home and stuff like that,” Chaudoin said. “But I’ve never done anything to this extent that’s been viewed so publicly.”Five episodes have run in “Here’s Something from Mary” thus far in the 2009 season. The first offers a glimpse of a typical evening after practice during the preseason.The second entry takes place in Houston, where the team swept the Flo Hyman Tournament. Chaudoin included a tour of the team bus, an MTV “Cribs” look into the house of freshman outside hitter and Houston native Shawn Hindman’s family and a Hoosier fashion show.The team’s sideline introduction at IU’s first football game and its trip to Athens, Ohio for a tournament are also included in the weekly series.Chaudoin said she has really enjoyed playing host on the video blog thus far and hopes to continue making videos for the team beyond 2009.“If they ask me to, I’ll do it,” she said. “I think it would be cool to kind of look back on my years here, kind of have a video yearbook.”
(09/21/09 4:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers (11-3) claimed two victories in three matches in their home tournament, falling to Western Michigan in four sets Friday and beating Alabama A&M and North Carolina A&T in straight sets Saturday.“We’re trying to get them better mentally focused, the intensity, the energy better,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said of her players. “I felt like at times we were really good in that department.”IU began its final tournament before Big Ten play Friday against 2008 Sweet Sixteen participant Western Michigan, dropping the match by scores of 22-25, 24-26, 25-19 and 23-25.“It was a little bit frustrating,” Dunbar said of the loss. “I felt like it was a struggle all night. We never really got into a rhythm.”The Hoosiers responded the following morning with a sweep of Alabama A&M, 25-10, 25-16 and 25-20.IU’s hitting attack proved too much for the Bulldogs, who committed 19 hitting errors compared to the Hoosiers’ 13.Reserves saw significant action for the Hoosiers as freshman outside hitter Shawn Hindman and freshman middle blocker Samantha Thrower each recorded four kills. Thrower also accounted for four total blocks.IU returned Saturday evening and recorded another straight-set victory against North Carolina A&T, 25-10, 25-17 and 25-18.Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Weeg made her biggest contribution of the season thus far with four kills and a block assist, and freshman setter Whitney Granado recorded a career-high 31 assists.“It was good to get back in the swing of things again,” said Granado, who had missed time due to an injury.The Hoosiers open Big Ten play Friday against No. 6 Michigan.
(09/18/09 3:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers (9-2) enter this weekend’s T.I.S. College Bookstore IU Invitational on a six-match win streak, having swept two of three tournaments in which they have participated. “We’re really, really driven to get these three wins in the home tournament,” sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin said. “To finish out 12-2 would be awesome.” IU opened the season at the University of Houston for the Flo Hyman Invitational, winning all three of its matches and claiming the tournament title. After going 2-2 in the first IU-sponsored tournament the following week, the Hoosiers swept the Hampton Inn Invitational at the University of Ohio, winning two five-set matches against Ohio and Missouri State. In addition to IU winning the tournament title, sophomore libero Caitlin Cox was named the event’s most valuable player and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, and freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. IU coach Sherry Dunbar said the sweep at Ohio showed that her squad has resolve and can beat quality opponents. “I think especially when you win two five-set matches against two quality opponents who go to the NCAA tournament, it definitely gives you more motivation to come into the gym on Monday and get better,” Dunbar said. “We learned how to fight this weekend, and that’s what we’ve talked a lot about,” she said. “Just making steps forward, and I think we made a big step forward in that aspect.” The Hoosiers look to make another big step at their second home tournament this season. The team’s first match takes place at 7 p.m. Friday against Western Michigan, who advanced to the Sweet Sixteen last year. Dunbar said the Broncos (4-7) give IU another quality opponent to play before the Big Ten season. IU will play two more matches Saturday, the first at 10 a.m. against Alabama A&M and the second at 7 p.m. against North Carolina A&T.“I think we can do some things to exploit some of the things they do, but they’re very athletic and obviously know how to win, going to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament last year,” Dunbar said.
(09/17/09 1:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For junior middle blocker Ashley Benson and graduate student right-side hitter Whitney Thomas, the choice of what college they would attend was never really a question. Both members of the IU volleyball team are natives of Bloomington and graduates of Bloomington High School North, where they played volleyball together for the first time. “I think I always knew I wanted to come (to IU),” Thomas said. “I didn’t really look anywhere else.” Benson had a similar thought process.“Really early, I think, I really had it planted in my brain that ‘I’m going to IU, I’m going to IU,” Benson said. Both extended their athletic careers into college, and short of obligatory backup plans, IU was always the place they figured they would attend. For Benson, there was family influence as her father, Kent Benson, was an All-American basketball player for the Hoosiers. She said that basketball was where her initial interests were as well. “When I was younger, I wanted to play basketball for IU,” Benson said. “But when I went to high school, I learned the game of volleyball and kind of gave up basketball.” Even though last year’s All-Big Ten selection developed a passion for a different sport, Benson said her father wasn’t going to tolerate switching loyalties. “I think the main point when I knew I was going to IU was when I went to school one day wearing a Kentucky shirt that a friend got me,” Benson said. “And right when I got home, my dad saw it and made me change into an IU shirt.” Benson shined in her high school career at Bloomington North and garnered consideration as the No. 17 recruit in the nation for the class of 2007. While IU was always her top choice, Benson conceded it wasn’t the only one. “There were a lot of different schools I wanted to go to,” she said. “My first visit was to IU, and I knew the campus and knew the town, and I fell in love with the girls who were playing here, so it was really easy for me to decide to go here. But I was also looking at Kentucky, and my dad was making me look at Purdue. I didn’t really want to.” Benson, who last year set all-time IU records with 167 single-season total blocks and 151 block assists, said it felt great to be successful at the collegiate level in her hometown. “I think it’s great,” Benson said. “It’s always great to have someone from that town playing sports (at the town’s school). I feel I know a lot more people. All those people come to the games and they fall in love with the other girls who are playing.” IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said it was important to have an elite local talent in the program. “Especially when you’re trying to build a national contender, you’ve got to have your name out there,” Dunbar said. “It’s difficult to get all we can in this league because there are so many great players out there ... It speaks volumes of her and it speaks volumes of our program.” Thomas, Benson’s high school teammate at Bloomington North, excelled in both volleyball and basketball as a prep athlete and chose to go the opposite route of Benson.After a record-setting four years as a member of the IU women’s basketball team, Thomas decided to return to volleyball while attending graduate school, using a fifth year of eligibility to play a different sport. Thomas said the adjustment back to volleyball after a four-year hiatus is coming along nicely as the Hoosiers’ season progresses. “I’m starting to get used to it over time,” Thomas said. “It’s totally different from basketball. There’s hardly any similarities at all, so it’s a big adjustment, but ... I’ve had great help from my coaches and teammates, so I’m starting to get it.” Dunbar said she was thrilled at the opportunity to coach Thomas. “After hearing so many positive things about what she’s done in basketball, but not just as a player but as a person, as a leader ... Hopefully we’re going to help her as much as she helps us.”Thomas said she is glad to play alongside Benson again. “I really enjoy it,” Thomas said. “I think that’s the best part, because whenever I was at North, I never really got to spend much time with her. I was out with injury and she was two years younger than me.” Benson said she feels the same way. “It feels great,” she said of Thomas joining the team. “The first time I played with her was my sophomore year. I always looked up to her, and I was always being told, ‘You can be better than Whitney Thomas,’ and I always said, ‘No way.’ Now that she’s here, she’s told me, ‘Now I’ve seen how much you have grown, and I want to be like you now.’ It’s really great. We have a lot of fun and a lot of great memories from high school.”
(09/14/09 3:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the Big Ten schedule ahead, the IU volleyball team was looking to make a statement.The Hoosiers (9-2) did just that by winning all four of their matches and claiming the championship at the Hampton Inn Invitational at Ohio University.“(Our blocking) was much better,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said. “We really controlled our defense a lot with our blocking.”IU opened the tournament Friday with a four-set victory against Delaware, winning 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 25-20.The win against the Blue Hens saw double doubles from sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin and freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly.IU rallied from an early deficit to win the first set. The Hoosiers dropped the third, then led the way in the fourth to seal the tournament-opening victory.The Hoosiers played their second match Friday evening against defending Mid-American Conference champion Ohio, defeating the Bobcats in five sets by scores of 25-17, 22-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12.After splitting the first four sets, IU and Ohio exchanged runs in the fifth before Haverly and junior middle blocker Ashley Benson rejected a hit to lead 13-11 and forced the final Ohio timeout, setting up the victory for IU.“It was definitely a statement win,” Benson said. “Before we played them, they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s Indiana, an easy Big Ten team,’ but we showed them we mean business.”IU continued its winning streak Saturday, blanking Eastern Kentucky 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 in its morning match.Though each of the three sets in the match was close, the Hoosiers got the necessary defensive contributions to seal the win.IU completed its sweep of the invitational Saturday afternoon against Missouri State, winning a thriller in five sets by scores of 25-21, 20-25, 26-28, 27-25 , 17-15.Haverly recorded a career-high 28 kills in a match that needed extra points in each of its final three sets.“It felt really great,” Haverly said. “There is so much energy on our court.”After falling 1-2 after the match’s initial three contests, the Hoosiers had to muster comebacks in each of the final two sets. They faced a 8-14 deficit in the fourth and a 7-11 hole in the fifth, but they rallied in each with big runs to seal the win.Caitlin Cox was named the tournament’s most valuable player with 88 total digs on the weekend.“I had talked with Coach Dunbar, and she told me I wasn’t in the top 10 in the Big Ten (in digs),” Cox said. “That was some extra motivation for me to have a big weekend.”
(09/13/09 4:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the Big Ten schedule ahead, the IU volleyball team was looking to make a statement.The Hoosiers (9-2) did just that by winning all four of their matches and claiming the championship at the Hampton Inn Invitational at Ohio University.“(Our blocking) was much better,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said. “We really controlled our defense a lot with our blocking.”IU opened the tournament Friday with a four-set victory over Delaware, winning 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 25-20.The win against the Blue Hens saw double-doubles from sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin and freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly.IU rallied from an early deficit to win the first set. The Hoosiers dropped the third then led the way in the fourth to seal the tournament-opening victory.The Hoosiers played their second match Friday evening against defending Mid-American Conference champion Ohio, defeating the Bobcats in five sets by scores of 25-17, 22-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12.After splitting the first four sets, IU and Ohio exchanged runs in the fifth before Haverly and junior middle blocker Ashley Benson rejected a hit to lead 13-11 and forced the final Ohio time out, setting up the victory for IU.“It was definitely a statement win,” Benson said. “Before we played them, they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s Indiana, an easy Big Ten team,’ but we showed them we mean business.”IU continued its win streak Saturday, blanking Eastern Kentucky 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 in its morning match.Though each of the three sets in the match was close, the Hoosiers got the necessary defensive contributions to seal the win.IU completed its sweep of the invitational Saturday afternoon against Missouri State, winning a thriller in five sets by scores of 25-21, 20-25, 26-28, 27-25 , 17-15.Haverly recorded a new career-high 28 kills in a match that needed extra points in each of its final three sets.“It felt really great,” Haverly said. “There is so much energy on our court.”After falling 1-2 after the match’s initial three contests, the Hoosiers had to muster comebacks in each of the final two sets. They faced a 8-14 deficit in the fourth and a 7-11 hole in the fifth, but rallied in each with big runs to seal the win.Caitlin Cox was named the tournament’s most valuable player with 88 total digs on the weekend.“I had talked with coach Dunbar and she told me I wasn’t in the top-10 in the Big Ten (in digs),” Cox said. “That was some extra motivation for me to have a big weekend.”
(09/12/09 6:08pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team continued its run in the Hampton Inn Invitational with a win against Ohio in five sets Friday. The Hoosiers (7-2) beat the host and defending Mid-American Conference champion Bobcats (6-2) by scores of 25-17, 22-25, 25-20, 23-25 and 15-12. The team received significant contribution from freshmen, with outside hitter Jordan Haverly registering 16 kills, seven of which came in the third set. Fellow freshman hitter Kelci Marschall put away five kills on the day. Three Hoosiers recorded double-digit digs, with sophomore libero Caitlin Cox leading the team at 17. Senior outside hitter Kelsey Hall and freshman defensive specialist Laura Matula each had 11. IU will play two more matches Saturday, the first at 10 a.m. against Eastern Kentucky and the second at 5 p.m. against Missouri State.
(09/11/09 4:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU volleyball team is just about two weeks away from opening Big Ten play, but IU coach Sherry Dunbar insisted the conference schedule isn’t the team’s current focus.“We’re really one day at a time,” Dunbar said.The Hoosiers (5-2) will travel to Athens, Ohio for the Hampton Inn Invitational at Ohio University this weekend. “We’re really all about practice right now because we have so many things ... to improve on,” Dunbar said. IU will play four matches in the tournament. Its first two contests will take place at 10 a.m. Friday against Delaware and 7 p.m. against host Ohio.The Hoosiers will play their final two matches Saturday at 10 a.m. against Eastern Kentucky and 5 p.m. against Missouri State.Ohio has received consideration in the coaches’ poll, and Dunbar said she expects the Bobcats (5-1) and Missouri State to be especially tough opponents.“Ohio is going to be a huge challenge,” Dunbar said. “Missouri State’s got a great program. We lost to them last year.”But two teams won’t deter IU from its one-day-at-a-time approach, Dunbar said.“I think everybody’s a challenge for us right now,” Dunbar said. “We’re a young team, and we will play really inconsistent. We need to work on our consistency, so having four matches this weekend will be great for us because we need more game experience.”Junior middle blocker and right-side hitter Taylor Wittmer, who registered 29 total kills and 25 total blocks in last weekend’s IU adidas Classic, agreed that the team isn’t getting ahead of itself.“Obviously, we’re thinking about Big Ten all the time because that’s our conference and we want to beat all the teams there, but as far as right now, we’re one match at a time because these matches right now will end up counting for the NCAA (tournament),” Wittmer said.
(09/07/09 3:26am)
Get to know the seven freshmen that help make up IU’s top-25 recruiting class for 2009.
(09/07/09 3:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite a disappointing loss to open the IU adidas Classic on Friday, IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said her team was competitive and that there was a lot of room to grow.“We just played more like a team (Saturday),” Dunbar said. “Our energy was a lot higher.”The Hoosiers (5-2) lost two matches on Friday and won two on Saturday to split their slate in the hometown tournament.IU dropped its first contest against the University of Tennessee-Martin by 25-14, 25-23, 19-25, 23-25 and 12-15.The Hoosiers posted a collective .297 attack percentage in their first match, with graduate student and right-side hitter Whitney Thomas and freshman outside hitter Jordan Haverly leading the team with 14 and 13 kills, respectively.The team saw most of its contributions from younger players. Junior middle blocker Ashley Benson did not see action until late in the fourth set as the Skyhawks were staging a comeback.However, that was not why IU lost, Dunbar said.“We just didn’t learn as the match went along, and UT-Martin did,” she said. “We never really learned how to play the game against this kind of team.”IU played its second match Friday night against No. 18 Kentucky, taking a set from the Wildcats before ultimately falling short of an upset in four games – 23-25, 25-19, 19-25 and 18-25.Dunbar said that despite another loss, she appreciated the effort from her team against a strong opponent.“I thought we were competitive,” Dunbar said of IU’s contest with Kentucky. “It was a competitive match. If you’re a fan, it was a fun match to watch, with a lot of hard hitting, a lot of great defense. We’re going to learn a lot from that match blocking-wise, defensively, and passing-wise.”Senior outside hitter Kelsey Hall, who led the team in kills against Kentucky with 17 and also recorded 15 digs, agreed with her coach.“I think it was really good, especially after what happened this morning,” Hall said. “I think we were in a bit of a funk, and to play like this tonight, I think it was good for our confidence.”Hall also credited the support from the IU fans during that match and said the team was really excited to see such a turnout.“It was overwhelming,” she said. “We haven’t had that in a long time. We’ll get a few fans here and there, but this was amazing.”IU was able to close the tournament with a pair of wins Saturday, the first against Murray State in four sets.The Hoosiers dropped the match’s initial set 22-25 before rebounding to win the next three 25-22, 25-12 and 25-14, posting a team attack percentage of .269.IU’s final contest in the Classic was a sweep of the University of Illinois-Chicago on Saturday night by 25-19, 25-20 and 25-13, respectively.Sophomore libero Caitlin Cox, who recorded three service aces in each of the Hoosiers’ Saturday matches, said Saturday was a great rebound from Friday.“I think it was nice to bounce back and get some confidence back,” Cox said. “I’ve been struggling a lot lately with my serving, and it was really nice to get on a run and get some aces in there.”As IU prepares for its next invitational at Ohio this weekend, Dunbar said she knows where her team needs to grow.“I think it’s on us,” she said. “We really have to follow game plans, we have to be able to adjust to the game plan and know which teams are going to make adjustments as they go along.”
(09/07/09 3:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Caitlin Cox is not short.That’s what sophomore libero and teammate, sophomore setter Mary Chaudoin, insists.“I’m not short – I’m fun-sized,” Cox said. “That’s kind of our theme.”At 5 feet, 2 inches tall, Cox is the shortest player on the IU volleyball team, but that doesn’t describe the size of her game and her importance to the Hoosiers.“We are a better team with her,” IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said. “She is our fire. She’s so competitive, and when she plays well, usually the whole team plays well.”Cox said while she understands that being shorter than most players at the collegiate level requires more individual effort, it’s no obstacle or barrier at her position.“I’m not sure if it’s a disadvantage or an advantage,” she said. “A lot of people joke around about it. But I think that being shorter, I have to work harder. Any back-row player has to work hard. I think I could be the same as a 6-foot specialist.”Cox also doesn’t let her size dictate her play, diving to save points and taking hard hits on the court, including a blow to the head while chasing a ball heading out of bounds in the Hoosiers’ first match of the IU adidas Classic on Friday.“I’ve never really hesitated,” Cox said. “I think I’ve just got that in my mind: watch the ball, wherever it is, and make the play.”Cox had that mentality before coming to IU when she led New Castle Chrysler High School to its first-ever state volleyball championship as a senior in 2007, also earning Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year honors.Dunbar said that the Springport, Ind. native was described a bit differently than “fun-sized” when she was recruiting Cox to IU.“They called her ‘Ice,’” Dunbar said, “because when she’s on the floor, she wants to win. She bangs her head, and she’s so mad because she wants to be in every point of the match. You want that player on your team.”Cox’s prep success translated to college immediately as she was selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman team last year after setting an IU freshman record for digs in a single season with 402.Cox said her impact and accomplishments so early in her career drove her to be even better this season, and that she and volunteer coach Peter Chang have discussed specifically how she would go about it.“I have pretty high goals,” she said. “Coach Chang and I have set specific goals for me, and those are kind of between us. If I reach them, that would be great. And I am going to reach them.”When asked if her teammates tease her about her height, Cox smiled.“Yes, I get it a lot,” she said. “But I’ve played this sport with 6-foot players for a while, and I’m used to it.”Chaudoin, a 6-foot, 3-inch setter who arrived at IU with Cox last year, was the first to describe her as “fun-sized.”“Caitlin and I came in last year together, and we’ve kind of always been on campus together and people would see us and be like ‘Wow, she’s really short,’ and ‘Wow, she’s really tall,’” Chaudoin said. “And I would always say, ‘She’s not short, she’s fun-sized!’”Chaudoin said she expects Cox to return the favor by coming up with a nickname for her.“I’m still waiting for that,” she said.