Big Ten volleyball all in the family for Holm

The Penn State volleyball team will bring a few things to Bloomington when it leaves State College, Pa., for its matchup with IU on Friday. The Nittany Lions will bring a No. 3 national ranking, a 21-2 overall record, a 12-0 conference record, a three-game lead over the second place team in the Big Ten and a junior middle hitter by the name of Kim Holm.\nDespite what might seem like a world of difference between Penn State and an IU volleyball team with a 2-9 conference record, IU does have something in common with the two-time defending Big Ten Champions.\nIU has a Holm of its own.\nFreshman setter Laura Holm will take the court against her sister Kim for the second time this season Friday and for the first time at home in her career at IU.\n"It's fun (to play against each other). We're really competitive, but there is no bad blood or anything," Laura said.\nThe first time the pair faced off in their collegiate careers was Oct. 1 at Penn State. The Nittany Lions beat the Hoosiers 3-0 in a match that saw Laura notch 25 assists and nine digs and Kim earn one kill and three block assists in two games played.\n"I love that Laura is in the same conference," Kim said in an e-mail. "Playing against her the first time was fun and not really as weird as I thought it would be."\nHaving an older sister who has already played Big Ten volleyball paid big dividends right away for Laura. As a freshman, she has been the starting setter since the beginning of the season and has gained the confidence of her coach.\n"She has got great volleyball intelligence," IU coach Katie Weismiller said. "She displays great leadership and is a great competitor."\nWeismiller, who recruited Kim before she committed to Penn State, said she knew she would eventually want to recruit Laura as well.\n"I can remember Laura coming in when we recruited her older sister," Weismiller said. "I'll never forget, she was a young little kid sitting on the end of the bench, and I kept thinking at that point, we want her."\nDuring Laura's college search and recruiting process, Kim had only minimal advice for her younger sister.\n"I really hoped that she would find a school that challenged her athletically, academically and socially," Kim said. "I think she will do great things at Indiana."\nWith two daughters playing Big Ten volleyball, the Holms' parents might be conflicted while sitting in the stands, but they support both their daughters and have a certain sense of pride in what their daughers have accomplished.\n"My mom, when we were at Penn State, wore a shirt that had one side Indiana and one side Penn State," Laura said. \n"We never really talk about it, but I definitely think (the family pride) is there."\nLaura Holm and the Hoosiers will take on Kim Holm and the Nittany Lions at 7 p.m. Friday in University Gym before welcoming Ohio State at 7 p.m. Saturday.