Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Maryland
Hoosiers Fall To Maryland, 3-2, In Tournament Finale
9/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 2, 2006
Bloomington, Ind. - Despite coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win the third and fourth games, the Indiana volleyball team fell to Maryland, 3-2, in the final match of the TIS Bookstore Invitational. The Hoosiers are now 5-1 overall on the season and finished 2-1 in the tournament.
"Overall I was pleased with our play this weekend," head coach Katie Weismiller said. "We lost to a very good team tonight. They are probably the biggest block that we have seen, and we didn't quite make the adjustments that we needed, especially in our hitting coverage. Our passing was pretty good, but we just needed a better rhythm on our offense. We were well scouted by Maryland, and they did a very good job of defending our offense."
The first game started out close, but Indiana opened up a 10-9 lead on a kill by junior Gabrielle Allison and held onto the lead until the Terrapins came charging back to take a two-point advantage at 25-23. Maryland closed out the game at 30-27.
Despite eight ties in the early moments of the second stanza, the Terrapins again took the lead and held it until a kill by junior Lauren Ditteon knotted the score at 23-23. The two teams traded points back and forth for the remaining minutes of the game, but Maryland closed it out with the 30-27 win.
However, it was all Indiana in the third game, as the Hoosiers took the lead at 10-8 and never looked back. Sophomore Erica Short had seven kills in the game for Indiana, who captured it by a score of 30-18.
The Hoosiers again took the fourth game, this time on four kills by Short. After falling behind 4-0 to open the game, Indiana knotted the score at 11-11 and then took the lead, which they would not relinquish, on a kill by freshman Allison Regas. In forcing a fifth and deciding game, the Hoosiers took the fourth frame by a score of 30-22.
It was all Maryland in the fifth game, as the Terrapins served six-consecutive points to hold the Hoosiers to just one point in the opening minutes. Maryland captured the game, 15-3, and took home the tournament title.
Short led the Hoosiers with 22 kills in the match, and she was joined in double figures by Ditteon with 14. Senior Sara Diehl had 20 digs in the match and junior Caitlin Watts added four service aces. Following the conclusion of play, Short was named to the All-Tournament Team.
"We showed a lot of heart," Short said. "We trusted each other in that we could come back. We had the mentality that we could win. You never want to lose on your home court, and we wanted to win and knew that we could. We are getting more confidence game by game and we just need to work hard through each game."
TIS Bookstore Invitational Most Valuable Player Jade Brown led Maryland with 17 kills in the match.
The Hoosiers will be in action next on Friday, Sept. 8 when they take on Wake Forest at the Dayton Invitational. Match time is set for 4:30 p.m.
T.I.S. Bookstore Invitational All-Tournament Team
Kelly-Anne Billingy (Marshall) Katie Pommier (Chicago State) Meredith Doyle (Maryland) Teryn Papp (Maryland) Erica Short (Indiana)
MVP - Jade Brown (Maryland)
Players Mentioned
