IU splits games over weekend

For the fourth consecutive weekend of Big Ten conference play, the IU volleyball team (13-7, 4-4) split a pair of matches at home. \nFriday night, in front of a school-record crowd of 11,086 – partly because the game opened Hoosier Hysteria festivities – visiting Michigan State swept IU 3-0 (25-30, 26-30, 26-30). Saturday at the University Gym, IU defeated Northwestern 3-1 (30-26, 30-26, 22-30, 30-27).\nAlthough on paper it appeared that IU played Michigan State close, IU coach Sherry Dunbar was not pleased with her team’s performance. \n“We just did not play well, and it showed,” Dunbar said.\nDunbar dismissed the idea that the record crowd and the possibility of looking ahead to its match with in-state rival Purdue on Wednesday were possible reasons for her team’s poor play Friday night. \nAlready down 0-1 to Michigan State, IU found itself down 14-19 in the second game. The Hoosiers took a time-out to regroup, which worked in their favor, as they surged back to tie the game at 25.\nIU could not hold on to that momentum, however, as the Spartans pulled out the win 26-30 in game two. IU went on to lose game three by the same margin.\nIn spite of the loss, a few Hoosiers stood out statistically in the game.\nSenior defensive specialist Juli Pierce ended the match with 16 digs, and junior outside hitter Erica Short led the team with 15 kills.\nDunbar’s post-match talk fired the team up going into Saturday’s match.\n“She gave us a big talk,” Short said. “Coach went back to the Ohio State game and told us how well we played.”\nIn Saturday’s match against Northwestern, IU came out with the intensity and fight it lacked the night before. \n“We fought and were very competitive,” Dunbar said. “When we had to get points, we got points.”\nIn the fourth game alone, there were five lead changes, and the score was tied on 15 different occasions.\nDuring the match, Pierce exceeded 1,000 digs for her career. She’s just the eighth player in school history to reach that milestone. \nShe ended the match with a game-high 25 digs.\nFour women on IU’s team ended the match with double-digit kills. Short let the way with 17 kills and 10 digs, senior right side Lauren Ditteon had 11 kills and 11 digs and freshman middle blocker Ashley Benson and sophomore outside hitter Kelsey Hall both notched 10 kills. Hall also recorded 10 digs. \nIU is undefeated in games during which Ditteon has recorded a double-double.\n“We were ready to play tonight,” Hall said. “After last night’s talk, coach pumped us up for (Saturday’s) game.” \nIU, now 4-4 in conference play, sits in a three-way tie for fifth place. IU is back in action Wednesday, when it welcomes Purdue for its third consecutive home game. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network.