Fans filed into Wilkinson Hall on Friday to watch the annual Cream and Crimson Scrimmage hosted by Indiana volleyball head coach Steve Aird. The match consisted of three sets with the first two played to 25, and the last set played to 15. While each set was close, Cream came out on top for every set (25-22, 25-22, 15-11).
Here are the biggest takeaways from Friday’s scrimmage:
Delaynie Maple’s transition from sand to hardwood looks to be no issue
Maple, a graduate student defensive specialist, transferred to Indiana from USC. She was a four-time national champion for the Trojans in beach volleyball during her time in Los Angeles. Friday marked Maple's first time suiting up to play indoor volleyball since high school.
Maple is dealing with a minor calf injury, according to Aird, but she excelled on defense, tallying up eight digs. Maple will be ready to go against Kennesaw State on Aug. 30.
Avery Daum shines in freshman debut
With the four freshmen that suited up for the first-time, right-side hitter Avery Daum stood out for Crimson. While Daum was on the losing side, she earned six kills and three blocks.
Returners will provide crucial experience
Indiana returns numerous rotation players from last season, and their performances Friday didn’t disappoint.
For Cream, senior setter Camryn Haworth distributed the ball to her teammates all match as she ended up with 24 assists. She also impacted her squad defensively, recording eight digs and three blocks.
Additionally, junior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles was dominant on the offensive end, tallying a game-high 15 kills
For crimson, senior Mady Saris contributed on both the offensive and defensive end, earning nine kills and 10 digs. And sophomore libero Ramsey Gary also helped on the defensive end, digging 9 balls — with one diving save in the second set right by the red zone chairs to keep a back-and-forth rally alive.
Aird’s new challenge donations
During the first set, Kevin Hodge, head coach of the Crimson team, challenged a call, prompting Aird to stop the match for a moment and announce his new challenge donations to the fans and community. He announced that every challenge call Indiana wins throughout the season, he will donate $50.
Half of that money will go to the Crimson Guard, Indiana’s student section, so that Aird can throw a party after the last match of the season. The other half will go to the Community Kitchen, a local charity in Bloomington that aims to eliminate hunger and food insecurity.
Both teams each won a challenge during the scrimmage, bringing the total to $50 for the Crimson Guard and $50 for the Community Kitchen.
The Cream and Crimson will reunite for good Aug. 30, when the Hoosiers travel down to Kennesaw, Georgia, to compete in the Kennesaw State Invitational.
