IU finishes out 2006 with 19 straight losses

The IU women's volleyball team will end its losing streak this season at 19 games. It won't end because of a Hoosier victory though. It will end because there are no more games to play.\nThe Hoosiers lost their last two games at home this weekend after being swept by No. 11 Wisconsin on Friday and No. 10 Minnesota on Saturday. The losses ended the Hoosiers' season and put the team in last place in the Big Ten at 1-19 with an overall record of 10-22. The wins helped boost both Wisconsin and Minnesota in their pushes for an NCAA Tournament bid.\nWisconsin easily swept IU on Friday by scores of 21-30, 26-30 and 16-30. Sophomore outside hitter Erica Short's 11 kills and sophomore defensive specialist Juli Pierce's 20 digs paced the Hoosiers. \nMinnesota had no trouble sweeping IU on Saturday either (21-30, 22-30, 26-30). Short again led the Hoosiers with 11 kills. Minnesota had four players tally double-digit kills, notching a 56 team total compared to IU's 32 kills.\nIU coach Katie Weismiller said she thinks the Hoosiers played well despite the outcome.\n"I thought we competed this weekend," Weismiller said in a statement. "The scores are not indicative of how we played. If you asked our players and our fans, you would know that we competed. The team played hard; we just didn't have breaks go our way." \nAlthough this season is over, the team still has hope for next season, Wesimiller said. The young Hoosier team will only lose two seniors -- defensive specialist Sara Diehl and outside hitter Anne Grabow -- and will maintain a core group of players, including Short, the team's leader in kills.\n"Erica Short is going to be a great player," Weismiller said in a statement. "The program has a lot to build on"