After weeks of travel for IU volleyball, the team will finally return home for the weekend to host the Indiana Invitational tournament.
The Hoosiers will face Virginia Tech, Bowling Green and Northern Arizona this Friday and Saturday.
“Just playing three teams is a challenge,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan said. “You look at Virginia Tech, they’ve just got ranked. Bowling Green is going to come in with some confidence, and Arizona has a very different style than us.”
The Hoosiers said they believed, however, that playing on their home court will give them the edge they need to come out with wins. The team said the acclimation to the court and the extra rest at home will help to show off what they’ve been putting into their practices for the past few months.
“Our biggest challenge is that it’s the season opener,” junior outside hitter Mallory Waggoner said. “Home court advantage is always a thing, and I think we’ll come out and show off all the hard work we’ve done.”
The upcoming weekend will be especially exciting for Waggoner because it will be her first time playing for IU in University Gym.
She said she hoped she could contribute efficiently to the team’s plays by continuing to hone the skills she’s been practicing while on the road and in practice.
“It’s my first chance to play at home for IU,” Waggoner said. “My mom is coming to see me play for the first time, and I’m excited to help the team to some victories.”
IU has been working diligently on their serving and passing for the past couple of weeks, and the middle blockers have had their best week of practice this season, Dunbar–Kruzan said.
“Playing teams with a lot of confidence is a challenge,” she said. “You serve and pass in your own gym better, and, if we can do that at a high level, I think we’ll be successful.”
Other than the competition, the Hoosiers are simply looking forward to being surrounded by IU pride, loyal fans and their families.
“It’s fun to be on the road, but there’s no place like home,” Dunbar-Kruzan said. “Nothing beats representing Indiana with great loyal fans, families and an exciting environment to play in.”
