Hoosiers hope to upset No. 9 Penn State tonight

The volleyball team is due for a win. They face off tonight against No. 9 Penn State, but the odds don't seem to be on their side. The odds, in fact, sit with the defending national champion and two-time Big Ten defending champion Nittany Lions.\nHistory, odds, chances, whatever you call it, IU has never been able to handle any Penn State team -- ever. The perennial power Lions have beaten the Hoosiers all 19 times the two schools have met.\nIU gets its chance at a monumental upset at 7 p.m. in University Gym. Penn State just came off one of its own. The Lions downed No. 4 Wisconsin in five games Saturday in State College, Pa., a night after the Badgers bumped the Hoosiers in four games in Bloomington.\nCoach Katie Weismiller said the tough loss fostered confidence and helped her bunch feel it has a shot at knocking off the Lions.\n"We need the momentum," she said. "We're on our home court, and we need to finish strong. I feel like we're peaking. This is a great opportunity."\nPenn State dumped IU 15-7, 15-10, 15-9 last month. Sophomore middle blocker Mishka Levy spearheads the Lion attack with 4.32 kills per game and has helped Penn State win 12 of its last 13 games after beginning the league season with three consecutive losses.\nLevy hit .500 in the last meet, tallying 21 kills. Teammate Katie Schumacher added 15 kills, and Penn State (23-5, 12-4 Big Ten) hit .356 for the match. But Weismiller did credit her team, saying it made Penn State commit more unforced errors than usual, something the sharp, disciplined Lions rarely do. It will take more of the same pressure and solid passing and serving to thrust IU (15-11, 6-10) to victory.\n"We just can't be afraid," senior outside hitter Amanda Welter said. "This is our best chance to upset Penn State, and we have nothing to lose. We're playing a team we grew up idolizing; we have to get past that."\nWelter said before the previous contest that she'd like one upset of Penn State on her college resume. She said being in familiar territory should help the Hoosiers' cause. The mid-week timetable of the match does cause somewhat of a mix-up in IU's schedule, but Weismiller and Welter agreed it shouldn't affect the match outcome.\nThe Hoosiers realize an upset would weigh heavily in their outside bid at an NCAA tournament berth. History is on their side. In each of the last two seasons, IU has out-dueled Minnesota in the regular season finale to earn a post-season bid. A late-season upset of either Penn State or Ohio State, which visits Friday, could likely do the same.\n"We have to be aggressive, and play with heart," sophomore setter Laurie Gardner said. "We have to keep (the NCAA tourney) in mind."\nThe team hopes to combat Penn State's fundamentally sound play with sharp passing, transition and ball control of its own. Weismiller said that when the chance comes to put balls away, the Hoosiers must do so. Not in any one match thus far this season, Weismiller said, have all six Hoosiers on the floor clicked. She cited that as the reason IU is yet to beat a ranked opponent this year. A mere 80 percent effort from everyone tonight, she said, could make the difference. "We need strength in all six spots," she said. "We can't have anyone have an off-night. If we bury the ball and play aggressive defense, we\'ll be in good shape."\nNote:\nWeismiller announced Thursday the signing of four letters of intent from high school standouts across the Midwest. Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill.), Stephanie Blevins (Windsor, Penn.), Karla Crose (Lincoln, Neb.) and Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill.) are all scheduled to suit up for Weismiller next fall.\nTONIGHT\nOpponent: Penn State\nWhen: 7 p.m. \nWhere: University Gym