Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Downs Drake, 3-0
8/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
August 30, 2002
Indiana Downs Drake, 3-0
Boxscore
DeKalb, Ill. – Make it ten for ten. With an impressive three-game (30-23, 30-16, 34-32) victory over Drake at the Northern Illinois Best Western Invitational earlier today, Indiana provided head coach Katie Weismiller with her 10th consecutive victory in season openers as the Hoosier head coach. Indiana returns to action on Saturday with a noon match vs. IUPUI and a 7:00 p.m. tilt with 2001 NCAA tournament participant Northern Illinois.
The Hoosiers were impressive throughout much of today’s victory over Drake. After a sluggish start in game one, Indiana was extremely impressive in the second game of the day, jumping to a 18-7 lead and cruising to a 30-16 victory. While it looked as if Indiana would make quick work of the Bulldogs during the first match of the two-day tournament, Drake competed valiantly throughout the third game and even took a 26-22 lead before the Hoosiers recovered following a Weismiller timeout to earn a hard-fought 34-32 victory. Indiana hit .304 for the match.
Junior Academic All-America candidate Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) was a catalyst throughout the match for the Hoosiers as she recorded a .500 hitting percentage, tallying 13 kills on 20 attacks to go along with only three attack errors. Her hitting percentage was the second best percentage of her career (.625 hitting percentage vs. Marquette as a freshman).
“I think the main thing about the first game was the jitters,” said Brewer. “In the second game we kind of got into a flow and in the third game I was really impressed how we fought through being down and came out on top.” Indiana hit .304 for the match, including .417 in the second game, while recording 10 team blocks and six service aces.
Junior Nikki Hill (Muncie, Ind./Central) was also solid for the Hoosiers as she continually recorded points at critical times on her way to recording a .444 hitting percentage. Junior Monique Pritz (Columbus, Ind./East) hit at a .364 clip, while senior libero Hillary Toivonen (Muncie, Ind./Burris) recorded seven digs.
“Nikki is just doing a excellent job,” said Weismiller. “Her passing was great and offensively we needed her to step up and she stepped up. She was very accepting of that role.”
The third game had a different look that the first two games of the match as the Bulldogs and Hoosiers were involved in a seesaw affair that featured 16 ties and multiple lead changes. Drake grabbed a 26-22 lead and looked as if it would send the match to a fourth game but Indiana tied the game at 28-28 and eventually clinched the match on the third match point of the game. The Indiana rally followed a Weismiller timeout that seemed to regroup the Hoosiers.
“In game three we came out with a letdown,” said Weismiller. “Give Drake credit as they did a nice job attacking us but we came from behind and that will be a good character builder for this team. We were challenged early and we came back to win, which is very encouraging.”
Indiana took a 15-10 lead midway through the first game but Drake answered with six of the next seven points between the two teams to tie the game at 16-16. Indiana scored the next four points, taking a 20-16 lead on a kill by sophomore Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West) that caused Drake second-year head coach Randy Dolson to call time out. Following the stoppage, Drake cut Indiana’s lead to 20-17 but Indiana scored six consecutive points behind the strength of solid jump serves by sophomore setter Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington). After Drake had again pulled to within four points of the lead at 26-22, an impressive block by Pritz ended Drake’s run. Brewer put the first game in the record book for the Hoosiers with a kill. She finished the game with a .857 hitting percentage.
The beginning of the second game was also closely contested as no team gained more than a one-point advantage until Indiana took a 6-4 lead. Indiana grabbed a 7-4 lead on a block by Hill and increased its lead to 10-6 before Drake pulled to within 10-7 on a kill by sophomore middle blocker Jessica Wilson. Indiana increased its lead to six points as it took a 12-6 advantage and grabbed a 14-7 lead on a kill by Archibald. Indiana again continued to increase its lead on impressive jump serves by Zimmerman and Drake called timeout as Indiana secured a 16-7 advantage. A Pritz ace gave the Hoosiers a 26-11 lead and a back row kill by Archibald increased Indiana’s lead to 27-12. After a Drake point, sophomore Katie Pollom (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) increased Indiana’s lead to 28-12 with a kill of her own. Indiana sealed the second game on a back row kill by Hill, giving the Hoosiers the 30-16 victory. Indiana recorded a .417 hitting percentage in the second game.
In the third game, Drake took a 2-0 advantage before both teams began to trade points throughout the early portion of the game. After Indiana took a 7-4 lead, Drake rallied and both teams were tied at eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, and 13 before Indiana grabbed a 15-13 lead midway through the game. The lead did not last long as Drake tied the game again at 15-15, 16-16, and 17-17. Drake regained the lead at 18-17, causing Weismiller to call time out. Drake was the first of the two teams to 20 points in the second game, taking a 20-18 lead.
With today’s win, Indiana improved its overall record in season openers to 21-7. Today’s match was the first athletic event ever contested at Northern Ilinois’ new $35.8 million Convocation Center.
