After traveling to compete in the Kennesaw State Invitational, Indiana volleyball had just a one-day break before hosting the University of California, Davis for its home opener.
Although the Hoosiers secured the victory in four sets, UC Davis made them work for it. The teams were evenly matched after two sets, with both combining for over 60 points in the second set and the Aggies pushing the fourth set to deuce as well.
“That’s a really, really good volleyball team that we beat, and they were playing incredibly well,” Indiana head coach Steve Aird said postgame. “They showed so much fight and grit to hang in there.”
Both teams struggled from the service line, with Indiana committing 12 service errors and UC Davis committing 14. Senior setter Camryn Haworth credits the fans for contributing to the Aggies' mistakes.
“I think they definitely helped us,” Haworth said. “I think it’s going to be a real advantage going into this Big Ten season.”
Offensively, the Hoosiers didn’t perform at their usual level, with only junior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles and junior opposite hitter Avry Tatum reaching double-digit kills. However, Aird emphasized that Indiana’s commitment to playing hard and fast was key to their win.
“We talk all the time about playing hard and playing fast,” Aird said. “That’s a matchup for us that’s really problematic because those kids are really good at volleyball and do some funky stuff.”
The Aggies challenged Indiana on both ends, tallying 12 blocks and earning six aces — just three fewer than Indiana. While pleased with the win, Aird wants his team to minimize errors.
“I want to win the serve and pass in here,” Aird said. “They gave us some fits. They missed 14 serves, we missed 12, and we had nine aces, which is a bit lower than I’d like.”
Set one
Indiana controlled set one with strong performances on both ends of the ball. The offense served well from the line with three aces and only one service error, and the defense shined as it tallied up four blocks.
The set started with a contested battle, as neither team could establish an early lead. However, Indiana broke through first, pulling ahead 13-9 with a 4-1 run that forced UC Davis to call its first timeout.
After the timeout, UC Davis attempted to chip away at Indiana's lead but couldn't string together more than one point at a time. Indiana responded with another 4-1 run, prompting the Aggies to use their second timeout at 17-11.
At 18-12, Indiana went on a decisive 5-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back blocks from freshman middle-blocker Ella Boersema, extending the lead to 23-12. Although Aird called a timeout at 23-15, the Hoosiers quickly closed out the set with kills from Haworth and senior outside hitter Mady Saris, securing a comfortable 25-16 victory in the first set.
Set two
Tatum's two early kills in set two helped Indiana jump to a 4-1 lead, but that would be the largest lead Indiana established, as UC Davis quickly tied up the set at five apiece. Both teams continued to trade points, unable to take control of the second set early on.
At 13-10, UC Davis went on a three-point run, causing Aird to call the first timeout of the set. The Aggies continued to build momentum, extending their lead to 17-12. However, Indiana answered with a 7-2 run. Fueled by UC Davis errors and a pair of aces from Haworth and sophomore libero Ramsey Gary, Indiana tied the game at 19-19 and forced UC Davis to burn two timeouts during the stretch.
Neither team could seize a decisive late-set lead, with the score reaching 24-23 in Indiana's favor. UC Davis managed to force the set to deuce at 24-24 with a crucial kill. Neither team could win by two, and both teams battled on until 31-31, when an attacking error and an ace by UC Davis clinched the set for the Aggies, 33-31.
Set three
Tied at one apiece, the Hoosiers needed to regroup.
“It’s one to one, there’s not really anything we can do except start over,” Tatum said. “Focus on each other and focus on our side, and we knew what they were doing so we just needed to adjust.”
Like the other sets, neither could establish more than a marginal lead early on in set three. With UC Davis slightly ahead at 8-6, Indiana responded with a five-point run, taking an 11-8 lead to force the Aggies to use an early timeout.
Coming out of the break, Indiana service and attacking errors allowed UC Davis to narrow the lead to one at 12-11. But Indiana quickly regained momentum with a 5-1 run, sparked by Saris with a solo block followed by a kill, pushing the Hoosiers back out 17-12, and making the Aggies use their second timeout of the set.
While UC Davis earned the first point out of the break, Indiana went on a five-point run, capitalizing on its opposition’s attacking errors and riding Tatum’s two solo blocks to earn a 22-13 lead. The Aggies never caught back up to the Hoosiers as they won set three 25-16.
Set four
With its winning aspirations on the line in a critical fourth set, UC Davis wasn’t going to go home easily, holding a slight lead early on and preventing Indiana from capitalizing.
With the score tied at 11, a service error by Indiana and a block by UC Davis led Aird to call the first timeout of the set, with Indiana trailing 13-11. The timeout didn’t work in Indiana’s favor, as UC Davis extended their lead to 18-13, forcing Aird to use another quick timeout.
It looked like the Aggies were on their way to forcing a fifth set, but back-to-back kills by Alonso-Corcelles and Tatum led UC Davis to call its first timeout at 20-16. UC Davis regrouped and pushed its lead to 23-17. However, Indiana refused to back down, cutting the deficit to 23-19 with Boersema contributing a kill and a block, which caused UC Davis to take a timeout.
Needing just two more points, UC Davis saw Indiana go on a four-point run to tie the game at 23-23. Although the Aggies stopped the run to reach set point at 24-23, Indiana responded with a clutch kill from Haworth — her sixth of the night — to send the set to deuce again.
With UC Davis taking the lead again at 25-24, Indiana benefitted from an Aggie error to level the score. Although UC Davis challenged the call, claiming a tip by Indiana, the call stood, tying the set at 25-25.
At 25-all, Tatum wanted to step up for her team and send UC Davis home.
“When I went to Cam, I was like, ‘Set me the ball,’” Tatum said. “’I want this win right now for everyone.’”
Tatum fulfilled her promise, ending the match with back-to-back kills and securing a 27-25 victory for Indiana.
Indiana will travel to Austin, Texas, for a two-game slate. First on the docket is No. 1 University of Texas at Austin on Thursday night, then the University of Miami the following day.
Follow reporter Parker Rodgers (@parrod153) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
