Big Ten volleyball has had a history of being chaotic in November, and Iowa is looking forward to embracing the role of spoiling other teams’ seasons in the closing weeks of the regular season.

Although the Hawkeyes are no longer in the realm of consideration for an NCAA Tournament bid, the team is still trying to make the most out of this season. Iowa’s rotation has many new in it at this point in the season, and that’s bringing a competitive spirit to the squad.

“I’ve harped on the word progression,” head coach Vicki Brown said. “Seeing that we’re making progress every day, every match, there is something we are adding to continue to grow the program.”

In the Hawkeyes’ previous meeting with Michigan, the Wolverines came to Carver-Hawkeye Arena and captured a four-set win in an extremely close game. The Wolverines were clutch when it mattered most, winning the first set on 27 points and the fourth by two points.

Statistically, though, the Hawkeyes stayed tight the whole match and played some of their best volleyball of the season.

The teams were virtually even in every major statistic — including kills, assists, and blocks — but the inability to close out sets ultimately led to the loss. For Iowa to be competitive on the road, the Hawkeyes will need to play as well as they did at home.

Since the last time they met, the two sides have had differing fortunes. While the Hawkeyes have gone an abysmal 2-7, Michigan has gone 5-4 with big wins against Illinois on the road and Purdue. The wins have seen the Wolverines jump into the national rankings for the first time this season and up to fifth in the Big Ten standings.

“It’ll take all of us playing together,” freshman Grace Tubbs said. “In practice, we’ve been working on playing as a team instead of individuals and playing for each and trusting each other.”

Tubbs is one of many players who has benefited from getting into the rotation late in the season, with the freshman getting her first start of the season in Iowa’s last game. Another freshman to recently pick up playing time is Texas-native Emma Lowes. Lowes played two sets in Iowa’s loss to Nebraska and saw plenty of action.

“Going out there and knowing that I am a dependable person that they can put on the court in those important times is a really awesome experience,” Lowes said.

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The Hawkeyes have struggled in tight sets over the course of the season, so giving more players game experience can only benefit the Hawkeyes in tights sets.

Although Iowa matches up well to the Wolverines, Wednesday’s match will still be a difficult one for the Hawkeyes. One area the Hawkeyes will need to exploit is Michigan’s errors. Michigan averages a .271 hitting percentage on the season, something that Iowa must look to exploit by playing solid defense.

If the Hawkeyes do that, the team should be able to stay point-for-point throughout the match. The match has the possibility of coming down to the wire, and the added experience from the Hawkeyes could come in handy.

Tonight’s game begins at 6 p.m. in Ann Arbor, Michigan.