Comeback Falls Short in Five-Set Heartbreaker

Thursday, October 1

Madison, Wis.

9 p.m.

Indiana University

9-3,2-1Big Ten

#6 Wisconsin

9-4,3-0Big Ten

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Indiana	19	14	25	25	8	2
Wisconsin	25	25	22	20	15	3

Box Score (PDF)

10/1/2026 11:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Watch: Highlights

MADISON, Wis. – There was no shortage of fight from head coach Steve Aird's squad on the road.

In one of the toughest environments in the country, the Indiana volleyball team (9-3, 2-1 B1G) came just short of completing the biggest reverse sweep in program history. Sixth-ranked Wisconsin picked up the momentum in set five to take a 3-2 victory (25-19, 25-14, 22-25, 20-25, 15-8) on Thursday (Oct. 1) evening in Madison.

IU hadn't won multiple sets against the Badgers since the team's last win in 2012. In front of nearly 7,000 fans, the Hoosiers proved they belong on the national stage. It's the first time that IU has taken a top-10 team to the fifth set on the road since a victory over No. 5 Ohio State in 2022 (W, 3-2). All three of the Hoosiers' losses this year are to teams currently ranked in the top 11 of the national poll.

Behind a career high 54 assists from second-year setter Teodora Krickovic, IU's offense came to life after a slow start. The Hoosiers hit .353 in the fourth frame and committed five-or-fewer attacking errors in the final four sets of the match. Fifth-year opposite hitter Avry Tatum and second-year outside hitter Jaidyn Jager shared the team lead with 16 kills. First-year outside hitter Sara Snowbarger added a career high 11 kills.

Even after moving to the bench last week, second-year middle blocker Victoria Gray was ready when her number was called. She started the final four sets of the match and contributed eight kills with zero errors on a .571 hitting percentage. Her counterpart, third-year middle blocker Ella Boersema, added eight kills and two blocks. Fifth-year middle blocker Kiki Granberry led the team with three blocks, all in the first set.

IU was extra aggressive from the end line as it tried to disrupt Wisconsin's potent offense. Tatum contributed a career high four aces. Boersema added three aces from her patented jump serve. In the end, a major discrepancy in service errors (14-3) became too much to overcome.

Jager contributed the 10th double-double of her career with 16 kills and 10 digs. Second-year libero Hannah Leftridge led the charge with 15 digs. Five different players had at least five digs as IU's gritty defense started to shine late in the match. Krickovic finished the night with eight digs and four kills.

The Hoosiers will fly to New Jersey tomorrow as they prepare for a Sunday (Oct. 4) afternoon contest at Rutgers. First serve from Jersey Mike's Arena is set for 2 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network as the program goes for its 10th win of the season. Jason Knapp and Allie Sczech will have the call.

How it Happened
• The ability to side out was the key to winning Thursday's match. IU was above 60% in each of the two sets it won while Wisconsin rose above 70 to win three of the five games and the contest itself. On top of that, Wisconsin hit at an efficient .302 clip through the night while IU racked up 28 attacking errors.

• Even with a valiant effort from the back row, Wisconsin nudged IU in the defensive battle. The Badgers had more blocks (10.0-6.0) and digs (56-51) behind 16 digs from libero Anna Bardaro and six blocks from middle blocker Lynney Tarnow.

Top Hoosier Performers
#13 Tatum, Avry
16 kills, 4 aces, 2 digs

#12 Krickovic, Teodora
54 assists, 8 digs, 4 kills, 2 blocks

#24 Jager, Jaidyn
16 kills, 10 digs, 2 assists

Notes to Know
• Second-year setter Teodora Krickovic helped run a balanced offense for the Hoosiers on Thursday evening. She recorded a career high 54 assists while getting all five primary attackers at least eight kills. She set first-year outside hitter Sara Snowbarger to a career high 11 kills and second-year middle blocker Victoria Gray to an efficient .571 hitting percentage.

• Second-year outside hitter Jaidyn Jager and fifth-year opposite hitter Avry Tatum each shared the team lead with 16 kills in the five-set battle at Wisconsin. Jager has gone for double-digit kills in 10 of the 12 matches this season and has reached 15 in five of them. Tatum has combined for 26 kills in her first two matches back.

• IU turned up the service pressure on Thursday night to the tune of eight aces. It's the seventh game this season that the Hoosiers have had at least eight points from the end line. Tatum (4) and third-year middle blocker Ella Boersema (3) each had a career high in aces.