Team splits final matches

Losses to Penn State and Ohio State dented the volleyball team\'s postseason hopes. Friday\'s five-match loss to Purdue sealed the Hoosiers\' fate and handed the Boilermakers the 2000 Monon Spike Match win.\nIU (16-14, 7-12 Big Ten) grabbed game one of the match 15-9, then dropped games two and three before clawing its way to a 15-10 win in game four. Purdue then outlasted the Hoosiers 17-15 in the final game to capture the victory.\nSenior outside hitter Amanda Welter punished the Purdue defense, tallying 35 kills, and sophomore setter Laurie Gardner recorded her second triple-double of the season with 12 kills, 73 assists and 20 digs. Freshman outside hitter Nikki Hill and freshman middle blocker Melissa Brewer had 18 and 16 kills, respectively. IU hit 0.311 for the match. \nIU trekked to Champaign, Ill., Saturday to close out its season against Illinois. Saturday's match was a near repeat of the loss to Purdue, but this time IU closed out the match in the fifth game to finish the season with a victory. The Hoosiers and Illini (13-18, 4-16) traded wins in each game, with IU winning game one, three and five. \nOne night after a triple-double, Gardner again paced the Hoosiers, registering nine kills, 70 assists and 15 digs. Welter closed out her career in cream and crimson with 23 kills. Sophomore outside hitter Hillary Toivonen (13), Brewer (19) and freshman Monique Pritz (16) all finished with double-digit kills. \n"I think the leadership from the seniors was strong the entire year, and it showed up tonight when we needed it most," coach Katie Weismiller said. "It was a great team effort. I am really proud of everyone"