Hoosiers fall in heartbreaker at home

IU scratched and battled for over two hours and 255 points worth of volleyball Saturday night. Despite one of its better efforts of the season, the team fell just short losing the match to Wisconsin 29-31, 31-29, 30-19, 27-30, 15-12.\nThe team put together some of its biggest numbers of the season, following the lead of senior middle blocker Melissa Brewer, junior outside hitter Christina Archibald, junior middle Katie Pollom and junior setter Victoria Zimmerman. Brewer, Pollom and Archibald combined for 52 kills, and Zimmerman tallied up 58 assists on the night.\n"Christina is like the energy," Zimmerman said. "She swings incredibly hard, and anytime she gets a kill it just pumps everyone up. Pollom can hit through a double block and get a kill. I don't know how she does it, but she does."\nThe team found itself fighting to stay in the match all night, coming back from several early leads by the Badgers and then coming back to force a fifth game.\n"It was a great effort," IU coach Katie Weismiller said. "We are so close, we just need a break. If we could catch one break, this team could be on fire."\nHitting percentage has been key for the Hoosiers all season, and it proved to be the case once again. The team hit for a .275 percentage in its Game 1 win, only to be followed by percentages of .213 and .114. In the fourth game, the Hoosiers hit for a very productive .471, and finished the match with an overall percentage of .275. Much of the production starts with good passing to allow Zimmerman to find one-on-one situations for her hitters.\n"It's been easier for me to see where the block is because our passing has been better and has been consistently getting me on the net," Zimmerman said. "I don't have to worry about where the ball is going to be, and I can just watch the block."\nJust days after moving into first place in the IU record book for block assists, Brewer was able to add five more to her career total to go along with her 18 kills.\n"I credit my team first of all. Without them I wouldn't be anywhere near all of that," Brewer said. "That and just the opportunity coach Katie has given me to play since my freshman year."\nArchibald led the team with 19 kills while capturing three service aces and seven digs. Pollom added 15 kills of her own with an astounding .545 hitting percentage. Junior defensive specialist Beth Heimann's 16 digs led the team. \n"I wish we could suit up and play tomorrow," Weismiller said. "Because this team is ready, they just need a break. It's going to happen, we just need it to happen soon."\nThe Hoosiers now begin a four-game road trip as they travel to Northwestern Friday and Illinois Saturday. The team next comes home Friday, Nov. 7, against Penn State.\n-- Contact staff writer Brian Janosch at bjanosch@indiana.edu.