Indiana University Athletics
No. 6 Minnesota Claims Big Ten Title
11/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
November 22, 2002
MINNEAPOLIS - Playing at sixth-ranked Minnesota isn't a great opportunity for any team to put an end to a short losing streak. Stepping onto the court with the Golden Gophers the night they are poised to clinch an outright Big Ten title is recipe for disaster. While it wasn't nearly that bad, Minnesota's defensive excellence, efficient offense, and strong bench play proved to be too much for the Hoosiers to handle in a 3-0 (30-23, 30-19, 30-22) Minnesota victory before 2,812 fans at the Sports Pavilion. The win clinched a Big Ten title for the Golden Gophers, the first in school history.
"You have to give a tremendous amount of credit to Minnesota," said Indiana head coach Katie Weismiller. "They have some really good athletes and they played well. I expected us to play better and for it to be a more competitive match. That's disappointing but that doesn't take away from Minnesota's accomplishments. In a Big Ten that is so balanced, they have come out to play, and win, just about every outing."
Indiana struggled offensively throughout the match and recorded only a .021 hitting percentage on the night and only averaged 12 kills per game. Sophomore outside hitter Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West), with 12 kills, was the only Hoosier in double figures. Minnesota notched a .239 hitting percentage.
Minnesota (29-3 overall, 16-1 Big Ten) entered tonight's match winners of 21 of its last 22 matches, while maintaining a 10-match winning streak. Despite its dominance in 2002, Indiana (18-11 overall, 8-9 Big Ten) was very competitive in a match between the two teams that was played in Bloomington on October 26. The Golden Gophers eventually won that tilt, 3-1. Indiana, winners of seven of its last 11 matches, entered tonight's match with a two-match losing streak, following losses at Ohio State and vs. No. 13 Penn State.
In game one, with Indiana trailing 5-4 after a kill by junior Academic All-America candidate Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North), the Hoosiers had an opportunity to tie the game but Minnesota extended its lead to 6-4 after Indiana failed to capitalize on four Minnesota free balls and Minnesota won the point. Monique Pritz (Columbus, Ind./North), who played one of her finest matches of the season, joined sophomore Katie Pollom (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) on a block assist that pulled the Hoosiers to within 8-6. Following an Indiana timeout with the Hoosiers trailing 13-7, IU scored seven of the next 10 points scored between the two teams to draw to within 16-14.
Minnesota answered the Indiana run and took a 22-16 lead before a kill by junior Nikki Hill (Muncie, Ind./Central) drew the Hoosiers to within five points, 22-17. After the Hoosiers cut Minnesota's lead to 22-19, the Golden Gophers regained a six-point lead, 25-19, on a kill by Cassie Busse. The Minnesota junior also closed out the first game, 30-23, on a kill.
Indiana only managed nine kills in game one and were limited to a .024 hitting percentage. Minnesota notched 18 kills and a .196 hitting percentage.
Minnesota kept the pressure on the Hoosiers early in game two, breaking a 2-2 tie with six consecutive points that prompted Weismiller to call a time out. It didn't matter. Minnesota extended its lead to 14-5 and led 17-6 before back-to-back kills by Archibald and Brewer, respectively, narrowed the Minnesota lead to 17-8. Indiana never got any closer as Minnesota extended its advantage to 22-9. Trailing 25-10, Indiana took its second time out of the game. The Hoosiers scored the next four points, including two service aces by Brewer, and trailed 26-16 following a kill by freshman Ashley White (St. Charles, Ill./East). Minnesota, however, tallied four of the next seven points, closing out the game on a kill by freshman Sigourney Schaffer.
Game three was much of the same for the Golden Gophers. Minnesota broke a 4-4 tie with four consecutive points to take an 8-4 lead. A block assist by Pollom and Archibald, followed by an Archibald kill, drew the Hoosiers to within two points, 11-9. Leading 13-11, Minnesota scored four consecutive points to take a 17-11 lead. Following an Indiana timeout, Indiana stayed within striking distance and trailed only 20-15 before Minnesota scored back-to-back points, the second on a kill by freshman Jessica Byrnes that essentially put the match out of reach. Following another Indiana timeout with Minnesota leading 26-17, the Hoosiers scored four of the next five points, pulling to within 27-21 on a service ace by Pollom. Minnesota, however, closed out the match, 30-22, on a block assist by Byrnes and sophomore Trisha Bradford.
Indiana returns to action on Saturday evening as it travels to Iowa City in what may very well be a must-win match for the Hoosiers to keep its NCAA tournament hopes alive.
