Earning its third win in the Indiana Invitational, Indiana closed out a doubleheader sweep with a three-set victory over Western Michigan University (25-14, 25-14, 25-17) Friday evening at Wilkinson Hall. The Hoosiers improved to 5-0 for the first time under head coach Steve Aird, marking the program’s best start since 2017.
Indiana controlled the pace of play from the opening serve, using clean first touches and efficient side-outs to keep Western Michigan out of rhythm. The Hoosiers never trailed for long in any of the three sets, using early scoring runs to build comfortable leads and maintain momentum throughout the match.
The evening match capped off a dominant two days for Indiana, which also swept Southeast Missouri State on Thursday and swept Northern Kentucky on Friday morning. IU has now won 15 consecutive sets after dropping the first two of the season. The Invitational offered an early glimpse at the Hoosiers’ depth and attacking efficiency, all within a home environment that helped fuel their undefeated weekend.
Against WMU, Indiana’s attack was once again paced by senior outside hitter Avry Tatum, who recorded 15 kills on a .545 hitting percentage. Tatum, wearing jersey No. 13, turned in one of her most efficient outings of the season—making Friday the 5th feel like Friday the 13th. Her kill percentage of .682 led all players on the floor and provided a consistent offensive option throughout all three sets.
Tatum’s impact extended beyond just her kill numbers. The senior provided a steady presence in the front row, consistently converting out-of-system plays into points. Her ability to read the block and attack with precision helped Indiana maintain offensive flow, even during extended rallies or tight stretches in the set.
While Western Michigan showed moments of defensive resilience, particularly in serve-receive, the Broncos struggled to turn possessions into sustained point runs. Indiana’s back-row defense and blocking pressure forced multiple out-of-system attacks, limiting WMU’s offensive efficiency and rhythm throughout the match.
Indiana’s serving game proved to be a key advantage Friday night. The Hoosiers landed 11 aces, including four from freshman defensive specialist Avery Freeman. It marked the first time IU has tallied 10 or more aces in a single match since Sept. 28, 2024, during a road match at Oregon. Since 2022, Indiana has produced double-digit aces in 15 different contests.
Indiana senior Candela Alonso-Corcelles would hold the Hoosiers undefeated record down with a match point kill, ending the third and final set with a win (25-17). Alonso-Corcelles was selected as the MVP for the Indiana Invitational All-Tournament team. Indiana’s freshman Jaidyn Jager and Tatum made the cut as well.
As a team, Indiana has recorded at least 41 kills in each of its three matches during the tournament, highlighted by a 53-kill performance and .427 hitting percentage in Thursday night’s win over Southeast Missouri.
Indiana (5-0) will look to carry its momentum into next week’s road trip as they travel to Loyola (Chicago) to face Bowling Green for the Rambler Invitational on Sept. 11.
