IU faces Texas Longhorns in post season game

The Hoosier volleyball team will enter its first NCAA Tournament bid in three years to face the Texas Longhorns tonight. IU's match marks the opening of the Pacific Regional with the winner facing either No. 10 Arizona or University of Texas-Arlington in the second round. \nThe Hoosier bid for the NCAA Tournament was in jeopardy after last Saturday's loss against Illinois which placed IU in a three-way tie for sixth place. With 48 teams in the tournament and seven Big Ten teams already named, the Hoosiers were finally placed within the tournament. \nThe Longhorns come into the match sporting a 22-8 record and three players on the All-Big 12 team. Texas has received 20 tournament bids in 21 years and has a perfect 16-0 first round record under its belt. IU's previous bout with the Longhorns occurred in 1990 where the Hoosiers were swept 3-0.\nSophomore outside hitter Mira Topic leads the Longhorns offensive attack with a 4.70 kills per game average and is second on the team for service aces (38) and digs with 2.63 per game. Flanking Topic's efforts are sophomore middle blocker Kathy Hahn and sophomore outside hitter Bethany Howden. Hahn is the team leader in hitting with a .344 hitting percentage and is second on the team with 1.11 blocks per game. Howden leads the Longhorns with 1.23 blocks per game and adds 3.72 kills per game. All three players were all named to the 2002 All-Big 12 team.\nWith Texas' past accolades and current impressive play, the Longhorns have earned respect from IU.\n"(The Longhorns) are traditionally one of the top teams in the Big 12 Conference and consistently made the Elite 8 throughout the 1990s, including an appearance in the NCAA finals," IU coach Katie Weismiller said in a press release.\nDespite a very formidable opponent, the 20-12 Hoosiers have some weapons of their own. Junior middle blocker Melissa Brewer leads IU with a .312 average and is second on the team in total blocks (137) and kills (470). With these impressive numbers, Brewer was named to the All-Big Ten first team. Sophomore outside hitter Christina Archibald is the Hoosiers' offensive leader with an IU single season record 539 kills and is second on the team with 310 digs. Archibald was named as the Big Ten Player of the Week on September 23rd, becoming only the eleventh player in team history to receive that honor. Sophomore middle blocker Katie Pollom leads the Hoosier squad with a 1.18 blocks per game average and is second on the team with a .257 hitting percentage. Both Archibald and Pollom were named as All-Big Ten honorable mentions. With three players on the 20 person All-Big Ten team, only Penn State and Ohio State had more players named to the All-Big Ten team. \nA "One point at a time" mentality has held strong throughout the season for the Hoosier volleyball team, and reaching its first 20 game season and NCAA Tourney bid in three years, it seams to have worked.\n"We're happy with our success this season," Brewer said earlier this season. "But it's still just one point, one match at a time"