Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Look for Quick Start
8/29/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
August 29, 2002
Bloomington, Ind. -- With four returning starters, including Academic All-America candidate Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) and 2001 All-Big Ten Freshman team honoree Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West), the Indiana volleyball team looks to return to the form that has enabled the program to make two NCAA appearances in the last four seasons.
"Indiana's going to line up," said head coach Katie Weismiler, "and we're bigger physically than we've ever been. We're more talented offensively. Also, our defense has really picked up, and we are blocking more balls. I think you're going to see that Indiana is going to creep up in the Big Ten, and we might be a surprise early, but hopefully our opponents understand that our kids are maturing."
Indiana's maturation process will be put to the test this weekend when the Hoosiers open the 2002 campaign at the Northern Illinois Best Western Invitational. Indiana opens play on Friday at 5:00 p.m. when it takes on Drake University. The match will be the first for sporting event ever at Northern Illinois' new $35.8 Convocation Center. The Bulldogs will look to improve upon their 5-21 record of a year ago. Lacey Corcoran, a three-year starter, is expected to lead the Bulldogs. She will likely finish her career listed among the school's top 10 in kills, kill attempts, service aces and digs.
On Saturday, Indiana is scheduled to play IUPUI at noon, followed by a 7:00 p.m. match vs. Northern Illinois. IUPUI returns two starters from a squad that finished 8-21 one year ago. Sophomore outside hitter Michelle Sobocinski totaled 185 kills and 214 digs for the Jaguars in 2001.
Indiana will conclude the two-day tournament with a match against the host Huskies. Northern Illinois returns four starters from a squad that earned an NCAA Tournament bid one year ago. Head coach Ray Gooden is taking over the program after serving the last five seasons as the associate head coach at Loyola-Chicago. Tara Lobdell, the 2001 MAC Freshman-of-the-Year, will look to lead the Huskies.
"Northern Illinois is coming off a very good year," said Weismiller. "Drake, historically, has a very good program and any time we line up across the net from any in-state rivals, Indiana is going to be one of the biggest matches on their schedule. It's always a good competition for us. Our preseason is going to be a good test and give us an opportunity to see how we're going to do in the Big Ten."
This weekend's tournament will be a homecoming of sorts for freshman outside hitter Ashley White (St. Charles, Ill./East) and sophomore setter Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington), both of whom call suburban Chicago home.
