Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Illinois
IU Battles Tough In 3-1 Defeat to #20 Illinois
9/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 26, 2008
Final Stats
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana University volleyball team (8-5, 0-1) opened up Big Ten play Friday night, taking the first set over #20 Illinois (10-2, 1-0) before suffering a 3-1 decision (25-18, 24-26, 22-25, 22-25). The rivalries continue on the court Saturday at University Gym with a 7 p.m. showdown with the #19 Boilermakers of Purdue.
Erica Short led the Hoosiers with 25 kills and seven blocks, including four solo rejections. Ashley Benson also sent back seven Illini attacks in the match. As a team, the Hoosiers gathered 15 team blocks. Juli Pierce and Caitlin Cox roamed the backcourt for most of the evening, racking up 21 and 16 digs, respectively. Hayley Koetter was an assassin from the service line, scoring three aces.
The IU offense was clicking set number one, hitting at a .500 pace (15-2-26). Short connected on seven kills and a .545 hitting efficiency while Taylor Wittmer was perfect with three kills on three swings. Setters Mary Chaudoin and Koetter executed the offense precisely, combining to record an assist on all 15 Hoosier kills. The Cream and Crimson also played stellar `D,' paced by Pierce's seven digs in the set. Once Indiana took a 4-3 edge early on, they led the rest of the way in a 25-18 winner.
"We came in very focused in the first set," said Head Coach Sherry Dunbar. "I thought we played really well and were prepared."
The second set was a lot tighter as the lead exchanged sides of the net five times in the frame. Short was the offensive focal point once again in set number two, pounding home nine more kills. Meanwhile, Pierce and Cox continued to pick up balls in the backcourt with five digs apiece. With the score knotted at 24-24 late in the set, an Illini block followed by an IU attack error tilted the see-saw battle over into the favor of Illinois, 26-24.
"Set two was all about missed opportunities," said Dunbar. "We had our chances and I think if we had won that set it would have changed the whole complexion of the match."
After a tough second-set loss and a 7-18 hole to begin the third set, things looked gloomy for the Hoosiers. That is when Indiana went on a 10-1 run, however, closing the gap to 17-19. Short was the key cog in the Hoosier scoring furry. Points 13 through 16 went like this: solo block by Short, kill by Short, solo block by Short and solo block by Short. Once the Orrville, Ohio native sent back the third Illini attack, Illinois was forced to burn a timeout and attempt to re-group. The break in action didn't affect the IU momentum though as they seized four of the next six points to tie the score at 21-21. Two of those points included another Short solo block and a block assist by Short and Chaudoin. Unfortunately, Illinois put on a blocking show of their own to end the set, recording three blocks in the final four points of the 25-22 Illinois victory.
"I loved the fight in the third set," said Dunbar. "To be down 18-7 versus a ranked team and come back is refreshing. It shows these girls really want to win bad. We just have to learn how to finish teams off. Find a way to make it happen."
The final set looked a lot like the second set ... very tight. There were five lead changes and 14 occasions when the score was tied in the fourth set alone. While Ashley Benson tallied three blocks and Koetter set up eight assists, it was not enough as Illinois clinched the match with a 25-22 win.
Saturday night's match versus Purdue is set for a 7 p.m. start time. Due to technical difficulties, the video webcast will no longer be available for this match, however, the live audio broadcast called by Jeremy Gray is still available right here at IUHoosiers.com.
Players Mentioned
