Hoosier Classic brings 3 teams to IU

One week after sweeping the IU Classic at home, the IU women’s volleyball team returns this weekend to welcome Gonzaga, Niagara and Eastern Illinois at the Hoosier
Classic.

Last weekend, the Hoosiers dominated in three matches and didn’t drop a single set.
IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said the Hoosier Classic will provide a challenge she feels will help prepare the team for the high level of play in the conference.

“We need the challenge,” Dunbar said. “We are two weeks from Big Ten season, so these next two weekends we are going to get some good competition, and I think that will help us step up our game and understand the level that we need to play at.”

Dunbar said one focus in practice this week has been improving blocking.

“We were a really strong blocking team last year, and I think we will be this year,” Dunbar said. “I’m not sure we will be right now, but that is something that gets better as the season goes along.”

The team’s progress will be tested Saturday by Niagara’s Hannah Hedrick, who already has 104 kills for the season — 33 more than junior Kelci Marschall, who leads IU with 71 kills.

Junior outside hitter Ivie Obeime, who ranks fourth on the team in blocks, said the team has been working on consistently lining up in the right position to block.

“We are working on trying to get our hands over the net and line up in the correct spot, because a lot of times why we don’t get blocks — it’s because we aren’t in the right spots,” Obeime said.

Leading the team in blocks is freshman Morgan Leach, with 31 blocks and a 1.41 block-per-set ratio.

Dunbar said she has been pleased with Leach’s defense but believes she can do more.

“I think she’s really improved on the discipline of what the swing blocking means,” Dunbar said. “She’s learning that it’s okay to sit, load and wait for wherever you want to go. You want to be anxious, but in this type of technique you have to be patient and wait.”

Setter Whitney Granado said while blocking will be a key this weekend, the offensive tempo, which is usually dictated by the setters, is crucial to offensive execution.

“We build a lot of trust (with our hitters) with how the flow goes and how tempo is,” Granado said. “They trust the ball is going to be how fast it needs to be and where it needs to be, and then that gives them all the options they want to hit.”

With an energetic home crowd behind the Hoosiers this weekend, Granado said the team needs to feed off each other’s excitement and energy.

“Our passion as a team and how much fun we have together really needs to show in our play,” Granado said. “That’s when we all get together and when we keep it rolling.”