No. 18 Indiana volleyball has been accustomed to winning this season and losses have been few and far between.
But now on a two-game losing skid — its first consecutive losses of the season — the Cream and Crimson must prove they have the composure to bounce back. Indiana was swept by No. 1 Nebraska on Oct. 8 and then swept again against USC on Oct. 11.
Getting back into the win column won’t be an easy task for Indiana. The Hoosiers will have to overcome two ranked teams on the road this weekend in faceoffs against No. 11 Oregon and No. 20 Washington. The Cream and Crimson’s first opportunity will come against the Ducks on Friday in Eugene, Oregon.
Meet Oregon
Oregon holds a 14-2 overall record and a 5-1 Big Ten record. The Ducks are tied with Wisconsin for second in conference standings, both sitting just behind undefeated Nebraska.
Oregon will be tough to take down, touting a five-game win streak and an undefeated record at home. The Ducks have notable victories over No. 22 Michigan State, then- No. 10 Purdue and then-No. 15 Minnesota. Oregon’s lone losses have come to then- No. 7 Arizona State University and No. 6 Wisconsin.
Oregon owns a balanced and efficient offense. Junior outside hitter Sjakkie Donkers, senior outside hitter Valentina Vaulet and sophomore opposite hitter Alanah Clemente all average at least three kills per set. Vaulet boasts the most total kills with 176 on the season.
As a team, Oregon leads the conference in kills. The Ducks are hitting .255 and holding opponents to a .204 attacking percentage.
With Oregon recently joining the Big Ten in 2024, the history between the two programs is limited. The Ducks and Hoosiers have played just twice, with Indiana falling in Eugene in 2024 and winning in Bloomington in 2025.
Indiana and Oregon will face off at 9 p.m. Friday. Following Friday’s contest, the Hoosiers will look ahead to a matchup with Washington.
Meet Washington
Washington is 13-2 overall and 4-2 in the conference, with a 6-1 record at home. Washington picked up a notable sweep victory over Purdue on Oct. 4 in Seattle.
Sophomore outside hitter Simona Mateska leads the Huskies’ offense. The Belgrade, Serbia native holds a team best 3.46 kills per set and has accumulated the most kills on the team with 180. As a true freshman last season, Mateska earned AVCA North Region Honorable mention.
Washington has found its identity in its defense this season. The Huskies are holding opponents hitting to just .150 and no team has hit .300 against Washington in its 15 games.
The Huskies are led by fourth-year head coach Leslie Gabriel. Prior to taking over as head coach, Gabriel spent 22 seasons as an assistant with the program and played for the Huskies from 1995-98.
Ahead of their match with Indiana, the Huskies will face Rutgers on Friday night.
Indiana and Washington will face off at 5 p.m. Sunday. Streaming for both Friday and Sunday’s match will be available on Big Ten+.
Follow reporters Savannah Slone (@savrivers06 and srslone@iu.edu) and Kasey Watkins (@KaseyWatki87731 and kaslwatk@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana volleyball season.
