Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Relinquish Fifth-Game Lead
9/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
September 6, 2002
Bloomington, Ind. - If Katie Weismiller had her way, the addition of the libero position to collegiate volleyball in 2001-02 wouldn't be the only major rules change this year. If it were the Indiana head coach's choice, the other rule change would be to eliminate the seemingly nebulous rule of teams changing sides of the court midway through the fifth and deciding game of a match. If that change happened to be reality instead of wishful thinking, Indiana would likely still be undefeated. Instead, Indiana's record now stands at 3-1 after Dayton (2-2) defeated the Hoosiers on opening night of the TIS/Taylor Imprinted Sportswear Classic by the scores of 20-30, 30-27, 24-30, 30-26, 15-12.What happened in tonight's match is virtually unexplainable. In college volleyball, after one team reaches eight points during the fifth and deciding match, the two teams switch sides of the court. In today's match, which featured rally scoring throughout, Indiana was the first team to eight and got there in short order, taking an 8-1 lead. But to the amazement of 632 fans at the University Gymnasium at 10th and the Bypass, the visiting Flyers rallied to earn a 15-12 victory, this after falling behind 2-1 after three games.
"It comes down to mental toughness and I can't really add any more than that," said junior Nikki Hill, who played outstanding volleyball throughout the evening for the Hoosiers. "There are a lot of girls in that locker room who are disappointed in their performance tonight but we are also excited about the opportunity to play again tomorrow."
With every point critical in the fifth and deciding game, Indiana jumped to a quick 3-0 lead on a kill by junior Monique Pritz (Columbus, Ind./East), an ace by sophomore outside hitter Christina Archibald (Belleville, Ill./West), and a net violation by the Flyers. The Hoosiers extended their lead to 4-0, prompting Pete Hoyer to call timeout. The Dayton head coach, who received a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct during the fourth game, struggled to rally his troops as Indiana extended its lead to 7-1 on a massive kill by Hill. After the teams switched sides of the court with the Hoosiers leading 8-1, Dayton regained its composure and then some, scoring six consecutive points before a kill by junior Academic All-America candidate Melissa Brewer (Bloomington, Ind./North) pushed IU's lead to 9-7. Dayton tied the game 10-10 and took the lead 11-10 before Weismiller called time out. Dayton reeled off the next two points before Archibald dinked home a kill to cut the Hoosier deficit to 13-11. Katie Beck's kill gave the Flyers a 14-11 lead before Indiana could answer to cut the lead to two points. Yet, Indiana failed to get any closer, losing 15-12.
"We felt serving and passing was going to decide the fifth game," said Weismiller. "We began the game serving well but then our passing broke down."
Indiana ended the match with five players having recorded double-figure kills.
After kicking off its season with a perfect 3-0 record at the Northern Illinois Best Western Invitational this past weekend, Indiana expected a stiff contest from the Flyers, who recorded a 21-8 record a year ago and won the Atlantic 10 regular season title. Despite Dayton's credentials, it was the Hoosiers who looked as if they might run the Flyers off the court early in the match.
"We competed," said Weismiller. "Offensively, we were either really good or we struggled. When our passing broke down, we struggled offensively. We felt serving and passing was really good in the first game. Nikki played well for us and Monique did also. We had some bright spots."
Despite a week off, Indiana quickly jumped to a 10-5 lead in game one behind the strength of solid attacking, passing, and serving throughout the lineup. After the Hoosiers had grabbed a 14-7 advantage, Dayton looked to regroup as Hoyer quickly called timeout.
Following the stoppage in play, sophomore captain Katie Pollom (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) scored the next two points for the Hoosiers on back-to-back kills from her middle blocker position. Indiana extended its lead to 20-10 on a massive kill by Archibald that excited the home crowd in a gymnasium that saw temperatures reach near 90 degrees as the match reached its later stages.
Throughout the first game, sophomore setter Victoria Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) spread the ball throughout the IU lineup. After taking a 22-12 lead, Archibald,.Brewer, and Pollom recorded kills to provide the Hoosiers a 26-15 lead. Back-to-back blocks by Archibald followed and a kill by the 6-foot-2 two-sport star ended the game and gave the Hoosiers the 30-20 win in the first game. Indiana was dominant in game one, outhitting the Flyers .345-(-.048).
Dayton looked to bounce back in game two and quickly quieted the Indiana crowd, taking leads of 3-1 and 6-4 before Indiana tied the game, 7-7. Behind the serves of senior middle blocker Susan Westbrock, Dayton quickly recaptured an 11-7 advantage. The Hoosiers drew to within one point, 14-13, on a block by Archibald and Brewer and tied to game at 15-15, only to watch the Flyers score the next two points to take a 17-15 lead and extended its advantage to 19-16 before Weismiller called time out. The Hoosier head coach called her second timeout of the game after back-to-back mental miscues by the Hoosiers that gave Dayton a 24-18 lead.
Trailing 27-19 in the second game, Weismiller substituted sophomore Beth Heimann (Decatur, Ill./Bellmont) and freshman Mandy Eberle (Sussex, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) into the lineup and Indiana eventually closed to within 29-26 on a phenomenal set by Zimmerman and a kill Hill. Following a timeout by Dayton, Hill recorded another kill on a set Pritz to pull the Hoosiers to within two points, 29-27. Dayton junior Megan Pease injured her ankle on the play causing a stoppage in play. Following the injury, senior outside hitter Julie Neiser ended the game on a kill that gave the Flyers a 30-27 win. Indiana recorded only a .152 hitting percentage in the second game, its lowest percentage of the season, prior to a fourth game that saw IU hit only .106.
Game three began with Indiana's blocking skill coming to the fore as the Hoosiers took a 4-3 lead on block by Brewer and a 5-4 advantage on a block by Zimmerman. Indiana took a 9-7 lead only to fall behind 14-11 just shy of midway through the third game. Indiana tied the game, 15-15, on a kill by Archibald. Back-and-forth the two teams went before Indiana took a 21-17 lead on a kill by Hill, an ace by Archibald, and successive kills by Pritz. The Hoosiers took a 24-18 lead behind the strength of serves by junior Anna Makowski (Bloomington, Ind./North) and solid attacking and blocking. Dayton closed the IU lead to 29-24 on a service ace by junior Kelly Scott but Indiana clinched the game on a powerful kill by Archibald, 30-24.
The fourth game began with the two teams playing to a tie at 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, and 8-8 before Dayton grabbed a 12-8 lead. The Flyers maintained a 14-10 lead before Weismiller called a time out. The stoppage failed to stem the tide as Dayton extended its lead to 17-11. Dayton was the first of the two teams to 20 points, taking a 20-15 lead. Indiana cut the Flyer advantage to 21-18 only to see Dayton again push the lead to five, 23-18. Indiana cut the lead to 23-20 but got no closer as Dayton went on to win the game 30-26. The win by the Flyers pushed Indiana to a fifth game for the first time this season.
Indiana returns to action on Saturday at noon vs. Evansville at the University Gymnasium and plays its final match of the two-day Classic at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow evening vs. Cal. State-Fullerton. In other action today, Cal. State-Fullerton defeated the University of Evansville, 3-0.
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