Jager, Tatum Dig Deep to Seize Big Ten Opener

EVANSTON, Ill. – There are by no means any straightforward nights on the highway in Big Ten. The Indiana volleyball workforce (10-1, 1-0 B1G) took a number of punches from Northwestern however got here out the opposite facet with an enormous victory away from residence. The Hoosiers bounced again from a troublesome second set to choose up an enormous 3-1 win (25-22, 16-25, 25-19, 25-18) on Wednesday (Sept. 24) night at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston.

Playing on the highway at Northwestern hasn’t been straightforward over time for the IU program. This was the Hoosiers’ victory at Welsh-Ryan Arena since 2016. It’s IU’s first win in a Big Ten opener since 2023 and the primary time IU has gained a convention opener on the highway since 2007 (at Iowa).

The first Big Ten contest of the season noticed IU play 9 completely different underclassmen. For six freshmen, it was the first-career convention recreation of their time with the Hoosiers. At some level within the match, all six of them made essential performs to drag out the victory. Freshman exterior hitter Jaidyn Jager supplied a match-high 17 kills. All 5 major attackers for IU had a minimum of six kills.

It was an offensive slug fest as either side proceed to determine their lineups. IU pounded 60 kills in 4 units with all three pins recording a minimum of 13. The Hoosiers hit .291 for the match with freshman setter Teodora Kričković doling out 47 assists in her convention debut. Both her and senior exterior hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles recorded double-doubles.

Sophomore center blocker Ella Boersema was environment friendly offensively with eight kills (.538 hitting proportion) and 4 blocks. Her counterpart, freshman center blocker Victoria Gray, chipped in six kills in her convention debut for the Hoosiers.

IU will make its return to Wilkinson Hall on Saturday (Sept. 27) night for the primary time in three weeks. The Hoosiers will play Washington as they try to begin the Big Ten slate 2-0 for the primary time in 22 seasons. First serve from Bloomington will come at 7 p.m. on B1G+.

How it Happened
• IU outlasted Northwestern in an offensive duel on Wednesday night. It compiled extra kills (62-47) and put collectively a greater hitting proportion (.291-.258) over 4 units in Evanston. All 5 major attackers for the guests had a minimum of six kills.

• After combating passing within the opening two units, IU’s younger workforce settled in properly. There had been simply two reception errors by the Hoosiers within the closing two video games. One of these was a serve that graduate scholar exterior hitter Jessica Smith let float by. All of IU’s 5 aces got here within the closing two units.

• When IU wanted it essentially the most, freshman exterior hitter Jaidyn Jager grew up proper earlier than its eyes. She had 11 kills over the ultimate two units together with seven within the decisive third set. It was the third time she’s had a minimum of 15 kills in a match this season.

Top Hoosier Performers
#24 Jager, Jaidyn
17 kills, 9 digs, 2 blocks

#5 Jackson, Audrey
11 digs, 9 assists

#13 Tatum, Avry
14 kills, .360 hitting proportion

Notes to Know
• The Indiana program picked up its first win in Evanston because the 2016 season. It was the primary time successful any Big Ten opener since 2023 and the primary time successful a highway Big Ten opener since selecting off Iowa in 2007. It’s the twenty ninth convention victory for the Hoosiers because the starting of 2022.

• Both senior exterior hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles (13 kills, 12 digs) and freshman setter Teodora Kričković (47 assists, 10 digs) recorded double-doubles within the win. It was the sixteenth within the profession of Alonso-Corcelles however the first for the younger Serbian. It’s the primary time that two IU gamers had double-doubles in the identical match since Nov. 1, 2024 (at Rutgers).

• IU picked up its effort defensively during the last two units and completed with 56 digs. Three completely different gamers had a minimum of 10 digs, led by 12 from Alonso-Corcelles. Nine of IU’s gamers recorded a minimum of one dig whereas 5 completed with seven-or-more pickups within the win.

• The Hoosiers are 20-7 during the last three seasons when Alonso-Corcelles and senior reverse hitter Avry Tatum every have 10-or-more kills in the identical match. It’s the fifteenth time it is occurred in Big Ten play and the second time it is occurred in a win over Northwestern (2024).

• To no shock, head coach Steve Aird‘s group has loved nice success when all three of the pin hitters have massive days. IU is now 6-0 this season when Jager, Alonso-Corcelles and Tatum present a minimum of 10 kills apiece. On Wednesday, the trio mixed on 44 necessary kills.

• Alonso-Corcelles loves nothing greater than when Big Ten play begins. In her four-year profession, she’s recorded double-digit kills in 38 of the 61 convention contests she’s performed at IU. It’s the twelfth time she’s gone for a double-double in league motion.