Big Ten play starts Friday

IU volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar said that as underdogs, IU will have to overcome the pressure to win each match and apply that pressure on their favored conference opponents.

That approach starts this weekend as the Hoosiers (11-3) open the Big Ten season with home matches against ranked foes in No. 8 Michigan (12-1) and No. 16 Michigan State (12-0).

IU plays its first conference match against Michigan at 7 p.m. Friday in the University Gymnasium.

“Their pen attackers, their outsides and their right-sides are very good, so we’re going to have to do the best job we can to slow them down,” Dunbar said.

Dunbar said the Wolverines are particularly dangerous from the service line.

“They’re rocket servers,” Dunbar said. “I think they either lead the Big Ten in aces per game or are right up there in two or three, so for us to be successful, we’re going to have to serve tough against them and we’re going to have to pass their serves.”

The Hoosiers will conclude their first Big Ten weekend at 7 p.m. Saturday against Michigan State.

“Not as good a serving team as Michigan, but a very good volleyball team,” Dunbar said of the Spartans. “They know how to win right now, and they had a great preseason beating some good opponents.”

Junior middle blocker Ashley Benson, an All-Big Ten selection last year, said applying pressure is paramount in the conference.

“The Big Ten is unpredictable,” Benson said. “There’s always going to be those random upsets that you never see coming. This year, I feel there’s going to be a lot of teams that underestimate us, and against those teams we have to fight as hard as we can to show them that we’re better than what we think they are.”

Sophomore libero Caitlin Cox, a Big Ten All-Freshman selection last year, agreed.

“You have to be on your toes all night and ... compete all 25 points until the game has ended,” Cox said.