Hoosiers bring streak, confidence on road

A young but battle-tested IU volleyball team will go on its first Big Ten road trip of the season this weekend, seeking to continue its winning ways of late with a pair of matches against top conference foes Ohio State University and Penn State University. \nThe initial stop on the road trip will be in Columbus, Ohio, where IU will square off with No. 18 Ohio State Friday evening. IU comes into the match with an 8-16 mark against Ohio State under head coach Katie Weismiller, with the Buckeyes sweeping IU last season. \nThe second stop on the trip will be a match against No. 4 Penn State in University Park, Pa. The Hoosiers will be looking for their first victory over the Nittany Lions under Weismiller as they enter the match with an 0-24 record against Penn State during her tenure. \nDespite what seems like a daunting task ahead of them, the Hoosiers remain upbeat about their chances heading into this weekend's action. "I'm so excited," freshman setter Laura Holm said. "We have such an amazing opportunity in front of us."\nIU is carrying a two-match winning streak into the weekend; it also won four matches in its last five attempts, including victories against the University of Michigan, and more recently, the University of Evansville.\nWeismiller managed to get all 17 of her players into the match against Evansville, where the young Hoosier squad gained playing experience.\n"It's really important (to get young players playing time) just to get that experience," senior Mandy Eberle said. "We know that anybody on our bench can step up at any time." \nIU will look to extend its successful play of late into the weekend and the rest of Big Ten play.\n"We're really confident and pumped," Holm said. "We've got a lot going for us right now and we feel like we can do anything." \nThe Hoosiers will lean on their defense, led by reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Rachel Gerling, to carry them through the weekend. Gerling leads the team in digs with 168 this season. \nIU also welcomed back sophomore middle blocker Annie Moddrell in the Evansville match. Moddrell suffered an ankle injury for three matches. She brings back her team-leading blocks per game average, 1.74, as well as some leadership from the front row. \n"Having Annie back and having her where she can play is wonderful," Weismiller said.\nGoing into this weekend, IU brings a healthy middle blocker and the confidence that it can go on the road and come back to Bloomington with some victories.\n"We definitely have the potential," junior defensive specialist Sara Diehl said. "When we're on, we're on. If we can just focus on our strengths, we can definitely pick up a couple of wins on the road"