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(04/04/05 5:37am)
After a grueling early season schedule, the IU softball team played its first Big Ten games of the season this weekend, losing twice to Michigan State.\nIn less than favorable weather conditions, the Hoosiers (10-24 overall, 0-2 in conference) took the field Friday afternoon with junior pitcher Megan Roark on the mound.\nThe Spartans jumped out to an early lead in the second inning, scoring five runs on only three hits.\nThe Hoosiers tried to come back, scattering seven hits, but were unable to bring any of them in, stranding eight runners on base. IU went on to lose the Big Ten opener 8-0.\nA bright spot for the cream and crimson was the return of pitcher Mariangee Bogado who had missed the last month and a half with a broken bone in her left wrist.\n"It felt great to be out there," Bogado said. "I just have to get my rhythm back."\nBogado threw 3 and 2/3 innings, surrendering only one run in her return.\nBefore Saturday's game began, IU honored Indiana Hall of Fame pitcher Amy Unterbrink-Poljan who threw out the first pitch of the game.\nDuring her playing career as a Hoosier, Unterbrink-Poljan set countless records for IU, including IU's best career win/loss record (96-45-2) and most innings pitched (1101).\n"Today was a tribute to Amy and the IU softball program," said IU coach Stacey Phillips. "She is still part of the program."\nMichigan State got on the board first again, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Center fielder Kim Richards saved a run when she gunned down a Spartan runner at home to end the inning.\nThe Spartans would tag on one more run in the third inning, giving them a 3-0 lead.\nAfter scoring a run in the fifth to close the gap, IU came to the plate in the seventh down two runs. The Hoosiers tallied another run when first baseman Tory Yamaguchi hit an RBI triple on a 0-2 count that scored Richards from first base.\nWith two outs and Yamaguchi on third, right fielder Lauren Hines came to the plate hoping to tie or win the game. Hines hit a fly ball that on most days would have been a home run, but a strong wind brought it back allowing Spartan right fielder Elizabeth Peterson to make the game-winning catch.\nThough the Hoosiers lost both games this weekend, they did get some great contributions from the defense. Friday's game featured a 1-4-3 double play and a nice grab by third baseman Rachel Terry on a screaming line drive.\n"With the defense behind you, it allows you to relax out there," Roark said. "It helps with your confidence overall."\nThe Hoosiers will travel to Louisville Wednesday to take on the Cardinals at 3 p.m.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(03/30/05 5:17am)
After seven days off, including a rare weekend with no games, the IU softball team will take the diamond at 2 p.m. today at the IU Softball Field for a doubleheader against University of Illinois-Chicago.\nBecause a game versus Indiana State was called due to rain March 23, the Hoosiers have not played in a week. The rest helped the cream and crimson recover from some nagging injuries.\n"We were able to recuperate some, both mind and body," said IU coach Stacey Phillips. "It was a well-deserved rest for us."\nThe Hoosiers are coming off a stretch of five games that saw them win three, including a March 22 6-0 victory over Ball State.\nAfter struggling on a spring break road trip, Phillips is glad to see her team improving.\n"We're getting better inning by inning," Phillips said. "The week off really helped us get rid of the fatigue."\nIU will face off against a tough UIC team that has won 11 straight games after losing 11 of 12 games to start the season. The Flames' last loss came March 13.\nThe Hoosiers would like nothing more than to snap UIC's winning streak.\n"It would feel really good, especially being the underdog," said senior second baseman Ashley Griffiths. "We would be really confident going into Big Ten play."\nGriffiths hit her first home run of the season last week in the win over Ball State.\nUIC starter Brittany McIntyre was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 in three appearances with a .044 ERA. The Flames offense is led by junior Nicole Shepard and sophomore Liz Jacoby. Both players are hitting at a .471 clip.\nIU starter Megan Roark will try to stop the UIC offense, which is scoring a little under five runs a game.\nRoark has been the team MVP so far this season with seven wins and 13 complete games. She also is striking out more than a batter an inning, with 155 K's in only 146 innings pitched.\nIU is excited for Big Ten play to start this weekend, but they are not looking past the Flames.\n"It would definitely help team morale if we beat UIC," said freshman shortstop Jennilee Huddleston. "Any win is a good win."\nThe Hoosiers are not going to let UIC intimidate them.\n"We're going to play IU softball and do what we need to do to win," Phillips said. "A win would give us a lot of confidence going into Friday's game versus Michigan State."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(03/23/05 6:09am)
With the weather resembling the middle of winter more than the second official day of spring, the IU softball team took the field Tuesday afternoon to face in-state rival Ball State.\nThe Hoosiers wasted no time getting started, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Sophomore center fielder Kim Richards started things off by drawing a walk and moved to second on an Ashley Griffiths sacrifice bunt.\nFirst baseman Tory Yamaguchi knocked Richards to third, giving the Hoosiers two runners on base.\nWith a fierce wind blowing in from right, junior left fielder Lauren Hines came up and promptly smashed a three-run home run to right center field, giving the Hoosiers a 3-0 lead.\n"It was an inside pitch, and I just tried to stay relaxed," Hines said. "It's always more relaxing hitting at home."\nAfter struggling early in the season, Hines recently has come alive. She hit .500 for the weekend in the IU Classic and continued her hot hitting Tuesday, going two for three.\nThe second inning was an inning of firsts for the Hoosiers. Hines led off the inning with a triple, her first of the season and first for the team overall. After a Richards groundout, senior Griffiths crushed a home run over the left field fence -- her first of the season. \nGriffiths' home run gave IU a 5-0 lead that they would not give up.\n"It helps a ton when you go out and score five runs in the first two innings," IU coach Stacey Phillips said. "There's not as much pressure."\nThe Hoosiers tallied another run in the fifth on an Anna Olson RBI single.\nIU starter Megan Roark needed little support as she mowed down the Ball State lineup. Coming off of a perfect game Sunday, Roark was dominant once again Tuesday.\nShe carried a perfect game into the third until a passed ball gave Ball State its first runner of the game. Not letting the wild pitch bother her, Roark struck down the next three batters out in the order.\nRoark had a no-hitter going into the top of the sixth before Ball State shortstop Alyssa Huffman laid down a bunt, giving the Cardinals their first hit of the day. Pitcher Amanda Pick doubled to left, but Roark pitched out of the jam, stranding two runners in scoring position.\nIn the seventh, Roark struck out the side, giving her a complete game shutout with 13 strikeouts. The win boosted her overall record to 7-12.\n"We're happy with the win," Roark said. "Any tally in the win column helps the team."\nThis afternoon the Hoosiers will take a short bus trip to Terre Haute to face another in-state rival, Indiana State.\n"We were ready to play today," Phillips said. "If we come out tomorrow and play like we did today, we'll do fine."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(03/21/05 5:45am)
Coming off a tough seven-game road trip, the IU softball team returned to Bloomington this weekend for its first home games of the season.\n"We wanted to come out and show everyone what we're capable of," said sophomore Tory Yamaguchi.\nWith a nine-game losing streak on their shoulders, the Hoosiers started off strong in the first half of a doubleheader Saturday morning against Western Michigan, winning 2-1.\nJunior Megan Roark won her fifth game of the season as she threw a complete game, striking out five batters.\nIn the second half of the twin bill, IU took an early 2-0 lead, but Western Michigan scored four unearned runs in the fifth inning.\nThe Hoosiers had a chance to tie the game in the sixth but failed to capitalize, giving the Broncos the win.\nAfter splitting the doubleheader with Western Michigan Saturday, IU faced IU-Purdue University at Fort Wayne Sunday morning, winning 8-0. Roark continued her weekend dominance throwing a perfect game, the third in IU softball history.\n"The offense and defense just really clicked," Roark said. "Christy Wahl made a great catch to save a hit in her first game at shortstop."\nFacing the minimum 18 batters over six innings, Roark struck out ten for the game.\n"Megan was in complete control over the batters," IU coach Stacey Phillips said. "The defense really stepped up behind her."\nYamaguchi gave Roark some offensive support with a home run, her fifth of the season and second for the weekend.\nThe Hoosiers were unable to continue their hot play Sunday afternoon against Loyola, losing 6-1. The Ramblers jumped on starter Katie Witham early, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning.\nSophomore left fielder Heather Hohs came home from second on a Loyola error to score, but that was all the offense the Hoosiers could muster. IU managed only four hits against Loyola starter Kristen Cefalu.\nIU will play Ball State at home Tuesday before traveling to Indiana State for a doubleheader Wednesday.\n"It's nice to be home," Roark said. "We've been looking forward to this home stand."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(03/07/05 5:38am)
Coming off a 1-3 record in Tulsa last weekend, the IU softball team traveled south to Bowling Green for the Western Kentucky Invitational.\nThe Hoosiers started off strong Friday morning against Buffalo, winning 4-0. Junior Megan Roark (4-6) continued her strong pitching of late, throwing seven shutout innings while tying a career-high with 13 strikeouts.\nAfter scoring a run each in the first and second inning, IU tallied two more runs in the third.\n"It helped team morale to score early," sophomore catcher Tory Yamaguchi said. "Then we're just able to play the game."\nOn the weekend, Yamaguchi had three home runs, eight hits and eight runs batted in.\nIn the second game of the doubleheader, IU could not continue its offensive attack, losing to host team Western Kentucky 3-1.\nThe Hoosiers got on the board first when Yamaguchi hit an RBI double in the bottom half of the first inning. IU would only muster two hits the rest of the game.\nWestern Kentucky tied the game in the second and went ahead in the fourth inning with two solo home runs.\nRoark threw 5 1/3 solid innings of relief but was saddled with the loss. She struck out six more batters, bringing her total to 19 for the day.\nIU bounced back quickly Saturday morning against Austin Peay winning 8-3. In the second inning after two Peay errors loaded the bases, junior right fielder Lauren Hines hit her second career grand slam, giving the Hoosiers a 4-0 lead.\nSenior Katie Witham (2-3) earned the win, giving up one unearned run in seven innings of work.\nThe Hoosiers struggled with consistency Saturday afternoon as they lost to Tennessee-Martin 2-1. Neither team scored until the fifth inning, when Tennessee-Martin hit two solo home runs.\nSophomore Kim Richards continued her hot hitting of late, driving in the only Hoosier run in the bottom of the fifth. IU had runners on base in the sixth and seventh innings but could not capitalize, giving the Skyhawks the win.\nIn bracket play Sunday, the Hoosiers could not get on track against Tennessee-Martin. IU fell behind early before scoring two runs in the sixth. They would not score again, losing 4-3.\nFor the weekend, Roark threw a combined 25 2/3 innings, allowed only eight runs and striking out 30 batters.\n"Megan is our nucleus," IU coach Stacey Phillips said. "She is our rock because she knows that she's going to throw a lot of innings and keep us in games."\nIU will travel to California this weekend for the Long Beach Tournament. The team hopes to continue to improve as the conference season draws near.\n"It's a building process," said sophomore third baseman Rachel Terry.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(03/04/05 6:18am)
After winning only one of four games last weekend in Tulsa, the IU softball team hopes to rebound this weekend in the Western Kentucky Invitational.\nLast weekend, three of the Hoosiers' four games were decided by two runs or less.\n"They were all real close games," said IU coach Stacey Phillips. "When we get runners on base, we just have to score."\nIU is not letting these close games keep them down.\n"It's frustrating when we work so hard," said sophomore center fielder Kim Richards. "But we always try to take a positive out of the negative."\nRichards has been on a tear in her last eight games with a .375 batting average, two runs batted in, five runs scored, and four stolen bases. On the season, Richards is hitting .316.\nDuring their recent struggles, IU's starters have kept the team in games, but the offense has not been able to give them enough support.\n"We have to be stronger with our bats and be aggressive at the plate," said senior second baseman Ashley Griffiths.\nGriffiths is tied for second on the team with four runs batted in along with freshman infielder/designated hitter Kari Bettenbrock. Last week against Tulsa, Bettenbrock hit her first collegiate home run on her way to driving in three runs. \nIn four games during the Tulsa tournament, IU left 18 runners stranded on base.\n"We need to get more hits strung together and knock some runners in," Richards said.\nToday, the Hoosiers will play a doubleheader against Buffalo and host team Western Kentucky.\nBuffalo has gotten off to a slow start with a 1-4 record. After winning its first game of the season, Buffalo has lost its last four, three of them shutouts. \nThe Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky boast an impressive team ERA of 0.49. Senior starter Ashley Schwartz has yet to give up a run in 11 innings pitched.\nSaturday, the cream and crimson will take on two very different teams in Austin Peay and Tennessee-Martin. Austin Peay has scored only 12 runs in 9 games while Tennessee-Martin has churned out 33 runs in only eight team games.\nThe Hoosiers will wrap up the tournament Sunday in bracket play. How well IU plays Friday and Saturday will determine who they play Sunday morning. \nIU will send junior starter Megan Roark out to the mound in hopes of leading the team to victory. On the season, Roark has a 3-4 record and a 2.35 earned run average.\n"We're going to try and rest her a little bit when we're ahead on Friday and Saturday," Phillips said. "That way she'll be ready for Sunday and the championship. It will all depend on how much she throws."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(02/25/05 5:50am)
With tournaments in Las Vegas and Baton Rouge, La. now behind them, the IU women's softball team will travel to Oklahoma this weekend for the Holiday Inn-Select Tulsa Festival.\nLast weekend after winning their first two games in Louisiana, one of which included pitcher Megan Roark's complete game no-hitter, the Hoosiers lost their next two games against Southern University and a nationally ranked LSU team.\n"We felt like we had something to prove after going 1-4 to start the season," IU head coach Stacey Phillips said.\nOne of the problems facing IU early in the season has been lack of offense. In five of their six losses, the Hoosiers have failed to score a run.\nAt this point in the season, Phillips is happy with the progress her team is making on offense. \n"It felt really good to bounce back after that first tournament," Phillips said. "We worked a lot on our offensive game in our ten days of practice."\nIn the games IU won, they scored five, seven and eight runs.\nWhile the offense has struggled, IU's pitching staff has kept the team in games, giving the team a chance to win.\nAlthough their overall record might not show it, juniors Roark and Mariangee Bogado have been IU's bread and butter. Roark boasts a 2-2 record, including her no-hitter last weekend, and a 1.93 earned run average. She also leads the team in innings pitched with 35 and strikeouts with 31.\nBogado has yet to win a game in her two starts, but her ERA is a miniscule 1.93.\nWith a 3-6 record overall, the Hoosiers will have a chance this weekend to climb above the .500 mark with five more games in three days.\nFriday morning, IU will face off against a Drake team that is currently on a four-game winning streak. Next up for the Hoosiers will be Colorado State.\nSaturday will provide a good chance for IU to claim a couple of wins as they face two struggling teams in Western Illinois and host team Tulsa.\nWestern Illinois has a 3-2 record overall, but their offense has struggled to score. The Leathernecks' offensive leader, Maureen Troller, is batting .385, but the next-highest batting average on the team is a meager .222.\nTulsa has had trouble closing out close games with 8 of its 16 games being decided by a single run. \nThe Hoosiers will wrap up the tourney with Akron University Sunday morning.\nHoping to start a new winning streak, IU knows what it has to do this weekend to be successful.\n"Our hitting improved last weekend, but we have to work on playing our hardest all the time," freshman shortstop Jennilee Huddleston said.\nHuddleston leads the Hoosier attack with a .333 batting average and a .583 slugging percentage. \nRoark backed up her teammate's statement.\n"We just have to pick it up in Oklahoma."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(02/21/05 5:13am)
After starting the season a disappointing 1-4, the IU women's softball traveled to Baton Rouge, La., this weekend for the Tiger Classic.\nHoosiers were off to a great start as junior pitcher Megan Roark threw a complete game no-hitter against Southern University in a 7-0 IU win Friday morning.\n"Everything just sort of clicked," Roark said. "I had confidence in my defense that they would back me up."\nIn her seven innings of work, Roark struck out seven batters while walking two. The no-hitter was the 18th in school history.\nAgainst Southern, the Hoosiers got all the offense they needed in the second inning when senior second baseman Ashley Griffiths hit a double to left field, scoring two runs. \nIU continued its strong play in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader as they defeated Grambling University 8-0.\nSenior Katie Witham allowed only three hits against a Southern squad that is winless on the season.\nAfter dominating in the first two games of the tourney, IU struggled against host team No. 10 Louisiana State University losing 6-1.\nThe host Tigers limited the Hoosiers to three hits while striking out 11 times. After dominating against Southern the previous day, Roark struggled in six innings of work.\nThe Hoosiers went into Sunday morning's game knowing that if they beat Southern for the second time in three days, they would play in the tournament championship. \nThe Jaguars got on the board first as they scored a run in the first and second innings on two IU errors. That was all Southern would need as the Hoosiers could not get on track.\nSouthern tacked on four more runs in the later innings to cap off the 6-0 victory.\n"We played a good game, but we were just a little tired," said freshman shortstop Jennilee Huddleston.\nWith the Tiger Classic behind them, the Hoosiers will return to Bloomington to prepare for the Holiday Inn-Select Tulsa Festival in Tulsa, Okla., this weekend. Their first game will be Friday against Drake University.\n"We know that we can't just turn it on and off," Phillips said. "We just have to leave it all on the field after every game."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(02/04/05 5:35am)
The clink of the aluminum bats and the snap of a pitch hitting a leather glove fills the air as the softball team practices in Mellencamp Pavillion. Spring is finally approaching and with the season opener just days away, the IU softball team is preparing for their 2005 season.\nWith five of their top eight hitters and two winningest pitchers returning this season, the Hoosiers hope to improve on last year's 32-31 record. \n"We're all very excited for the start of the season," said junior catcher Tory Yamaguchi. "We want to go out and show what we can do."\nYamaguchi led the Hoosier offense in 2004 with a .340 batting average, 10 home runs and a .543 slugging percentage.\nIU interim head coach Stacey Phillips says Yamaguchi and fellow junior Mariangee Bogado will be counted on for leadership with a team that features 12 freshmen and sophomores.\n"Tory and Mariangee have taken a leadership role on the team. By the way they play, they're helping the younger players add the pieces they need to play this game."\nAs the team's ace last season, Bogado led the team with a 16-15 overall record and a miniscule 1.62 earned run average. Her 207 strikeouts for the year were the fifth most in a single season in IU history. She also contributed a .262 batting average with 19 RBI's.\nBogado will receive support on the mound from junior pitcher Megan Roark who compiled a 10-11 overall record with a 1.95 ERA during the 2004 season.\nIU will jump right into things this weekend with five games in the Alexis Resort Challenge in Las Vegas. The team will start the season Friday with two games versus the Cal State-Northridge Matadors and the University of Texas-El Paso Miners. \nContinuing its grueling stretch of five games in three days, the cream and crimson will take on host team University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Utah State Saturday and then will wrap up the tourney Sunday against Marshall.\n"We know we can go 5-0 this weekend," Bogado said. "We've been working so hard, and we're all just ready to play."\nNo matter what happens during the tournament, the Hoosiers are using these preseason games as tune-ups for the conference season. Last season against Big Ten opponents, IU finished with a disappointing 7-13 record. \n"The preseason is just preparing for the Big Ten, the best conference in the nation," Phillips said. "Our goal for the season is to finish in the top half of the conference and get into the tournament."\nFinishing in the top half of the conference will be no easy task for Phillips' squad. Seven teams finished with a .500 record or above overall last season, including a Michigan team that won 54 of its 67 games.\nThe Hoosiers will not let anything or anyone stand in their way.\n"Defense, offense and pitching are always the most important things," Phillips said. "If we can get two of those three things going consistently, I project great success for IU softball this season."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(11/15/04 5:24am)
Hoping to bounce back from a tough loss against Purdue last week, the IU women's volleyball team played host to Illinois Friday night at University Gymnasium.\nThe Hoosiers fell behind quickly against the Illini and never bounced back, losing in straight sets, 20-30, 18-30, 22-30. IU came out looking tired after the emotionally draining five-set loss to the Boilermakers Wednesday.\n"We just came out flat tonight," IU coach Katie Weismiller said. "They made mistakes, but we were not able to get into the match."\nIn the first game of the match, the Hoosiers took control early, but Illinois charged back and began pulling away. Before IU could regroup, the score was already 21-14.\nAfter a Hoosier timeout failed to weather the storm, the Illini continued their offensive attack, making the score 29-15. With the Illinois fans on their feet, IU tried to get back into the game behind the service efforts of freshman Christine Nilles. The Hoosiers scored five straight points to pull them within nine points, but that was as close as they got.\n"That run helped build our momentum. We want to come out earlier with those runs," senior Katie Pollom said.\nThe second game started with IU holding tough with the No. 25 Illini. Each team exchanged points early, tying the score at 5. The momentum the Hoosiers had gained in the first game quickly disappeared.\nIllinois went on a 10-4 run that put the Hoosiers away. IU made several mini-runs to try and catch up, but it was not enough. The Illini won easily 30-18. \nThe IU struggles continued into the third game with Illinois jumping out to an 11-3 advantage. The visiting team didn't make an error until its 12th point of the game as the huge deficit was too much for IU to overcome.\nOnce again, IU charged back into the game with a flurry of points, but it was too little too late as Illinois won, 30-22.\nThe loss dropped the Hoosiers to 8-19 on the season and 2-14 in conference play. IU finished its longest home stand of the season at 0-4. \nPollom led the Hoosiers with 14 kills and a .500 hitting percentage in one of her last home matches at University Gymnasium.\nPollom received support from fellow senior Christina Archibald (12 kills) and freshman Lauren Ditteon (7 kills) Friday night.\n"We came out with a lot of fire Wednesday against Purdue. We wanted to come back strong tonight, but that fire didn't carry over for us," Ditteon said.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(11/12/04 5:54am)
After a heartbreaking loss to in-state rival Purdue Wednesday night, the IU women's volleyball team will wrap up its longest home stand of the season tonight against a nationally ranked Illinois team.\nThe Illini, currently ranked No. 25, come to Bloomington with a 17-6 record overall, 9-5 in the Big Ten. Illinois recently lost matches to two teams ahead of them in the national and conference rankings -- Minnesota and Penn State -- but the Illini have recovered, winning four of their last five matches.\nLast weekend, the blue and orange defeated Wisconsin and Northwestern in convincing fashion.\nThe Illini have looked strong this season, beating two top-10 teams in No. 1 University of Southern California Sept. 13 and conference rival No. 7 Ohio State. Illinois earned its highest ranking of the year -- No. 9 -- after they defeated the Trojans \nSince then, the Illini have bounced around in the polls, but currently sit at No. 25 for two straight weeks.\nThe all-time series between IU and Illinois has been dominated by the Illini, with a commanding 43-14 lead overall, including the last four matches since the 2002 season.\nAs the Hoosiers try to put Wednesday night's loss to Purdue behind them, they would like nothing more than to hand the Illini a defeat. Earlier this season at Champaign, Ill., the Hoosiers lost in straight sets to Illinois.\n"We've gone through our ups and downs this season, but it would mean a lot to end on a high note," senior Christina Archibald said. \nAgainst the Boilermakers, Archibald had 19 kills but struggled with just a .138 attack percentage.\nThe Hoosiers have gone through stretches of inconsistency this season, but they say are not letting the losses keep them down.\n"We have to show competitive spirit in every match," IU coach Katie Weismiller said. "We're going to fight all the way until the end of the season."\nWhile the loss to the Boilermakers was hard to take, the Hoosiers said they played well Wednesday.\n"Purdue is a very good team. We were able to take them out of what they wanted to do all night," Weismiller said.\nWith only five matches left in the season, seniors Archibald and Katie Pollom want to end their collegiate careers in a positive way.\n"We want to leave the program better than when we got here," Pollom said. "We know how good this team can be." \nPollom led the Hoosiers against Purdue with 22 kills and an impressive .475 hitting percentage.\nAgainst Purdue, the match ended on a questionable call from the line judge in the fifth game. The judgment did not go over well with the Hoosiers or their supporters as the Purdue fans cheered in the background.\nThe team said its not going to let the loss slow them down. Although the win-loss column might not show it, the Hoosiers have been playing much better of late.\n"When we have an off game, we know we can come back strong in the next one," Pollom said.\nThe Hoosiers will try to come out strong tonight against Illinois at 7 p.m. at University Gym, located at the corner of 10th Street and the 45/46 Bypass.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(11/08/04 5:27am)
The IU women's volleyball team started its longest home stand of the season on a sour note this weekend, losing two matches.\nThe Hoosiers are in the midst of a four-match home run that continues this week against Purdue and Illinois.\nFriday night against Michigan, IU struggled to find its rhythm. The Hoosiers lost three straight games. All three ended with the score of 30-21 to Michigan.\nThe Wolverines jumped out to an early 11-4 advantage in the match's first game as the lead proved to be too much for IU with Michigan closing out the game.\nIn a Hoosier attempt at recovery, IU took control of the second game, but the Wolverines did not give in. With the score tied 6-6, Michigan went on an 8-3 run to turn the tables on IU. \nFreshman Lauren Ditteon led a comeback that brought the Hoosiers to within two points, but once again the Wolverines finished out strong, ending the second game on a 10-4 run.\nAfter the Hoosiers lost the first two games, they came out flat in the third allowing Michigan to take a 7-2 advantage. Trying to claw its way back into the game, IU went on a run of its own to pull within three, but that was as close as the Hoosiers would get. \n"We just weren't playing as a team against Michigan," freshman Juli Pierce said after the match.\nAgainst the Wolverines, IU was paced by senior Christina Archibald's 13 kills and senior Katie Pollom's nine.\nSaturday against Michigan State, the Hoosiers struggled again, losing to the Spartans in four games; 30-26, 30-23, 25-30, 30-22.\nTo begin the match, the score bounced back and forth between the teams before Michigan State began to pull away. The Hoosiers made a late comeback, but it was not enough as the Spartans won 30-26.\nThe second game was very similar with Michigan State holding off several IU runs for the win.\nThe Hoosiers came out looking like a new team in the third game in attempts to tighten the game.\n"We had to concentrate on our game and get back to playing Indiana volleyball," Pollom said. "We had to step up to the challenge."\nWith an all-around offensive attack, the Hoosiers went on to win the third game, 30-25. After coming back strong in the third, IU ran out of gas in the fourth game, allowing Michigan State to claim a 30-22 victory.\nThe Hoosiers were led by Pollom's 15 kills and Archibald's 13. Ditteon chipped in with 10 kills of her own. \nFor both weekend matches, Ditteon was forced to wear a protective sleeve on her left shoulder. \n"It's nothing serious, just a midseason injury from overuse," IU coach Katie Weismiller said. "She has a sore shoulder and the sleeve limits the pain."\nWhile the Hoosiers did lose both weekend matches, there were bright spots for IU. Junior Rachel Gerling provided a spark off the bench in both matches.\n"Rachel's been great for us off the bench. She played right and left side tonight and really gave us a boost," Weismiller said.\nThe Hoosiers (8-17, 2-12 Big Ten) will look to put the losses behind them as they prepare to tangle with in-state rival, Purdue, Wednesday at University Gymnasium.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(10/25/04 5:08am)
The IU women's volleyball team continued its string of impressive play this weekend, splitting two tough Big Ten matches. \nSaturday night at University Gymnasium, the Hoosiers dominated Iowa, winning in three games, 30-23, 30-22, 30-24. IU lost to No. 2 ranked Minnesota Friday night, however, the loss against the Golden Gophers did not keep the Hoosiers down for long.\n"It was important not to let our confidence get broken," said senior Katie Pollom. "We have to continue to defend our home court because it is so tough to get a road win in the Big Ten."\nAgainst Iowa, the Hoosiers looked as strong as they have all season. The Hawkeyes jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, but the Hoosiers fought back with a 12-4 run of their own.\nIU never looked back as senior Christina Archibald (13 kills, .333 hitting percentage) led the team to the 30-23 victory.\nTo start the second game, neither team was able to hold a lead until late in the game when the Hoosiers started pulling away. Holding the Hawkeye offense to just a .026 hitting percentage, the IU defense proved vital in the second game.\n"Our defense, blocking and on the back line, has really been picking it up lately. The defense was huge for us tonight," said IU Coach Katie Weismiller.\nHoping to mount a comeback, the Hawkeyes scored the first two points of the third game. IU has struggled with closing teams out in recent weeks, but powered by impressive defense, IU went on to a 30-24 victory.\nOverall, the Hoosier defense held the Hawkeyes to a .025 hitting percentage, compared to their own percentage of .271.\n"We were fired up tonight," Pollom said. "We played really well and hustled all the way through." \nAgainst Iowa, IU had only one player with double-digit kills, Archibald with 13, but five players had at least seven kills apiece.\nFriday night against the No. 2 Golden Gophers, IU struggled, losing in three games, 28-30, 15-30, 22-30. In the first game, the Hoosiers stuck with Minnesota throughout but were unable to get over the top.\nMinnesota came out strong in the second game, stifling the Hoosier offense. The Golden Gophers went on a 10-4 run to close out the game.\nThe Hoosiers turned it around in the final game, but Minnesota proved too much late, ending the match on a 7-2 run.\nThe disappointing loss to the Golden Gophers did not seem to faze the Hoosiers as they dismantled Iowa the following evening. \n"We started off a little slow against Iowa, but we kept plugging away and kept at it," Weismiller said after the team's second victory in its last three matches.\nThe win brings the Hoosiers' record up to 8-13 overall, 2-8 in the Big Ten. \nThe Hoosiers said they hope Saturday night's win might be just what they need as they hit the halfway mark in the conference season.\n"This is really a confidence boost for us," Archibald said. "We're going to need a push in the second half to finish strong."\nThe Hoosiers will travel this weekend to play No. 5 Penn State Friday and No. 7 Ohio State Saturday.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(10/22/04 5:46am)
After snapping its 10-match losing streak last Saturday against Northwestern, the IU women's volleyball team returns home this weekend to play two tough Big Ten opponents.\nTonight, the Hoosiers will take on Minnesota, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation. The Golden Gophers come to Bloomington with an 18-2 record overall and a 7-1 clip in the Big Ten.\n"Minnesota is a great team," said senior Katie Pollom. "We have to be ready to play our best from the start." \nMinnesota sits in second place in the Big Ten, with Ohio State leading the way with a perfect 9-0 record in conference play. As the Gophers return to Bloomington, they will seek to avenge last year's road loss at University Gym in which they lost in three straight sets. The Gophers returned the favor, sweeping the Hoosiers in the return match at Minnesota.\nThe Hoosiers say they are not letting Minnesota's impressive record intimidate them.\n"They have a great offense and good defense," said IU coach Katie Weismiller. "They'll get their kills, but we have to focus on our end of the court."\nSenior outside hitter Erin Martin leads the Golden Gophers with 381 kills (5.81 kills per game) with support from outside hitters Trisha Bratford (3.62 kpg) and Jessica Byrnes (2.53 kpg). Setter Lindsey Taatjes runs the Minnesota offense with an average of 9.03 assists per game. \nSaturday evening, IU plays host to the Iowa Hawkeyes. After an expected tough match against Minnesota, Weismiller does not want her team to have a let-down against the Hawkeyes.\n"We can't have a let up if we want to get a win against Iowa," Weismiller said. "They will be ready to get a win on the road."\nThe Hawkeyes are tied with IU, along with Michigan State, for ninth place in the Big Ten. Iowa has a 9-11 record overall, with a 1-7 conference record.\n"We train equally hard for every team we play, regardless of their record," Pollom said, who paces the Hoosier offense with 3.81 kills per game.\nIn the all-time series between the two schools, IU holds a 28-20 advantage over Iowa. The Hoosiers have a seven-match winning streak against the Hawkeyes, who have not beaten IU since the 2000 season. \nJust like Minnesota, Iowa will be looking for revenge after losing both of last year's matches against the Hoosiers. In addition, the Hawkeyes are in the midst of a seven-match losing streak dating back to a Sept. 24 match against Michigan. \nThe Hawkeyes are led by senior Carolyn Giese, with 246 kills this season (3.51 kpg).\nThe most important thing for the Hoosiers is that their 10-match losing streak is behind them. Pollom said their win against Northwestern last weekend lifted a burden off their shoulders.\n"The win really boosted our confidence," Pollom said. "We've been so close recently, and us getting a win meant a lot."\nSophomore Sara Diehl, a co-captain along with Pollom, said the team's confidence remained high despite the skid.\n"We always knew we could win," she said. "To be right there and get the win was important for us."\nIn past Big Ten matches this season, the Hoosiers had trouble putting teams away when they held the lead. Against Northwestern, IU showed the killer instinct that had been missing.\nAfter taking an early lead in the fifth game of the match, the Hoosiers held strong when the Wildcats made a late run. IU held on for an exciting 17-15 victory. \nWith the monkey off their back, the Hoosiers hope to extend their win streak to two this weekend.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu
(10/08/04 6:01am)
Coming off its four-match road trip to start the 2004 Big Ten campaign, the IU women's volleyball team returns home this weekend for two tough matches against nationally ranked opponents. \nAfter finishing their early season road trip 0-4, the Hoosiers' schedule does not get any easier. This Friday, the IU will take on the No. 9 team in the nation: the Ohio State Buckeyes. Saturday, IU will play host to the No. 6-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. \n"We're happy to be home, but at the same time we know we are going to be facing two very tough teams," said IU coach Katie Weismiller. "There's never an off night in the Big Ten." \nThe Buckeyes are currently in first place in the Big Ten after upsetting the No. 1 team in the nation this past weekend, Minnesota. Ohio State's record currently stands at 14-0 overall, 4-0 in conference.\nSenior outside hitter Stacy Gordon leads the Buckeye attack with 321 kills (6.89 per game) while also leading the team in service aces with 21. Gordon was named Big Ten Player of the Week after leading the Buckeyes to their upset victory over Minnesota. \n"We've been working hard in practice preparing for Stacy Gordon. We all know what she can do," said senior outside hitter Christina Archibald.\nOhio State has a 32-22 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools, but IU has a 13-10 record in matches played at home. In last year's matches, IU and Ohio State split the season series with each team winning its home match. \nThings do not get any easier for the Hoosiers Saturday night against Penn State. The Nittany Lions have a record of 12-1 overall and a 3-1 mark in the Big Ten after losing to Minnesota last Friday. Penn State has dominated its matches against IU, winning all 28 played since 1982. \nThe Nittany Lions feature a balanced offensive attack led by senior Ashley Pederson (4.23 kills per game), freshman Kate Price (3.67 kpg) and senior Syndie Nadeau (2.73 kpg).\nThe Hoosiers know what they have to do this weekend to be successful. During its current seven-match losing streak, IU has had trouble putting teams away, squandering leads. \n"Once we get a lead in a match, we have to finish it," Weismiller said. \nThe losing streak has been disappointing for Weismiller's squad, but the team has made definite strides in improving itself. \n"We are a better team than we were three weeks ago. Practices are getting better; we're fine tuning things," Weismiller said.\nComing off two heartbreaking losses last weekend, the Hoosiers remain confident. After struggling against Michigan State, IU forced a tough Michigan team to five games before ultimately losing in the decisive fifth game. \n"We had Michigan down and just couldn't put them away," Archibald said. "We had some bad breaks, and we weren't able to finish strong." \nLast year's Hoosier team struggled through an 11-game losing skid, and this year's team seems determined to halt its most recent skid at seven. \n"Michigan is a great team. We learned a lot as team from that match," said junior middle blocker Mandy Eberle. "We have to continue building and keep our focus." \nOne change the Hoosiers will make this weekend is switching freshman outside hitter Christine Nilles to libero, the defensive specialist for the team. Sophomores Sara Diehl and Lindsay Cochrane have been splitting duties at libero so far this season.\n"(Christine) went through a role change to play libero. She is really enjoying her new role and we need another great weekend from her," Weismiller said about the change in positions for Nilles. \nWith the current seven-match losing streak on their backs, the Hoosiers are not letting it change their team attitude and are as confident as ever.\n"We can roll with any Big Ten team once we get going. We have the ability to dominate," Archibald said.\nThe matches against Ohio State and Penn State will both be played at University Gymnasium at the corner of 10th Street and the 45/46 Bypass.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(09/24/04 5:41am)
With a four-match losing streak on their backs this weekend, the IU women's volleyball team members travel to Champaign, Ill., to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini.\nWednesday night, the Hoosiers lost to in-state rival Purdue University in West Lafayette in three straight sets. Last weekend's T.I.S. Bookstore Invitational saw IU lose all three matches they played against the University of Pittsburgh, Kent State University and the University of Alabama.\nWith the four losses, the Hoosiers have dropped their record to 6-6 (0-1 in conference) after starting the season strong with a 6-2 record. IU coach Katie Weismiller said she is not letting the losses keep her team down.\n"The team has great character," Weismiller said. "We can come back when we're down."\nOne of the main problems the Hoosiers have had so far this season is the ability to win a match when they are up. Against both Kent State and Pittsburgh, the Hoosiers were either up or tied before they eventually lost the match.\n"We have to learn to finish a match," Weismiller said.\nAgainst the Boilermakers Wednesday, the Hoosier offense just could not get on track. Senior outside hitter Christina Archibald led IU with 10 kills. The match against Purdue was the 21st straight match Archibald has registered double digit kills. \nThe Purdue offense looked downright unstoppable, compiling a .640 hitting percentage in the final game of the match, winning 30-12.\nThis Saturday the Hoosiers will take on the Fighting Illini, ranked No. 13 in the nation with an 8-1 record. Illinois will play its first Big Ten match of the year tonight against Purdue.\nThe Illini is lead by junior outside hitter Rachel VanMeter (4.38 kills per game) and junior outside hitter Rasa Virsilaite (3.82 kills per game).\nIn the all-time series between the Hoosiers and the Illini, Illinois has a commanding 43-14 lead. Since 1985, the orange and blue has gone 32-6 against the Hoosiers. \nIllinois won both matches last year, including a road win in Bloomington.\nWhile the Hoosiers are on a four-match losing streak, there have been several bright spots for coach Weismiller's squad. One of the main concerns for the Hoosiers this year was how they would fit in six newcomers to the team (five freshmen and one transfer).\nTwo freshmen, outside hitter Christine Nilles and right side Lauren Ditteon, have been key contributors for the Hoosiers. Freshman Juli Pierce has also made important contributions on the defensive end.\n"We're getting a lot of respect," Nilles said. "We're earning a lot of respect just by being out on the court. At the same time, we are learning a lot and getting more experience."\nAnother surprise for the Hoosiers came this past weekend with the impressive offensive performance from junior outside hitter Rachel Gerling. Gerling transferred from Golden West Junior College in Huntington Beach, Calif., this summer. With the offense struggling this past weekend, Gerling came off the bench to pump some life into the Hoosier attack.\nThe Hoosiers say the current four-match skid is not going to keep them down as they head into the Big Ten season.\n"We're going to go back into practice and work hard," Archibald said.\nThe schedule does not get any easier for the Hoosiers. IU continues its road trip next weekend against Michigan State and Michigan. For now, the Hoosiers are concentrating on the Illini, hoping to end their losing streak this weekend.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(09/20/04 6:01am)
Coming off an exciting five-set win against IP-Fort Wayne Tuesday, the IU women's volleyball team hosted the TIS Bookstore Invitational this weekend. The Hoosiers were unable to get on track all weekend, losing all three matches they played.\nIU coach Katie Weismiller was quick to point out what went wrong for the Hoosiers this weekend.\n"Consistency," Weismiller said. "We weren't consistent. We have to come out ready for every game."\nPlaying an undefeated Alabama team Friday, IU began the match with promise, but was unable to close out the match, losing in four games (30-25, 26-30, 31-33, 25-30).\nThe Hoosiers came out strong against the Crimson Tide in Friday's opening match. Jumping out to an early lead behind three Katie Pollom kills and two Christine Nilles service aces, IU held off several Alabama comebacks. The Crimson Tide came within five points, but that was as close as they got. On senior Christina Archibald's kill, the Hoosiers won the game 30-25.\nThe first game was the high point of the night for IU as the team proceeded to lose the next three games. In the second game, Alabama gained an early lead, never letting the Hoosiers back in the game.\nIn the third set, IU held the lead for much of the game before Alabama tied the score at 25. With the momentum shifting, the Tide went on an 8-6 run to win the game. Similarly, Alabama came back from a late deficit to win game four, 30-25.\nPollom, a senior, led IU with 16 kills while sophomore setter Tasha Arsenych had 46 assists. Sophomore Sara Diehl and Nilles, a freshman, had strong defensive games with 11 and 14 digs, respectively.\nIn the Saturday afternoon match, the Hoosiers lost to Kent State in five games (30-28, 30-27, 37-39, 28-30, 15-17). After claiming the first two games convincingly, IU lost its next three.\nIn the third game, as the Hoosiers tried to finish off the match, Kent State refused to give in. IU was unable to put the Golden Flashes away, and after an Archibald kill broke a tie, Kent State scored three straight points to win the game 39-37.\nIn the fourth game, the score bounced back and forth as neither team could gain control. The Golden Flashes ultimately won the game, forcing a decisive fifth game.\nIn the fifth game, Kent State jumped out early before IU was able to knot the score at 13. From there it seemed the Hoosiers ran out of gas, losing 15-17.\nOne of the few bright spots for IU was Archibald, who broke former Hoosier Melissa Brewer's IU record for kills (1,547 kills) in the fourth game.\n"I would have traded the record in for a win," Archibald said after the loss.\nArchibald led the Hoosiers with 26 kills while Pollom pounded out 21 of her own.\nSaturday night's match featured a very inconsistent Hoosier team, losing to eventual tournament champion, Pittsburgh in five sets (30-21, 27-30, 24-30, 30-18, 7-15).\nThe Hoosiers won the first and fourth game, but were unable to hold the momentum into the fifth game. In the fourth game, a balanced Hoosier attack picked apart the Panthers' defense. After a rush of points from Pollom and Nilles, the Hoosiers won the game 30-18.\nIn the fifth and final game, the Panthers started quickly and never looked back. Up by just one point, Pittsburgh went on a 9-2 run to win the match and take home the tournament championship. \n"We had a lot riding on this game," Pollom said. "It was a heartbreaking loss for us."\nPollom led the Hoosiers against Pittsburgh with 16 kills, with Archibald, Nilles and freshman Lauren Ditteon all contributing double-digit kills.\nPollom's performance this weekend garnered her a spot on the All-Tournament Team.\nThe Hoosiers begin Big Ten play this week as they take on in-state rival Purdue Wednesday in West Lafayette.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu .
(09/15/04 5:06am)
After this weekend's tournament in Arlington, Texas, the IU women's volleyball team returned home to face IU-Purdue University Fort Wayne Tuesday.\nIn a match where neither team was able to get on track, the Hoosiers won in thrilling fashion in five games, 30-32, 30-16, 24-30, 30-22, 15-11. Both the Hoosiers and the Mastodons played inconsistently throughout, with neither team able to put the other away. \n"They were an amazing team. They had a lot of heart to be able to keep fighting back," senior middle blocker Katie Pollom said.\nIn the match's first game, the score bounced back and forth between the Hoosiers and the Mastodons. IU jumped out to an early 8-6 lead powered by Pollom. IPFW fought its way back to tie the score at nine all.\nGame one featured 20 tie scores and 10 lead changes. The score continued to teeter back and forth with Pollom and senior outside hitter Christina Archibald leading the way.\nAfter an IU timeout with the score even at 25, the Mastodons went on a 7-5 run to win the game, 32-30.\nThe Hoosiers regrouped after struggling in the first game to beat IPFW 30-16 in the second game. The Hoosiers came out of the break looking like a new team. With an all-around offensive attack, IU coach Katie Weismiller's squad took an early 11-5 lead.\nWithstanding a late Mastodon comeback, the Hoosiers finished the game with a flurry of points, finishing with a 12-5 run.\nFreshman Christine Nilles finished the Mastodons off with a powerful kill.\nWhile the Hoosiers won the second game convincingly, the third game was a different story. The team seemed to lose the fire they had in the previous game.\nThe Mastodons took an early 9-3 lead before the Hoosiers made a comeback to make the score 11-8. After the early rally, IU was never able to come all the way back, as the Mastodons held them off. IPFW slowly pulled away, capitalizing on several IU unforced errors, winning the game 30-24.\nIn the continuing back-and-forth match, IU won the fourth game 30-22 behind another strong offensive attack. Led by a fired-up Archibald, the Hoosiers never allowed the Mastodons to get in the game. With Archibald and Nilles leading the way early, IU went up 16-9.\nIPFW made the score close several times, but the Hoosiers ultimately controlled the game, winning 30-22 and forcing a fifth game.\nIn game five with the crowd fully behind them, IU came back from an early deficit and won 15-11 to win the game and the match. The Hoosiers were led by Archibald, with 30 kills, while sophomore setter Tasha Arsenych continued her strong play with a new career-high 62 kills. Backing up Archibald was Pollom with 28 kills.\nArchibald and Pollom continue their strong play, as they have led the Hoosiers to a 6-2 record to start the season.\n"We elevate our play and fire up the rest of the team. As seniors, we try to get everybody going. Every single game is important, and we try and communicate that to the team," Pollom said.\nArchibald backed her teammate up.\n"The younger girls look up to us, so we try to set the example for them," Archibald said.\nWeismiller expressed some concern about her team.\n"We're either hot or cold, really good or really bad," Weismiller said. "If we want to do well, we have to limit our unforced errors." \nEven with their inconsistencies, the Hoosiers are still very confident after Tuesday's match.\n"If we're on our game, no one can shut us down," Archibald said.\nThe Hoosiers play this weekend in the T.I.S. Bookstore Invitational.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(09/13/04 5:25am)
Coming off a second place finish in last week's IU Credit Union Invitational, the IU women's volleyball team traveled south to take part in the 2004 Arlington/Hilton University of Texas-Arlington Invitational over the weekend.\nFor the second weekend in a row, the squad won second place, losing to eventual champion and host team, the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks.\nThe Mavericks outplayed IU from both sides of the net. The Hoosiers did not fare well in dropping Saturday night's match against Texas-Arlington, losing in three straight games, 30-16, 31-29, 30-28.\nIn the first game, the Mavericks jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, winning, 30-16. Game two started off similarly, but the Hoosiers fought and took the lead on a block from freshman Lauren Ditteon. After junior Mandy Eberle's kill made the score 27-25, the Mavericks came back and won the game.\nIn the third game, the Mavs overcame an early IU lead and finished off the match with a 7-1 run.\nIn Friday night's opening match, the Hoosiers defeated Arkansas-Little Rock in four games, 30-32, 30-22, 30-15, 30-21. In the first game, the Trojans came back from a late deficit to win 32-30. The early loss served as a wake-up call for the Hoosiers.\n"We didn't know why we had lost that game," said freshman outside hitter Christine Nilles. "We should have won three games in a row." \nNilles had 11 kills and 10 defensive digs against UALR.\nPutting the loss behind them, the Hoosiers quickly dispatched the Trojans in the next three games with a balanced offensive attack. The third game allowed the offense to show off with a .485 hitting percentage as the team won convincingly 30-15. In the fourth game, the Hoosiers fought off an early Trojan rally to win the game, 30-22, and the match.\nThe match against the Trojans featured six players in double-digit kills, led by Eberle with 13 kills. \n"It was a huge turnaround for us after the first game," Eberle said. "We stepped it up and came back."\nIU coach Katie Weismiller said she was impressed with the team's effort.\n"We started off a little slow, but we were able to come back strong against them," she said.\nWhere offense led the way against the Trojans, the Hoosier defense won Saturday afternoon's match against Houston, 30-20, 30-18, 27-30, 30-23.\nThe IU defense forced the Cougars into 31 errors with just a .170 hitting percentage while IU sported a .305 percentage.\nSophomore setter Tasha Arsenych ran the Hoosier offense with a career-high 55 assists. Nilles continued her strong weekend performance leading the team with 18 defensive digs and 14 kills. Senior middle blocker Katie Pollom paced the offense with 15 kills. \nBoth Pollom and senior outside hitter Christina Archibald were named to the All-Tournament Team.\nThe Hoosiers are not letting their second place finish in as many weekends slow them down. With the TIS Bookstore Invitational this weekend, IU is a confident group. \n"Everybody is communicating. We're all doing what we're supposed to be doing out on the court," Eberle said.\nBefore the Invitational, the Hoosiers face off against Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne Tuesday night at University Gymnasium.\n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.
(09/06/04 5:54am)
Coming off Wednesday's win against IU-Purdue University Indianapolis and with history on its side, the IU women's volleyball team went into this weekend's IU Credit Union Invitational with high hopes.\nThe Hoosiers had won the past three Invitationals, going a perfect 9-0 in the four years the team has hosted the tournament.\nWhile the squad did not win the tournament this weekend, the Hoosiers looked strong defeating Murray State and Oregon State to claim the Invitational's second place finish, placing behind St. Louis University, which took first place.\nIn Friday night's match, coach Katie Weismiller's squad defeated Murray State in three straight games, 32-30, 30-28, 30-18. During the first game, Murray State jumped out to an early lead, but after an IU timeout the Hoosiers jumped on the Racers. Senior outside hitter Christina Archibald (23 kills, 7 digs vs. Murray State) finished the game with a powerful kill.\nIn the second game, IU once again fell behind early but battled back. With the score tied at 26, Archibald and senior Katie Pollom took over the game, leading the Hoosiers to another win.\nIn the third game, the Hoosiers took an early 15-9 lead and never looked back. With strong performances from Archibald and Pollom once again as well as freshman outside hitter Christine Nilles (16 kills vs. Murray State), the Hoosiers won 30-18. \nSaturday's afternoon match against eventual champion St. Louis was not nearly as successful as the previous night's match. \nThe Hoosiers stuck with St. Louis all three games but could not overcome the Billikens, 28-30, 30-32, 27-30. In the first game, the score was knotted at 15 when the Billikens went on a 6-2 run. The Hoosiers fought back to tie the score at 28, but Saint Louis scored the next two points ending the game.\nIn both of the next two games, IU jumped out to early leads but was not able to hold them. St. Louis fought back and won both, ending the Hoosiers' chance to win the tournament for a fourth straight year. \n"The loss motivated us," Pollom said. "We felt horrible afterwards and knew we had to play better."\nWeismiller expressed disappointment with the Hoosiers' loss to St. Louis.\n"There is no doubt. We would love to have that match back," Weismiller said.\nIn Saturday night's match, the Hoosiers returned to form beating Oregon State in the first ever meeting between the two schools, 30-24, 30-26, 36-34.\nGame one featured a strong all-around performance from the whole team, especially junior middle blocker Mandy Eberle and freshman Lauren Ditteon who each had four kills. \nIn the second game, the Hoosiers fought off several Oregon State comebacks to win 30-26. \nDuring the third game, which featured 16 tie scores and seven lead changes, IU overcame a late five point deficit to win 36-34 on a Pollom kill. \nThe very vocal, enthusiastic IU crowd got progressively louder as the Hoosiers fought back numerous times against a tenacious Beaver defense and won the game, securing second place for the Invitational.\n"Having the crowd behind us really helps," Pollom said. "When we're on the court, we feed off their energy."\nThe Hoosiers, who are replacing four graduating seniors, debuted many new players who gained their first collegiate experiences this weekend. \n"I wasn't used to having the crowd be that loud, but it gets me and the whole team going," Ditteon said.\nBoth Ditteon and Pollom were named to the All-Tournament team along with Murray State's Nikki Wong, Oregon State's Allison Lawrence and St. Louis' Lauren Boissevain.\nAfter starting 3-1 and taking second place in the Invitational, Weismiller said the Hoosiers are riding high. \n"We're very confident and gaining a little more with each match we play," Weismiller said.\nThe Hoosiers travel to Arlington, Texas next weekend to play in the UT-Arlington Tournament. \n-- Contact staff writer Tim O'Brien at tpobrien@indiana.edu.