Jager, Tatum Dig Deep to Grab Big Ten Opener
EVANSTON, Ill. – There are never any easy nights on the road in Big Ten. The Indiana volleyball team (10-1, 1-0 B1G) took multiple punches from Northwestern but came out the other side with a massive victory away from home. The Hoosiers bounced back from a tough second set to pick up a big 3-1 win (25-22, 16-25, 25-19, 25-18) on Wednesday (Sept. 24) evening at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston.
Playing on the road at Northwestern hasn’t been easy over the years 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 first time IU has won a conference opener on the road since 2007 (at Iowa).
The first Big Ten contest of the season saw IU play nine different underclassmen. For six freshmen, it was the first-career conference game in their time with the Hoosiers. At some point in the match, all six of them made critical plays to pull out the victory. Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager provided a match-high 17 kills. All five primary attackers for IU had at least six kills.
It was an offensive slug fest as both sides continue to figure out their lineups. IU pounded 60 kills in four sets with all three pins recording at least 13. The Hoosiers hit .291 for the match with freshman setter Teodora Kričković dishing out 47 assists in her conference debut. Both her and senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles recorded double-doubles.
Sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema was efficient offensively with eight kills (.538 hitting percentage) and four blocks. Her counterpart, freshman middle blocker Victoria Gray, chipped in six kills in her conference debut for the Hoosiers.
IU will make its return to Wilkinson Hall on Saturday (Sept. 27) evening for the first time in three weeks. The Hoosiers will play Washington as they attempt to start the Big Ten slate 2-0 for the first 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 evening. It compiled more kills (62-47) and put together a better hitting percentage (.291-.258) over four sets in Evanston. All five primary attackers for the visitors had at least six kills.
• After struggling with passing in the opening two sets, IU’s young team settled in nicely. There were just two reception errors by the Hoosiers in the final two games. One of those was a serve that graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith let float by. All of IU’s five aces came in the final two sets.
• When IU needed it the most, freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager grew up right before its eyes. She had 11 kills over the final two sets including seven in the decisive third set. It was the third time she’s had at least 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 percentage
Notes to Know
• The Indiana program picked up its first win in Evanston since the 2016 season. It was the first time winning any Big Ten opener since 2023 and the first time winning a road Big Ten opener since picking off Iowa in 2007. It’s the 29th conference victory for the Hoosiers since the beginning of 2022.
• Both senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles (13 kills, 12 digs) and freshman setter Teodora Kričković (47 assists, 10 digs) recorded double-doubles in the win. It was the 16th in the career of Alonso-Corcelles but the first for the young Serbian. It’s the first time that two IU players had double-doubles in the same match since Nov. 1, 2024 (at Rutgers).
• IU picked up its effort defensively over the last two sets and finished with 56 digs. Three different players had at least 10 digs, led by 12 from Alonso-Corcelles. Nine of IU’s players recorded at least one dig while five finished with seven-or-more pickups in the win.
• The Hoosiers are 20-7 over the last three seasons when Alonso-Corcelles and senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum each have 10-or-more kills in the same match. It’s the 15th time it’s occurred in Big Ten play and the second time it’s happened in a win over Northwestern (2024).
• To no surprise, head coach Steve Aird‘s group has enjoyed great success when all three of the pin hitters have big days. IU is now 6-0 this season when Jager, Alonso-Corcelles and Tatum provide at least 10 kills apiece. On Wednesday, the trio combined on 44 important kills.
• Alonso-Corcelles loves nothing more than when Big Ten play begins. In her four-year career, she’s recorded double-digit kills in 38 of the 61 conference contests she’s played at IU. It’s the 12th time she’s gone for a double-double in league action.
Playing on the road at Northwestern hasn’t been easy over the years 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 first time IU has won a conference opener on the road since 2007 (at Iowa).
The first Big Ten contest of the season saw IU play nine different underclassmen. For six freshmen, it was the first-career conference game in their time with the Hoosiers. At some point in the match, all six of them made critical plays to pull out the victory. Freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager provided a match-high 17 kills. All five primary attackers for IU had at least six kills.
It was an offensive slug fest as both sides continue to figure out their lineups. IU pounded 60 kills in four sets with all three pins recording at least 13. The Hoosiers hit .291 for the match with freshman setter Teodora Kričković dishing out 47 assists in her conference debut. Both her and senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles recorded double-doubles.
Sophomore middle blocker Ella Boersema was efficient offensively with eight kills (.538 hitting percentage) and four blocks. Her counterpart, freshman middle blocker Victoria Gray, chipped in six kills in her conference debut for the Hoosiers.
IU will make its return to Wilkinson Hall on Saturday (Sept. 27) evening for the first time in three weeks. The Hoosiers will play Washington as they attempt to start the Big Ten slate 2-0 for the first 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 evening. It compiled more kills (62-47) and put together a better hitting percentage (.291-.258) over four sets in Evanston. All five primary attackers for the visitors had at least six kills.
• After struggling with passing in the opening two sets, IU’s young team settled in nicely. There were just two reception errors by the Hoosiers in the final two games. One of those was a serve that graduate student outside hitter Jessica Smith let float by. All of IU’s five aces came in the final two sets.
• When IU needed it the most, freshman outside hitter Jaidyn Jager grew up right before its eyes. She had 11 kills over the final two sets including seven in the decisive third set. It was the third time she’s had at least 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 percentage
Notes to Know
• The Indiana program picked up its first win in Evanston since the 2016 season. It was the first time winning any Big Ten opener since 2023 and the first time winning a road Big Ten opener since picking off Iowa in 2007. It’s the 29th conference victory for the Hoosiers since the beginning of 2022.
• Both senior outside hitter Candela Alonso-Corcelles (13 kills, 12 digs) and freshman setter Teodora Kričković (47 assists, 10 digs) recorded double-doubles in the win. It was the 16th in the career of Alonso-Corcelles but the first for the young Serbian. It’s the first time that two IU players had double-doubles in the same match since Nov. 1, 2024 (at Rutgers).
• IU picked up its effort defensively over the last two sets and finished with 56 digs. Three different players had at least 10 digs, led by 12 from Alonso-Corcelles. Nine of IU’s players recorded at least one dig while five finished with seven-or-more pickups in the win.
• The Hoosiers are 20-7 over the last three seasons when Alonso-Corcelles and senior opposite hitter Avry Tatum each have 10-or-more kills in the same match. It’s the 15th time it’s occurred in Big Ten play and the second time it’s happened in a win over Northwestern (2024).
• To no surprise, head coach Steve Aird‘s group has enjoyed great success when all three of the pin hitters have big days. IU is now 6-0 this season when Jager, Alonso-Corcelles and Tatum provide at least 10 kills apiece. On Wednesday, the trio combined on 44 important kills.
• Alonso-Corcelles loves nothing more than when Big Ten play begins. In her four-year career, she’s recorded double-digit kills in 38 of the 61 conference contests she’s played at IU. It’s the 12th time she’s gone for a double-double in league action.
