Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Wins NIU Best Western Invitational
8/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
August 31, 2002
DeKalb, Ill. - After rather easily disposing of Drake and IUPUI in its first two matches at the Northern Illinois Best Western Invitational, Indiana knew it would be in for a much tougher test vs. the host Huskies in the tournament finale. They found it and then some. Yet, after overcoming a loss in game one, 30-28, the Hoosiers answered by winning the final three games, 30-26, 30-23, 20-23, to win the match 3-1 and improve its record to 3-0. In doing so, the Hoosiers snapped Northern Illinois' 16-game home winning streak. The match was hotly contested throughout but the Hoosiers' size advantage and superior blocking seemingly made the difference. Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player."Anyone on the floor for Indiana could have been the MVP," said Brewer. "Everyone did their job and that's the most important thing. Look at Hillary (Toivonen). She passed nails. Christina (Archibald) did great. It's just amazing to see everybody gel out there."
Having won earlier tournament matches against Drake (3-2) and IUPUI (3-0), Northern Illinois entered tonight's action having won 16 consecutive home matches and 23 of its last 25 overall. One year ago, Northern Illinois recorded a 24-6 overall record, including a 15-3 mark in the Mid-American Conference, while earning an NCAA tournament bid. To have the caliber of team that Indiana head coach envisioned she would have in 2002, the Hoosiers would have to compete with the Huskies - and compete they did.
"I think the biggest plus today was that we pushed through," said Indiana head coach Katie Weismiller. "Offensively, our team has been on all weekend. Victoria's done a nice job running the offense and our passing has been very, very, good."
In the first game, Indiana sophomore setter Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) spread the wealth around quickly as the Hoosiers' first three points were recorded on kills by junior Nikki Hill (Muncie, Ind./Central), junior Monique Pritz (Columbus, Ind./East), and sophomore Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West). After the game was tied at 7-7, Northern Illinois went on a mini run to take a 10-7 advantage. The lead did not last long for the Huskies as Indiana quickly tied the game at 10-10, only to see NIU garner the next three points to take a 13-10 lead. After Northern Illinois took a 16-12 advantage, Weismiller called time out to calm her troops and the energized Northern Illinois crowd.
After the time out, Indiana closed the lead to 21-19 but Northern Illinois immediately answered with two consecutive points to regain its four-point lead, 23-19, causing Weismiller to call her second time out of the game. The Hoosiers responded by cutting the NIU lead to 24-23. Trailing 26-24, back-to-back kills by Archibald and Hill tied the game at 26-26. Northern Illinois scored the next two points and Indiana responded by narrowing the NIU lead to 28-27. After both teams traded points, NIU outside hitter Brooke Dodson, a University of Kentucky transfer, ended the game on an impressive kill that the Hoosier defenders could not handle. The Huskies won the first game despite being outhit by the Hoosiers, .244 to .200.
Game two had a similar tone as the first as no team took more than a two-point lead until the Hoosiers secured a 14-11 advantage on a dink over the net by Zimmerman, who fooled the Husky defenders by thinking she was going to set a Hoosier hitter. Two kills Brewer and another by Hill gave the Hoosiers an 18-14 lead that led to a timeout by first-year NIU head coach Ray Gooden.
After the time out, NIU pulled to within 22-20, prompting an Indiana time out. The Hoosiers immediately pushed their lead back to four points, 24-20, on an Archibald kill and a block by Pritz and Brewer. Leading 27-24 after a time out, the Hoosiers scored three of the next five points between the two teams to take the game, 30-26. Indiana scored the final point on a block by Zimmerman and sophomore captain Katie Pollom (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral).
"Our defense, our digs picked up," said Weismiller. "Mentally, when we were getting touches we were transitioning with our offense. Obviously, that was a huge plus."
In the beginning of the third game, Archibald began to display the traits that earned her 2001 All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors in volleyball and a fourth-place finish in the high jump at the 2002 Outdoor Track and Field Championships - superior size, quickness, and leaping ablity. Archibald controlled the tempo for the Hoosiers and led the Hoosiers to an 8-5 lead on back-to-back kills. After Indiana jumped to a 11-7 lead, NIU eventually tied the game at 13-13 and took a 18-14 lead. After Indiana called time out trailing by four points, Indiana tied the game at 18-18 on back-to-back kills by Brewer and Zimmerman, a service ace by Brewer, and a hitting error by Northern Illinois.
After NIU had taken a 19-18 lead in game three, Indiana went on an impressive run that featured just about every Hoosier getting into the action. With sophomore Beth Heimann (Decatur, Ind./Bellmont) serving, back-to-back-to-back kills by Hill, Pollom, and Archibald, respectively, provided the Hoosiers with a 21-19 lead. Indiana extended its lead to 23-19 on a block by Pollom and Archibald and a block by Zimmerman. Indiana went on to win the game 30-23. Indiana hit a very solid .359 in game three.
Despite losing games two and three, Northern Illinois was not deterred and jumped to a 4-1 lead in game four but Indiana scored nine of the next 10 points to take an 10-6 lead. Indiana increased its lead throughout the game and led 21-13 as a stringent off-season conditioning program began to show results. Prior to the match, Weismiller called the Huskies a scrappy bunch and that was certainly on display as they immediately cut the lead to 21-18. Weismiller called time out but Northern Illinois continued to cut into the lead, narrowing the gap to 21-20. Indiana scored the next two points to take a 23-20 lead and eventually increased its lead to 25-22. Leading 26-23, Indiana scored the remaining four points on a kill by Hill, two by Brewer, a service ace by Pritz, and a kill by Hill to end the match.
Named to the All-Tournament Team for the Hoosiers were Katie Pollom, Christina Archibald, and Melissa Brewer.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
/ Women's Volleyball
Wednesday, August 05
Monday, August 03
Monday, August 03
Monday, August 03