IU hosts Purdue today at home on short week

The IU volleyball team will face in-state rival Purdue at 8 p.m. today in the University Gym. The Boilermakers (12-7, 5-3) come to Bloomington riding a three-game winning streak and standing in first place in the Big Ten in average digs per game. \nThe rivalry will be the first mid-week matchup for the Hoosiers this season. With less time to prepare for Purdue, coach Sherry Dunbar said the team utilized what practice time they had.\n“We’ve worked a lot on Purdue’s offense,” she said. “We have limited practice this week, but so does Purdue, so we’re in the same boat.”\nFreshman setter Mara Hilgenberg said she notices how meaningful these practices are and knows what is expected of the team every day.\n“We work hard in practice,” she said. “We try our best because we practice how we play.”\nSenior defensive specialist Anne Mastandrea is leading the Boilermakers with 322 total digs and 4.67 digs per game this season. The Hoosiers will look to counter this defensive threat with junior outside hitter Erica Short. Short leads the Hoosiers with 329 kills and stands fourth in the conference in total kills.\nThis season, the Hoosiers are 4-3 at home and rest in a three-way tie for fifth place –\na game behind Purdue in the conference standings. IU is coming off of its fourth straight weekend having split two \nconference games. \nDunbar said splitting results on the weekend is sometimes not the worst outcome.\n“Right now, we’re happy to make some splits,” she said. “We would rather split the weekend than lose both games, but we would rather win both games than split.”\nThe Big Ten Network will televise the rivalry match. This is IU’s first televised match of the season, and the team has one more TV appearance scheduled when it travels to Purdue on Nov. 14. \nEven though the match is on TV, freshman middle blocker Taylor Wittmer said she sees this match as simply another home game.\n“We just feel it’s another game where we can bring a lot fans,” she said.\nHilgenberg said she’s happy the game will be televised and wants to perform to best of her ability.\n“I am so excited,” she said. “This is our first Big Ten match on TV, and we want to bring everything.”\nA win today would mean IU and Purdue would be tied in the conference standings. Dunbar said this match is one the team has been looking forward to, and earning a win would give her team more confidence.\n“It’s fun to have your rival come in town,” she said. “This is a big match on the schedule, and we want to win.”