IU volleyball off to solid Big Ten start

The IU volleyball team (11-5, 2-2) comes into play this week with its best conference start since 2003. \nCurrently, the team sits at 2-2 and is in a three-way tie for fourth in the conference. This weekend, a win against either Illinois or No. 9 Wisconsin would give the Hoosiers as many conference wins as they have had in the last two seasons.\nThe Hoosiers will play Illinois (10-4, 2-2), who is tied with IU in the conference standings, at 8 p.m. Friday in Champaign, Ill.\nIllinois boasts freshman outsider hitter Laura DeBruler, reigning conference player of the week. She averaged 4.9 kills on the strength of a .333 hitting percentage as Illinois defeated Michigan State 3-2 and Northwestern 3-0 on the road. \nAfter taking on the Fighting Illini, IU will fly to Madison, Wis. to face the Badgers at 8 p.m. Saturday. Wisconsin (12-1, 4-0) is in a three-way tie for first place in the Big Ten. \nThe Hoosiers will be trying to build on last week’s home success, when they beat Ohio State and played aggressively against No. 3 Penn State, holding them to a hitting efficiency of .188 in the second game.\nAlthough Penn State and Wisconsin are the two top teams in the conference, their playing styles differ, IU coach Sherry Dunbar said. \n“Penn State is a more athletic team, while Wisconsin relies on its long tradition and home court advantage,” she said.\nAfter playing Penn State last week, the Hoosiers face another top-10 team: Wisconsin. Senior defensive specialist Juli Pierce said she feels confident about taking on the Badgers. \n“After playing Penn State, I know we can play with the top teams,” she said. “I think we definitely have a shot to beat Wisconsin.”\nPlaying on the road presents another challenge for IU. \n“Playing on the road is tough in this conference,” Dunbar said. “That’s why we stress the importance of home games.”\nFreshman setter Mara Hilgenberg also stressed the importance of maintaining focus on the road. \n“We have to pretend we are at home and play with the same intensity,” Hilgenberg said.\nBesides the road challenge, the team will have to continue to work on obstacles from last week.\n“We still need to work on our defense, blocking and continue to go after every ball,” Pierce said.\nOne challenge the squad may have to overcome is getting enough rest and preparation. After their game at Illinois, the Hoosiers will immediately board a plane to Wisconsin. The small amount of down time does not give the team much time to scout the Badgers. \n“This week in practice, we have been pushing Illinois all week. The team has had their DVD to scout them,” Dunbar said. “We don’t want our kids to look ahead to Wisconsin, we as coaches are the ones who do the looking ahead.”\nThe trip to Illinois will be a homecoming for three of the women on the team. Hilgenberg, who is from Lake Forest, Ill., said she is looking forward to the trip.\n“It a chance to show what Indiana University has to bring,” she said.