Photo credit: IU Athletics
Indiana concluded their trip to Austin, Texas by dropping the second game of their back-to-back to the Miami Hurricanes three sets to one.
The ‘Canes jumped out to an early lead in the first set and never really let their foot off the gas, resulting in the Hoosiers having to play from behind for much of the set. Miami went up by as many as eight points when they held a 23-15 lead and looked primed to take the set in convincing fashion. Indiana managed to cut into the lead a little bit from a kill by Avry Tatum and a service error from the Hurricanes, but Indiana was unable to cut any further into the deficit. Miami scored two straight points to take the first set by a score of 25-17.
In the second set, the Hoosiers showed much more fight as they went back-and-forth with Miami for much of the set. Tatum tied the set at 10 after head coach Steve Aird challenged the initial ruling on the court and got it overturned, granting Tatum the tying kill.
The two teams continued to go back and forth as the set approached its close and Indiana managed to take a 23-22 lead, but Miami scored three straight unanswered points to take the second set 25-23 and go up 2-0 in the match.
However, Indiana refused to give up, and they dominated the third set en route to a 25-14 win. The Hoosiers’ lead in the set ballooned to as much as 13, punctuated by an 11-0 scoring run and a big block from Mady Saris.
The fourth set was very topsy-turvy throughout, as neither team could establish an extended lead. Miami gained a 23-21 lead but the Hoosiers managed to cut it to one via a kill by Tatum. However, Miami scored two straight points to escape with a win and send Indiana home with a loss, three sets to one.
Indiana drops to 3-2 on the season, but they’ll have a little time off to get themselves right before they host the Indiana Invitational, which runs from September 13-14.
