Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Host IU Invitational
9/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
September 3, 2004
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana volleyball team begins the home portion of its 30th season against Murray State on Friday, Sept. 3, at the IU Credit Union Invitational. Match time is schedule for 7 p.m. at University Gym. In addition to Murray State, IU welcomes Oregon State and Saint Louis to Bloomington for the tournament.
Below is a look at the remainder of the schedule for the Invitational:
Friday
Oregon State vs. Saint Louis 4 p.m.
Friday IU vs. Murray State 7 p.m.
Saturday
Murray State vs. Oregon State 10 a.m.
IU vs. Saint Louis 12:30 p.m.
Murray State vs. Saint Louis 4:30 p.m.
IU vs. Oregon State 7:30 p.m.
Follow all the games live by clicking here. Additionally, IU's match against Saint Louis will be broadcast on WIUS AM 1570. Click here to listen to the broadcast.
This year marks the fourth time the Hoosiers have hosted the IU Credit Union Invitational. Indiana is a perfect 9-0 in the previous three tournaments, capturing the title all three times.
At last season's event, the Hoosiers picked up the tournament title after downing Saint Louis (3-0) and Austin Peay (3-1) in its first two matches. IU came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Western Kentucky in the championship match. Behind an offensive onslaught and an energetic crowd, Indiana rallied for the 32-34, 23-30, 30-21, 30-25, 15-11 victory.
Senior Christina Archibald earned tournament MVP honors, and departed standout Melissa Brewer and senior Katie Pollom were named to the all-tournament team.
Indiana enters the tournament with a 1-0 mark after winning its 12th straight season-opening victory, knocking off IUPUI, 30-23, 28-30, 30-25, 30-20, on Wednesday night in the first-ever appearance by a Hoosier athletic team at IUPUI. The Hoosiers victory moved head coach Katie Weismiller to a perfect 12-0 in season openers at Indiana.
Three Hoosiers produced double-digit kill performances, including seniors Christina Archibald (15) and Katie Pollom (13). Archibald also added nine digs.
Additionally, freshman Lauren Ditteon added 12 kills and four block assists in her first collegiate action, while junior Mandy Eberle came up big with eight kills, three block solos and five block assists.
HOOSIER OPPONENTS
The defending Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champion Murray State Racers head to Bloomington fresh off a 24-6 season in 2003. The Racers made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance last season and are on track to make it back-to-back appearances after being selected as the preseason OVC favorite. Junior outside hitter Paige Sun, the OVC's first-ever All-American, was the top vote-getter in preseason balloting, topping the OVC first team. Junior setter Nikki Wong, a second team selection last season, was also selected to the preseason first team. IU holds a 2-0 advantage against Murray State in the all-time series, with the Hoosiers winning the last match between the two teams, 3-0 (Sept. 2, 1994).
Saint Louis opened its 2004 campaign with a 3-1 victory at Indiana State on Wednesday. Junior Aida Antanaviciute led the Billikens with a school-record 39 kills. SLU closed out its 2003 campaign with a 9-22 overall record and a 2-11 mark in Conference USA. The Billikens will look to rebound from 2003 as head coach Anne Kordes embarks on her first season at the helm. Kordes has five returning starters and 10 returnees overall to work with. SLU also brings in four new players, including a pair of JUCO transfers, Aida Antanaviciute (Jefferson College) and Stacy Larkin (Southwestern Illinois). The Billikens are 1-2 in the all-time series against IU, falling to the Hoosiers in last year's IU Credit Union Invitational, 3-0.
The Beavers of Oregon State were selected eighth in the preseason Pac-10 poll. OSU returns eight letterwinners from last year's team, including All-Pac-10 selection Allison Lawrence. The senior outside hitter ranked in the top 10 in the league in kills, digs, aces and points per game last season. Lawrence posted 425 kills on the year, the seventh best single-season total in OSU history. Only five other players in school history have recorded 400 or more kills in a season. In 2003, the Beavers finished with a 16-16 record (5-13 in the Pac-10), the third time in the last four seasons the team finished .500 or better. This will be the first meeting ever between Indiana and Oregon State.
