Hoosiers return home for tough weekend matches

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