Volleyball team eyes Iowa, No.13 Minnesota

Perhaps revenge is what it does best.

The IU volleyball team scored two upsets against Iowa and No. 13 Minnesota, after losing to them both earlier this season. IU’s success now puts it 6-6 in the Big Ten and 14-10 overall. 

Sophomore middle blocker Ashley Benson said she thought playing at home and having the support from fans helped the Hoosiers find the energy and readiness to play.

The first match against Iowa was a thrilling victory, with IU overtaking the Hawkeyes 3-2 after an initial two-set deficit.

Benson was, for the second straight time, awarded Big Ten Player of the Week this week and showed her leadership abilities in the Iowa match. She reached a career-high 25 kills and recorded a .477 hitting percentage for the match.

Benson said she felt humbled to receive the honor, but she said she is ready to compete like she has been for weeks.

“I feel excited to try to outdo what I’ve already done and to help the team continue to succeed,” Benson said.

After last Friday’s victory, the team had little time to enjoy it and had to quickly recover for Saturday’s match against Minnesota. The back-and-forth affair ended in five sets, after which the Hoosiers exuded confidence to finish strong.

“We all knew that we could beat them,” Short said, “and coach (Sherry Dunbar) said in the fourth game huddle when were down that we needed to change. Everyone realized we could do it. Everyone changed what needed to be changed. We got the fifth set and dominated.”

Wednesday marks an important day as well for the Hoosiers, who will go up against No. 1 Penn State at 7 p.m. in the University Gym. They have previously lost to Penn State in three sets this season, but they are not afraid of the No. 1 team in the nation.
Short doesn’t put Penn State on a higher pedestal than the rest of the Big Ten teams.

“I think as a team we’re ready to go out there and play,” Short said. “We have nothing to lose. They’re a great team and haven’t lost a set this year. It’s going to be a great chance for us to work on some things and have fun.”

For sophomore middle blocker Lexie Woodson, playing a top team is exciting.

“Watching them on TV and playing against them is a different experience,” Woodson said. “My mom was even saying to play the No. 1 team in the country is an awesome experience. If we keep doing what we’ve been, maybe we can pull a set or a win off of them. No team has done that yet. “

Benson exuded quiet confidence when asked about the Hoosiers’ strategy against the Nittany Lions.

“All we really need to do is hit high off their hands and just go down swinging hard,” Benson said. “If we all keep fighting, we can do it.”