Indiana University Athletics
Hometown Rivalry Continues in College
10/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 16, 2007
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's senior libero Juli Pierce and Purdue's junior middle blocker Stephanie Lynch have been squaring off on the volleyball court for years, and that friendly rivalry adds another chapter on Wednesday, Oct. 17, when the Boilermakers visit the University Gym for an 8 p.m. showdown with the Hoosiers. The match will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
Pierce and Lynch grew up in towns separated by no more than a 15-minute drive, attending Our Lady of Providence and New Albany High School, respectively. In the early part of the decade, there were two names synonymous with the New Albany-Providence volleyball rivalry - Juli Pierce and Stephanie Lynch.
Pierce was a two-time All-Indiana performer at Providence, leading the Pioneers to the 2001 and 2002 3A state finals. Lynch was a four-year standout at New Albany where in 2004 she won Miss Volleyball and led the Bulldogs to the Class 4A state finals.
Although Purdue won both meetings last season, each individual stood out statistically in their home contest. Pierce dug a match-high 23 digs to go along with two service aces for the match in Bloomington, before Lynch hit .556 with 13 kills and four blocks later in the season when the match was played in West Lafayette.
Both Floyd County natives are excelling in their 2007 campaign. Pierce has played in all 73 games for the Hoosiers this year, leading IU to a turn-around season. Lynch has also played in every game for the Boilermakers, leading them to a 12-7 record overall and a 5-3 mark in the Big Ten.
The tandem can also be found throughout the Big Ten individual statistical rankings. Pierce's 32 service aces are the second most in the conference and her 4.04 digs per game average is the ninth-best rate in the league. Lynch, meanwhile, is one of the conference's best offensive players, hitting .353 (ninth) with 3.87 kills/game (10th).
As mentioned above, this rivalry will now be showcased on a much larger scale, as the match will be broadcast live to a national audience on the Big Ten Network. Indiana's road match at Purdue on Nov. 4 will also be aired on the network.
Players Mentioned
