Sometimes the most underappreciated position of any sport is the most important. In football, the running back wouldn't be a star if it weren't for his lineman. In volleyball, the outside hitters wouldn't have their kills if it weren't for the setter, and few are better setters than Michigan junior Stesha Selsky.

Selsky showcased her talents this weekend as the Wolverines swept No. 14 Purdue Friday and Indiana Saturday on the road.

It's the setter's job to provide attackers with an opportunity to notch a kill. Many tend to overlook the setter's duties, but without a good setter, the outside hitters may have no chance to awe the crowd with dazzling spikes over the net.

Selsky is in control of which plays get called and when. If there is a particularly aggressive blocker on the other side of the net, she needs to keep the ball away from her. She also needs to know where attackers like her to put the ball.

Since each team brings a new gameplan and lineup to each match, Selsky needs to adapt and get a feel for each game early, or the offense will have a tough time getting on track.

Against Indiana, Selsky set 43 of the Wolverines' 60 total kills. The Wolverines won in three games, 30-20, 30-21 and 30-28 at University Gym in Bloomington.

"Basically, I am the person who controls the offense," Selsky said. "If the setter plays well, that usually means the team will play well."

Michigan (7-9 Big Ten, 20-9 overall) got off to a hot start against the Hoosiers, controlling the first two games of the match. With a chance to sweep the match, the Wolverines had trouble through most of the third game.

"In a conference like the Big Ten, it's really strong to play steady for three straight games," Selsky said. "You have to be able to pull yourself out of it and win even if it isn't pretty."

In its third game against Indiana, Michigan struggled. Selsky said the Wolverines must help one another at those times and urge each other to keep going after it and swinging.

The strategy worked perfectly, and the Wolverines came back to close out the final game - and take the match - against Indiana (1-15, 10-18).

At Purdue (9-6, 19-7) the night before, Selsky was a crucial part of the win, tallying 44 assists in the sweep of the Boilermakers (30-26, 30-28 30-28). The win, coupled with last week's victory over No. 13 Minnesota, marked just the third time in program's history the volleyball team has beaten back-to-back ranked opponents.

After struggling earlier in the Big Ten season, Michigan has gained momentum coming down the final stretch of the regular season, winning three games in a row.

"We knew we would play better at the end of the season," Selsky said. "A lot of teams had it together in the beginning, but we needed to learn to play as a team. We're beginning to play to our potential."

Selsky's play-calling skills will be needed this weekend as the Wolverines face off against No. 23 Ohio State and No. 3 Penn State in Cliff Keen Arena.

With the last two home games this year against ranked teams, Selsky is not about to let the added pressure get to her.

"Being a setter isn't as much pressure as you would think," Selsky said. "You have to remember that it's just volleyball and it's just for fun."