The Online Reflector

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The University of Indianapolis volleyball team defeated the Kentucky Wesleyan College Panthers on Oct. 27 with a score of 3-0.

The victory was the Greyhound’s seventh straight, and was career win No. 399 for Head Volleyball Coach Jody Rogers.

On offense, the Greyhounds had a total of 42 kills amongst nine different players, led by freshman outside hitter Hailey Brown and sophomore Arielle Knafel who had eight kills each.

On Oct. 21 the Greyhounds defeated Missouri S&T Miners, 3-2.

The match was the team’s Pink Night, which Rogers said was a combined effort by the team and Assistant Athletic Director of Athletics for Media Relations Matt Holmes. Nicoson Hall was decorated with pink streamers, while the teams added the color to their ensembles and played with a pink ball. There also was a special halftime contest and silent auction to raise money for breast cancer research.

“It’s kind of a collective thing that we do,” Rogers said. “This university does that—everyone works together to get something great done.”

Sophomore middle blocker Julia Watkins said that she expected the Miners to be a very formidable team.

The Greyhounds took the first two sets, which went back and forth in leads. Missouri S&T came back in the third set for a scoring streak that allowed them to win sets three and four.

“We came out with a lot of intensity,” Watkins said. “So they [the Miners] stepped up their game.”

In the final set, the Greyhounds edged out the Miners—then the only other undefeated team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

According to Rogers, luck had a little  to do with the win because the Miners are a great team.

“They got us frazzled, so we weren’t playing on our game,” Rogers said.

However, Rogers said that the team has great chemistry and is strong when everyone is doing the right thing.

“That’s my saying this year is, ‘Do your job,’” Rogers said.

According to Watkins, when Rogers uses this saying, it usually is because someone is in the wrong place. The saying does not mean focusing only on yourself, Watkins said, but making sure you fulfill your role in order to help the team succeed.

“When she says it, you know she’s serious,” Watkins said.

Rogers said that the team plays with high morale because the players feel valued.

On Oct. 20, UIndy swept the Drury University Panthers 3-0.

The Greyhounds won by more than 10 points in the first two sets. In the third set, however, the contest was closer, and the Greyhounds won 28-26.

Junior middle blocker Brittany Anglemyer led the Greyhounds with 10 kills against the Panthers.

“The girls played really dominant against Drury,” Rogers said. “We had a game plan, and they followed it.”

Rogers and Watkins both said that the team does not have many problems doing their jobs because the seniors—outside hitter Kristina Kerrigan, libero Amy Oldenburg and opposite hitter Kourtney Crawford—provide great examples.

This has helped the Greyhounds build the momentum that has led them to a 22-3 season record.

“Their chemistry is very strong together,” Rogers said. “And that’s how you win tournaments.”

The Greyhound’s next match is on Nov. 2 at Lewis University.