Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Western Kentucky
Hoosiers Fall to Western Kentucky in Nailbiter, 3-2
8/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 27, 2005
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana volleyball squad demonstrated an incredible amount of grit and determination as the mix of veterans and rookies battled the 2005 IU Credit Union Invitational Champion Western Kentucky to the bitter end in a thrilling 3-2 loss. The contest showed exactly how close the two teams were as the match featured 25 ties and 15 lead changes throughout the day at the University Gym in Bloomington, Ind.
"This team competed tonight," Indiana head coach Katie Weismiller said. "We just played a strong team out there. There were times were we lost a couple points in a row and that was because the communication broke down. The great thing was, we kept coming back."
Senior outside hitter Rachel Gerling and sophomore right side Lauren Ditteon provided much of the leadership for the Hoosiers as both combined for 27 kills. Meanwhile, Ditteon's five service aces tied for the University Gym record and eighth on the all-time single-match chart. As a team, Indiana's 15 service aces also tied for third in five-game contests and fourth overall.
"We keep saying that this game is all about serving, passing and defense," Weismiller said. "Our serving was great and it took them out of the offense they were trying to run. We just need out offense to come around. We'll get balanced."
In addition, sophomore middle blocker Annie Moddrell post back-to-back eight block matches.
"Our outsides really read the plays well for me tonight and did a great job of getting me in position," Moddrell said. "All I had to do was set up and do my job."
Additionally, Gerling notched a double-double on the night with 19 kills and 14 digs. She nearly came up with an amazing triple-double with six block assists and also put down four service aces.
"The block in front of me was amazing," Gerling said. "It was definitely a lot easier to put the numbers I did because of that and the fact the passing was awesome. Laura was setting very well tonight."
Meanwhile, freshman middle blocker Erica Short blasted 14 putaways, while senior middle blocker Mandy Eberle notched 12 of her own.
Freshman setter Laura Holm ran the offense in fine fashion to finish with 54 assists, while junior libero Sara Diehl posted 12 saves and four aces.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, the first game provided foreshadowing to how the match would end, close and not in their favor. Western Kentucky held off Indiana in a tightly-contested first frame, 30-28. The game featured 10 ties and six lead changes as both teams had identical kill, error and total attack totals.
IU countered in the second stanza to square the match at 1-1 with a hard-fought 30-24 triumph. In the second game, Indiana out-hit Western Kentucky, .275-.114. The Lady Toppers responded in the third game with a 30-23 victory of their own as they out-hit IU, .361-.122, to take a 2-1 lead.
The Hoosier maintained their never-say-die attitude in the fourth frame with a 30-19 triumph as they flat-out dominated the Lady Toppers. IU jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in the game to knot the match at 2-2. In the game, the Hoosiers connected at a .444 rate against WKU's .081.
A reversal of fortunes awaited Indiana in the fifth-and-deciding stanza as Western Kentucky raced to the IU Credit Union title with a 15-9 win over the Hoosiers.
In a vote by the coaches, senior setter Caron Blotch, senior outside hitter Crystal Towler and senior outside hitter Jessie Wagner from Western Kentucky; sophomore middle blocker Annie Moddrell and senior outside hitter Rachel Gerling from Indiana; and senior middle blocker Tessa Wolf from Indiana State earned spots on the all-tournament team, while Western Kentucky's Wagner garnered most valuable player honors.
Players Mentioned
