Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Louisville
Indiana Wins adidas Classic and Fourth Straight Match
9/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 6, 2008
Final Stats |
Photo Gallery 
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana University volleyball team outlasted the Louisville Cardinals Saturday afternoon for a five-set victory (25-23, 25-20, 20-25, 15-25, 15-12), clinching the adidas Classic crown with a 3-0 weekend. It marks the fourth consecutive win for the Hoosiers.
Senior captains Erica Short and Juli Pierce both made the all-tournament squad, in addition to, Ashley Benson. Short was named tournament MVP after racking up 61 kills, eight blocks and 26 digs in the event. Short's 24 kills against Valparaiso set a new school record for most put-aways in a three-set match. Pierce paced the Hoosiers with 49 digs while Benson's 11 blocks and .420 hitting efficiency (39-5-81) were tops on the team.
With a 3-0 sweep over San Francisco in their last match out in Long Beach and a pair of sweeps to open the adidas Classic, the Cream and Crimson entered Saturday's contest having won nine straight sets. Indiana then extended that streak to 11 by taking the first two sets versus Louisville. The Cardinals were able to pull even at two sets apiece before Indiana sealed the deal in a 15-12 fifth-set thriller inside Assembly Hall.
"They (her players) are so intense right now," said Head Coach Sherry Dunbar. "You can see it every day in practice. They really have the right mentality to win."
Louisville, who is receiving votes for the national top-25, led the country in blocks per set last season. Someone forgot to IU that fact, however, as the Hoosiers came out firing at a .400 pace (16-4-30) in the opening set. Taylor Wittmer blasted her first four swings of the day past the Cardinal front court for kills. Lexie Woodson also found success early on at the net, connecting for kills on her first three attacks. An attack error by Short late in the set evened the score at 23-23. Short made up for her mistake immediately though with a kill on the very next point to push her team ahead 24-23. The set then concluded with an attack error by Louisville.
Indiana trailed 10-15 at the mid-way point of the second set before stringing together a large stretch that saw them win 15 of the next 20 points for the 25-20 win. The dynamic duo of Benson and Short accounted for 11 of the team's 12 kills. Setter Hayley Koetter recorded the other kill with a tricky dump shot that landed just in front of a charging Cardinal defender.
Earlier in the tournament, Louisville fell behind 0-2 versus Valparaiso and battled back to force a fifth set. Saturday's showdown with IU proved to be no different. Despite a 7-1 lead to begin the third set, the Hoosiers could not hold of the Louisville charge in a 25-20 defeat. The Cardinals snatched the fourth set as well, 25-15.
Benson and Pierce highlighted the fifth and final set. Benson stroked four kills on seven swings while Pierce dug four balls. Mary Chaudoin and Koetter each tallied three assists in the clinching set. Indiana withstood a Cardinal charge at the end to hold on for the 15-12 triumph. Trailing 9-14, Louisville garnered three straight points, but it was not enough to overcome the Cream and Crimson when an errant Cardinal serve sailed deep to end the match.
"I loved how they fought," said Dunbar. "We've been fighting all weekend. We came out in game five with a lot of resiliency."
The adidas Classic All-Tournament Team
Indiana Erica Short (MVP), Ashley Benson, Juli Pierce
Valparaiso- Angie Porche, Brittany Malicoat
Louisville- Justine Landy
Wake Forest- Natlie Mullikin
Indiana's Combined Statistics for the adidas Classic 
Players Mentioned
