Big Ten woes continue for IU

The IU volleyball team's Big Ten woes continued this weekend with losses at the hands of the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans. The pair of losses dropped IU's record to 2-14 in conference play and 9-19 overall.\nWith the pair of losses, the Hoosiers have lost 13 of their last 14 matches, including six in a row. \n"We never really got into a rhythm this weekend," IU coach Katie Weismiller said. "Both teams played very, very well. We certainly didn't help the cause, but they played very well."\nThe weekend began ominously for the Hoosiers when they travelled to Cliff Keen Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich., a venue where they haven't won since 1999. \nIU lost the match to Michigan 3-0 (22-30, 18-30, 25-30) behind an offense that managed only a .119 hitting percentage compared to Michigan's .338. Freshman Erica Short was the only Hoosier to get into double digits in kills with 14 and a .500 hitting percentage.\n"Erica is really coming on and doing a nice job," Weismiller said. "We just continue to make too many unforced errors as a team."\nThe Hoosiers jumped out to an early lead in the first game, but after surrendering the advantage and trading points, IU was tied at 14-14. From there, Michigan went on a 13-3 run to make the score 27-17. IU couldn't come back and dropped the game.\nMichigan hit at a .400 pace in the second game, opening up an early lead and never looking back. \nEight ties and four lead changes occurred in the third game. With the score tied at 20-20, the Hoosiers were unable to grab the advantage, and Michigan advanced the lead to 24-20 and closed out the game from there.\nMichigan State handed IU its second loss of the weekend (21-30, 17-30, 13-30), keeping the Hoosiers winless on the road in Big Ten play this season.\n"It's definitely tougher to play on the road," senior Mandy Eberle said. "All the Big Ten schools have good crowds and good fans." \nIU saw its offense struggle worse against Michigan State, compiling a team hitting percentage of .077, while its opponent again hit better than .300. Michigan State hit at a .322 clip for the match, including a .424 mark in the second game.\nIU hit a low of -.083 in the third and final game of the match, managing only 13 points in the process.\n"(The offense) wasn't as good this weekend and not the way it usually has been," Eberle said. "We really just need to work hard to get it back to where it was."\nDuring the loss, Short climbed to second place on the freshman single-season kills list. With 352 kills, she finds herself 12 kills behind the all-time freshman mark of 364 set by Christina Archibald in 2001.\nIU's road losing streak is now at 12 matches in conference play dating back to last season.\n"We should be a strong team no matter where we play," Short said. "If we take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves"