Women's Volleyball | 3/24/2020 4:37:00 PM

As part of our coverage in these unprecedented times, UIndyAthletics.com will revisit some of the biggest moments in recent school history with its new feature: Greyhound Flashback. Today we take a look at the 2009 UIndy volleyball team and its historic postseason run.

Led by some of the biggest names in program history, the '09 Greyhounds racked up a school-record 38 wins on the way to GLVC and Midwest Region crowns and its first-ever NCAA DII Elite Eight appearance. UIndy was racked all season long, including six weeks in the top 10. The Hounds entered to postseason wit ha stellar 32-1 overall mark, and would later avenge their only defeat to date with 3-1 victory against host Lewis University in the GLVC Tournament finals, snapping their rival's 41-game home winning streak.

UIndy earned hosting rights for the 2009 NCAA DII Midwest Regional, and after dispatching of Michigan Tech and Hillsdale, the Hounds and Flyers would once again face off, this time in a grudge match to decide the Midwest title. UIndy made sure that reality did not live up to the hype, however, sweeping Lewis in convincing fashion, a moment truly worth a "flashback".

ORIGINAL 2009 RECAP
The ninth-ranked University of Indianapolis volleyball team collected its first-ever regional championship trophy with a 25-16, 25-21, 25-13 win versus archrival Lewis at the Ruth Lilly Center Saturday afternoon. As the Midwest Region's top seed, the Greyhounds held the second-seeded Flyers to a minuscule .047 hitting percentage to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Dec. 3-5.

As the only team to defeat the Greyhounds this season, Lewis came into the match with 32 wins and a No. 11 national ranking, but the Flyers ultimately had little to offer the Hounds Saturday. Lewis hit nearly 200 points below its season average, hampered by a -.047 output in the third set.

The Greyhounds kept the Flyers at arm's length throughout the opening set. With the score 16-13 Hounds, Indianapolis stepped on the gas with a 9-3 run to put Flyers in the 1-0 hole.

Though the Hounds were never in danger of dropping a set, the second frame was the most competitive of the afternoon, evident by its nine ties. Junior Lyndsay Callahan was the Greyhounds' go-to option in the frame, as she led all players with five kills and 13 attack attempts.

With the Hounds on the brink of a regional championship, the Midwest's top two teams traded points through the early going of the third set, but after earning a slight 9-8 edge, UIndy pulled away with an 11-3 rally that culminated with a Lewis timeout.

The Flyers came out of the break with renewed purpose, scoring the next three points to make it 20-13. With every point magnified by the circumstances, UIndy head coach Jody Butera wisely called a timeout to calm her squad.

The tactic proved effective, as the Greyhounds did not allow their guest to score again, ending the match on a 5-0 run that included a pair of kills from junior Cheneta Morrison.

The win not only earned Indianapolis its first regional crown, but also marked the first regional championship for a Great Lakes Valley Conference school this decade.

Callahan led the way in the regional final with 12 kills on 32 attempts to go with seven digs. Morrison hit .500 for the match to supplement her 27 assists and 12 digs with eight kills. Kyleigh Turner finished with a match-high 16 digs, Hannah Kelzer chipped in three block assists, and Amy Oldenburg set a new personal best with 14 digs.

Four Greyhounds made the 12-player all-tournament team, including Callahan, Kristina Kerrigan, Morrison and Turner.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
The Hounds earned the right to face the Central Region-champion Concordia University, St. Paul at the Elite Eight. Unfortunately for UIndy, Concordia was in the midst of one of the most impressive runs in the sport's history. The Golden Bears would defeat the Greyhounds, 3-0, extending their NCAA-record winning streak to 72 before going on to win what proved to be the third of seven consecutive DII national championships.