IU Volleyball Drops First Match, Rebounds Strong Ahead of Big Ten Play

While it wasn’t the outcome Indiana hoped for, the Hoosiers left the Alyssa Cavanaugh Classic with their first blemish of the season. Even so, IU has opened the year on an impressive tear, sitting at 9-1 as they head into Big Ten play. Though still unranked, the Hoosiers are gaining national attention, now receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 poll — a sign their breakthrough could be coming soon.

Indiana opened the weekend against Western Kentucky, another team flirting with the Top 25, in Friday night’s marquee matchup. Until then, only Miami and Loyola Chicago had managed to steal a set from the Hoosiers this fall. That streak ended in decisive fashion, as WKU swept IU in straight sets (25-23, 25-20, 28-26).

The Hilltoppers’ aggressive serving kept Indiana on its heels all night, forcing out-of-system plays and disrupting the Hoosiers’ rhythm on offense. Even when IU managed to build momentum, Western Kentucky consistently outlasted them in rallies with relentless defense and hustle. Senior opposite Avry Tatum was one of the few bright spots, powering down 13 kills on an efficient .571 hitting percentage.

But the real difference-maker was WKU’s freshman standout Kaira Knox. The rising star torched the Hoosiers with a career-high 22 kills before exiting late in the third set with an injury. That gave Indiana a window to push the set to extra points, but costly errors proved decisive. A missed serve by sophomore opposite Avery Daum and a late blocking miscue from freshman Jaidyn Jager sealed the loss. Despite holding leads in both the first and third sets, the Hoosiers couldn’t close the door, leaving Bowling Green with lessons learned — and their perfect record gone.

Indiana closed out the weekend on Saturday, September 21, with a statement win over Bradley, shaking off Friday’s loss with authority. The Hoosiers handled the Braves in four sets (25-14, 25-10, 15-25, 25-18), turning their final non-conference match into a showcase of firepower and resilience.

Senior opposite Avry Tatum led the charge with a dominant 19-kill performance on a sharp .472 hitting percentage. She was just one of four Hoosiers to notch at least nine kills, a testament to the balanced and explosive offense Indiana unleashed. As a team, IU racked up 56 kills at a sizzling .376 hit percentage while punishing Bradley from the service line with nine aces.

At the heart of the attack was freshman setter Teodora Kričković, who delivered a career-high 49 assists. Her precise ball distribution kept Bradley scrambling, and hitters like Tatum and freshman outside Jaidyn Jager flourished, combining for 34 kills off her sets.

Defensively, the Hoosiers matched their offensive fireworks with grit and discipline. Freshman libero Audrey Jackson anchored the back row with 14 digs, while at the net Indiana piled up 12 blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema stood out with five of those blocks, along with career-high marks of nine kills and two aces. Fellow middle Victoria Gray was a wall of her own, swatting six shots for the third time this season.

With the win, Indiana wrapped up non-conference play at 9-1, entering the Big Ten with confidence and momentum. The Hoosiers will open conference action on the road against Northwestern on Wednesday, September 24, at 9 p.m. EST — a first true test of whether this hot start can carry over against one of the toughest leagues in the country.