IU loses to Purdue; set to host Michigan

Last Wednesday, the IU volleyball team faced off against rival Purdue for the second time this season. After tQaking the first game 30-16, the Hoosiers dropped the match by losing three straight games, 23-30, 26-30, 24-30, respectively. Although IU dropped to 15-14 after the match, they gave Purdue the worst one-game loss the Boilermakers have suffered since 2002. \nBut there was a bright spot.\nSenior defensive specialist Juli Pierce became the all-time single-season leader in total digs on Wednesday night. At the end of the night, she had 442 digs, passing previous leader Lynn Crawley who had 436 digs in 1994. Pierce recorded nine digs on the night in West Lafayette. \nFreshman middle blocker Ashley Benson also came closer to a team record Wednesday night. With 125 blocks on the season, she sits one behind the record of most blocks by a freshman, set by Melissa Brewer in 2000. Benson tallied 10 blocks on the night.\nThe Hoosiers dominated game one with help from junior outside hitter Erica Short, who had nine kills in the game and 20 kills on the night. Freshman defensive specialist Morgan Miller recorded her first start as a Hoosier in game one. \nHowever, battling throughout each game, Purdue combined with their home crowd to overcome the game one loss and take the next three games and the match. The Boilermakers won those three frames by a total score of 90-73. The Hoosiers are now in second-to-last place in the Big Ten.\nIU will host Michigan on Saturday with a 7 p.m. tip-off scheduled. Earlier this season in Ann Arbor, Mich., the Wolverines defeated the Hoosiers 3-1.\nMichigan currently sits fourth in the conference with a record of 20-8, 8-8. They are coming off of a win at Illinois and have won three of their last four matches. They will play Purdue on Friday before coming to Bloomington.\nConversely, IU has lost seven of their last eight matches in the conference and has but a slim chance of making the NCAAs. This is the Hoosiers’ second-to-last weekend of the season, and they only have three total games remaining.