BLOOMINGTON — Welcome to the regular-season home finale for Indiana volleyball, set to face its toughest challenge yet in No. 1 Nebraska.
The 17th-ranked Hoosiers (22-5, 13-4 Big Ten) hope to challenge a Cornhuskers team that has had 22 sweeps in their 27-0 season. And while Nebraska will surely host until the Final Four, the Hoosiers are in position to claim a top-16 seed and potentially return to Wilkinson Hall for the postseason.
The NCAA selection committee had the Hoosiers at 14th in their top-16 rankings released Oct. 18. IU is 8-2 since and ranks 14th in the RPI, giving it contention to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. Its remaining matches are at Illinois and archrival Purdue.
But first, it must face a national championship contender in Nebraska. Follow along and be sure to refresh for live updates throughout the match.
Candela Alonso-Corcells with a kill from the outside and then an ace by Hannah Leftridge has tied the set at 7.
Rebekah Allick mis-timed her jump and could only watch as the ball fell to the floor on her side. Smart by the Cornhuskers to go back to her and get a kill, regaining confidence.
Nebraska 4, Indiana 2, Set 2
Candela Alonso Corcelles (.091) and Madi Sell (.750), the two seniors, led the Hoosiers with three kills apiece. Freshman phenom Jaidyn Jager had just one on 11 swings and hit minus-.182. IU hit .143 for the set with 10 kills on 35 swings.
Virginia Adriano led the Cornhuskers with six kills (.364) and was followed by Harper Murray with five (.444). Nebraska had 17 kills on 36 swings (.306) and had four blocks.
IU got off to a hot start, leading 9-6, but couldn’t record as Nebraska several times was building up its lead.
Nebraska 25, Indiana 19
The senior moved to the front row and Candela Alonso-Corcelles brought a big kill to side out. That made it 20-15 but a pair of points by Taylor Landfair and Harper Murray, out of the back row no less, forced another Steve Aird timeout.
Nebraska 22, Indiana 15, Set 1
Harper Murray has come on strong with a couple of kills during this 9-3 Nebraska push. It was tied at 11 before IU coach Steve Aird was forced to use one of his timeouts. Murray has four kills on eight swings (.375).
Nebraska 20, Indiana 14, Set 1
Virginia Adriano has a match-high three kills. Middle Andi Jackson is a perfect 2-for-2 and the Huskers have taken a 15-11 lead in the first set. Quite a reversal from trailing 10-5 and then winning a challenge to make it a 9-6 deficit.
IU has been held to hitting .045 and has struggled to find attack errors not covered by Nebraska’s defense.
So, the Hoosiers had a 10-5 lead until the challenge reversal made it 9-6. Nebraska stormed back to briefly take an 11-10 lead before a service error.
The Cornhuskers challenged that there was a touch on the last point and Dani Busboom Kelly won.
It’s 9-6 IU.
A great start for the senior with a match-high two kills: Candela Alonso-Corcelles gets the “I want Candy” treatment from the crowd. Not sure what percentage of people haven’t heard that song with how many kids who are here.
IU leads Nebraska 10-5 first set
The Hoosiers got out to a 3-1 lead before a service error into the net. Madi Sell had a block on Virginia Adriano and Harper Murray had an attack error into the net.
The chant is “Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo-siers!” only to be answered with Nebraska’s patented “Go big red!” IU will serve first.
IU announced each of Nebraska’s seniors on senior night, and they were handed roses before the match and greeted with cheers by all.
In a cool senior night moment at Wilkinson Hall, senior Candela Alonso-Corcelles, a native of Spain, hear her country’s national anthem before the Star-Spangled Banner tonight.
The Hoosiers ran out in their red jerseys, with white outlines of script “Indiana” and white numbers. The liberos are wearing black tops with red lettering and white numbers.
Nebraska is wearing its black threads with white lettering and numbers outlined in red. Libero Olivia Mauch has a white jersey on.
Hoosier the Bison made its debut at the first IU football game this season. Here’s what you need to know about Hoosier:
As the Cornhuskers came back out for pregame warmups with 11:30 before first serve, it was Olivia Mauch wearing the off-colored libero jersey.
The Hoosiers have a strong attack this season. Senior Candela Alonso-Corcelles is ninth in the Big Ten in kills per set with 3.57 per. Her setter, freshman Teodora Krickovic, is second in the league at 10.81 assists per set. She is behind Wisconsin’s Charlie Fuerbringer (11.55).
Nebraska has such a balanced attack that Harper Murray is 11th in the Big Ten at 3.56 kills per set. Penn State’s Kennedy Martin leads the way at 5.43 with Wisconsin’s Mimi Colyer (5.28) and Purdue’s Kenna Wollard (4.45) behind her.
The match starts in roughly a half-hour and ticket prices on SeatGeek are showing $157 — a steep price, but third-party markets are the only way to get in unless you’re an IU student.
Kona Bear is a Bordoodle that has its own spot on the Indiana volleyball roster page. Seriously. Kona Bear is a light to the Hoosiers, helping them overcome anxiety and stress that builds up throughout the routine of being a student-athlete.
Read more from Dana Hunsinger Benbow and see Rich Janzaruk’s photos here:
The Cornhuskers have met the Wilkinson Hall floor with lines of young girls, young adult and older women alike. The game was sold-out and doors opened at 4:30 p.m. for tonight’s match. A line of fans hoping to buy tickets at the door were being turned away.
Dani Busboom Kelly was in a tan jacket during her usual prematch routine of helping warmup the setters.
The Hoosiers will celebrate the senior class, and honored them with messages from their families.
The match will not be on traditional TV. A subscription to B1G+ is needed to watch this event.
The game will be live-streamed on B1G+.
First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22 at Wilkinson Hall.
An annual pass to B1G+ costs $89.99 per year and a monthly pass is $12.99. If you just want to watch the Indiana and Nebraska match, the cost is $5.99.
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