After losing on the road to Michigan and Michigan State last weekend, IU returns home to University Gym to go against Maryland and Rutgers.
“There’s something about University Gym,” IU Coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan said. “There is definitely a home court advantage to this gym and a comfort level of leaving your sweat here everyday in practice and knowing the work you put in defending your home court.”
But IU isn’t relying solely on home court advantage to win.
Junior middle blocker Jazzmine McDonald said the team prepares and anticipates how it’s going to play at home the same way it would play if it was on the road.
After suffering a 3-0 loss to Michigan State and a 3-1 loss to Michigan, the IU has been working hard in practices this week to make the turnaround when competing this weekend.
“I think we’re ready to get back at it and show what Indiana is made of because last weekend wasn’t what we really wanted to represent,” McDonald said.
IU has focused less on how the opposing teams will be playing this week and more on strengthening its side of the court.
Dunbar-Kruzan said focus, along with weaker practices last week, contributed to the downfall this past weekend, and she said she wants the team to improve their focus.
“If you’re focused on the outcome, you’re focused on the wrong thing,” Dunbar-Kruzan said. “Focus on the process. Do I have a good toss? Do I have a good hand finish? Do I know where I want to put that ball? That’s the process and the outcome is what it is.”
Another important goal for IU during its practices this week was strengthening the cohesion during games.
The Hoosiers want to keep up communication on the court and come in with the right mindset.
“We’ve been focusing a lot on our speed and our game, making sure everything is clicking on our side,” McDonald said. “I think we’ve all come in with the right mindset, mentality in every position. Front row, back row, setters, everyone. It’s going to be a good weekend.”
A concern for IU is going to be playing the right side attack from Maryland.
The Hoosiers plan to anticipate the right side attack and contain the opposing player so they can continue to play at their normal speed on their side of the court.
Even with the challenges presented last weekend, the Hoosiers said they want to work on overall growth as a team and for its players.
“There’s no reason to panic this early in the season,” Dunbar-Kruzan said. “We’re not near our peak of playing, and we don’t want be. We want to just continue playing and see that through the season.”
