Indiana University Athletics
IU Too Much for Chippewas
9/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
September 20, 2002
IU TOO MUCH FOR CHIPPEWAS IN 3-0 VICTORY
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Bloomington, Ind. - Coming into this weekend's IU Credit Union Classic, Indiana head coach Katie Weismiller didn't know what to expect from Central Michigan. Although the stat sheet recorded the Chippewas' record at 3-6, the video showed differently. She quickly recognized that this Mid-American Conference foe was better than its record indicated and the reality of tonight's action brought that notion to the fore even more than the videotape.
While Weismiller wanted the Hoosiers (8-2) to get off to a fast start, the Chippewas didn't want to comply, jumping to a 27-19 lead in the first game. Indiana was being outplayed, and Central Michigan seemed to dig every ball hit their way. Then, like they have done multiple times this fall, the Hoosiers answered in a big way, scoring 10 of the next 12 points between the two teams to tie the game at 29-29. The Hoosiers never looked back and went on to secure a 34-32, 30-25, 30-23, victory before 508 spectators at the University Gymnasium on the IU campus. With its eighth victory of the season, Indiana matched its win total for the entire 2001 campaign.
"Once again the team came out and showed good character," said Weismiller. "We started slugglishly but we came back and won the game and that was huge. We remained confident even though they were way ahead. Our outside hitters performed very well tonight and Melissa Brewer really picked up our offense and that really helped us."
For the match, sophomores Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West) and Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and juniors Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) and Nikki Hill (Muncie, Ind./Central) set the tone for the Hoosiers. Archibald led the Hoosiers with 19 kills and a .441 hitting percentage, while Hill and Brewer tallied 13 and 11 kills, respectively. Zimmerman's 47 assists kept the IU offense in high gear.
"Nikki has probably been the most consistent player for us all year long," said Weismiller. "In the past, I don't think we've looked at Nikki as a go-to player for us but her role has definitely changed. That has now become our expectation of her."
In game one, Central Michigan (3-7) showed no ill effects of its trip from Mt. Pleasant as the Chippewas looked much more enthusiastic and ready to play than the Hoosiers. Central Michigan jumped to a 10-6 lead before Brewer, an Academic All-America candidate, recorded a kill to cut the Chippewas lead to 10-7. Indiana closed the lead to 12-11 but Central Michigan scored six of the next seven points between the two teams to take an 18-12 advantage. The Chippewas took a 20-13 lead on an ace by junior middle hitter Liz Passen but Indiana closed to 22-16 on a kill by Archibald, who spent the better portion of the week fighting the flu.
"We used the first game to see what defense Central Michigan was going to run against us," said Archibald. "I knew I had the line open all night long so I just tried to find it."
Throughout the first match, Central Michigan did a tremendous job blocking Indiana attacks. After trailing 27-19, Indiana closed the Chippewas lead to 28-24, causing CMU head coach Elaine Piha to call time out. Indiana scored the next point on a block by Archibald to pull to within three points, 28-25. Indiana closed to within two points, 29-27, on a ball handling error by the Chippewas and eventually tied the game on a dink by Archibald. Central Michigan regained the lead, 30-29, but Indiana again tied the game on another Archibald kill. Indiana regained the lead, 32-31, on a block by Brewer only to see CMU tie the game, 32-32. Indiana scored the next two points on a tremendous individual effort on a play by Hill and a service ace by Brewer. On the point by Hill, the Hoosier outside hitter hit a thunderous attack that was dug over the net by a CMU defender, only to see Hill pound the rebound home.
In the second game, Indiana jumped to a 12-7 lead and increased its advantage to 17-11, yet CMU drew to within 17-14 on a kill by Passen, who is a native of Fishers, Ind. Brewer gave Indiana a 27-18 advantage on another kill only to see Central Michigan score three points to pull within six points, 27- 21.Yet, Indiana continued to press on and won the game on a service error by Central Michigan's Emily Lovejoy. After only hitting .143 in the first game, Indiana showed improvement in game two, outhitting CMU, .282-.186.
Indiana again jumped to a lead in the third game, taking a 12-7 advantage on yet another Archibald kill and took a 22-16 lead on a service ace by the Hoosier standout. A service ace by Brewer gave the Hoosiers a 24-17 lead but Central Michigan refused to go away, pulling to within five points, 24-19, before a kill and a block by Hill gave IU a 26-19 lead. Indiana went on to win the game, 30-23.
On Saturday, Indiana returns to action for two matches. The Hoosiers host Butler (6-8) at noon and face off against 30th-ranked Louisville (8-2) at 7:30 p.m. Both matches will be held at the University Gym.
In other action at the IU Credit Union Classic, Louisville (8-2) defeated Butler (6-8), 3-1.
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