Hoosiers Finish Off Cougars in Weekend Opener

Friday, September 13

Bloomington, Ind.

12:00 PM

Indiana University

4-2,0-0Big Ten

Chicago State

2-4,0-0NEC

Chicago St.

Indiana

9/13/2024 2:20:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A slow start, which featured eight service errors in a first-set loss, was corrected by the Indiana Volleyball team (4-2, 0-0) as it stormed back to win the final three sets in full control. The Hoosiers' block and quick offense took over to win Friday's (Sept. 13) opening match against Chicago State in four games (21-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-15).

IU was paced offensively by strong play from senior outside Mady Saris. She had a team-high 14 kills, putting the ball away at an efficient .407 (14-3-27) clip. Junior opposite Avry Tatum had eight kills on 13 errorless swings while junior middle blocker Madi Sell put away eight balls on a .438 clip. Senior setter Camryn Haworth dished out 38 assists.

The Hoosiers had their best blocking contest of the season, using service pressure to stay in front of the Chicago State offense. IU blocked 13 balls, led by seven block assists from Haworth. Both middle blockers, Sell and freshman Ella Boersema, helped on six blocks.

Chicago State hit .308 in the opening game but was rendered ineffective the rest of the way on pressure created by IU. The Cougars committed 25 attacking errors, 12 self-induced, hitting just .120 across the full match. A dominant third set saw the visitors hit -.179 (4-9-28). IU hit above .300 in three of four games including a dominant .545 hitting percentage in the final set.

It's a quick turnaround for IU on Friday. Head coach Steve Aird and company return to the court at 7:00 PM to take on Southern Indiana in the nightcap. The two teams met for the first time last year, a straight-sets victory for the Hoosiers.

Set Breakdown
Set 1: Chicago State 25, Indiana 21
A rough first set from both sides of the service line put the Hoosiers in an early hole. IU committed eight service errors while being aced twice. In total, the hosts committed 11 unforced errors to hand Chicago State the opening game. IU hit .310 (13-4-29) with 10 digs and two blocks but fell in the first frame.

• The two teams exchanged the lead back-and-forth before a pair of kills from Karly Klaer and Zahara Quraishi gave Chicago State a 13-11 lead. That run forced head coach Steve Aird into the first timeout of the set.

• After an additional IU timeout, the Hoosiers sided out quickly on a kill from Mady Saris to close the gap to one (21-22). It was all Chicago State from there, scoring the final three points of the game. Points at the service line on either end of a solo block closed out the opening set for the visitors.

Set 2: Indiana 25. Chicago State 19
The defensive pressure turned up in the second set for IU. The home team also limited the errors from the end line, recording three aces to just one service error. Mady Saris played IU into the game with three kills while Madi Sell and Camryn Haworth combined on two of IU's three blocks. Chicago State's top attacker, Patrycja Lagida committed four attacking errors in the game.

• Ramsey Gary served IU into the set with a 4-0 run to open a two-point lead. After going up 8-7, the Hoosiers wouldn't trail the rest of the way. The biggest lead came at 22-16 following a kill from Saris.
• Candela Alonso-Corcelles helped ice the set from the service line. After being subbed out earlier in the match, she returned to provide an ace and force Chicago State into an attacking error. An additional kill from Sell took the lead to 21-15. The Cougars committed a trio of errors to close the set.

Set 3: Indiana 25, Chicago State 11
IU dominated the proceedings in set three, holding Chicago State to a negative hitting percentage (-.179) while terminating on 14 kills and combining on four team blocks. Ella Boersema had three blocks in the set while Saris went for five kills. Avry Tatum returned to the lineup to the tune of three kills.

• The first five points of the set went to the Hoosiers as Haworth got Alonso-Corcelles involved in the offense. Sade Ilawole went on an 8-0 run from the service line to break open a massive 12-point lead. During the run, IU had a pair of blocks and got two kills from Saris.

• IU won the third set 25-11, commanding the game from beginning to end. Sell and Haworth tallied kills to go up 13 points before Chicago State ended the affairs with a pair of attacking errors. The 14-point win in set three is the biggest margin of victory of any set this season.

Set 4: Indiana 25, Chicago State 15
IU's offense got rolling in game three, hitting .545 (13-1-22) in a dominating display of athleticism. Alonso-Corcelles terminated five kills on seven errorless swings. Haworth played better in game four, dishing out 10 assists while tallying up a kill, two aces and two blocks. The Hoosiers had four blocks in the set, three from Sell.

• The Hoosiers raced out to a 9-4 lead, forcing Chicago State into a timeout. Haworth and Sell combined on a big block before an attacking error from the Cougars took the lead to five points.

• Alonso-Corcelles tallied kills on either side of a Chicago State timeout as the lead ballooned to eight points, 19-11, in the final stages of the match. The Madrid, Spain native later went to the service line and closed the game on her terms. She handed match point to IU before scoring the final point on a roll shot to the back corner.

Top Hoosier Performers
#4 Saris, Mady
14 kills, 1 block

#10 Haworth, Camryn
38 assists, 4 kills, 7 blocks, 3 digs, 2 aces

#1 Sell, Madi
8 kills, 6 blocks, .438 hitting percentage

Notes to Know
• The Hoosiers recorded their first double-digit block effort of the season, racking up 13 team blocks in four sets. Madi Sell, Ella Boersema and Camryn Haworth each had six-or-more blocks to lead the way defensively for IU. Haworth's seven blocks matched a career high. Boersema's six were an outright career best.

• IU was especially efficient offensively on Friday morning. The Hoosiers had 50 kills while committing just 14 attacking errors. It was the first game with 50+ kills and 15-or-fewer attacking errors for IU since a victory over Yale on September 8th, 2019.

• Avery Daum combined on a block with Ella Boersema, recording the first block of her collegiate career. Morgan Geddes played her first points of the season, tallying a pair of kills.