Red Wolves - IU East

Will the third time prove the charm for the Indiana University East volleyball team?

The Red Wolves get their third shot at Marian University at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at Indianapolis.

The Knights (25-7) beat IU East (20-10) twice this season. Marian edged the Red Wolves in five games on Sept. 28 in Richmond. The Knights swept IU East in three close games on Oct. 9 at the Asbury (Ky.) College Invitational.

"They've got great middles," Red Wolves coach Charlie Brown said. "Their middles are some of the best we've played against this year, and they are very balanced with their middle attacks. They are also a pretty good team defensively, and their passers keep their offense in system at a very high percentage. They get a lot of swings."

The Red Wolves' injury/illness report concerns Brown as much as the scouting report on the Knights. Two starters - freshman setter Lauren Crump (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial High School) and freshman outside hitter Brandie Sanders (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike High School) - missed IU East's loss Oct. 24 at College of Mount St. Joseph. Other IU East players played through various injuries and afflictions.

"We've still got a lot of injuries and sickness, but hopefully we've recovered enough to challenge them for the ‘W'," Brown said.

The Knights have won three consecutive games. Marian freshman middle Ashley Francis is 14th in the NAIA in hitting percentage. The Knights rank 24th in the NAIA in team digs per game and 43rd in the NAIA in team assists per game.

IU East looks for its first victory against a team with a winning record since Oct. 3. The Red Wolves' Crump ranks 40th in the NAIA in assists per game with 9.6.