TicketsVolleyball To Open C-USA Play
Bearcats face Marquette, DePaul this weekend
Contact: Shawn Sell
9/30/2004
Rachel Torblaa had 13 kills on .591 hitting in Tuesday's win over IUPUI. |
SETTING THE SCENE: The University of Cincinnati volleyball team will open its 10th and final Conference USA campaign this weekend when they travel for matches at Marquette (Fri., Oct. 1) and DePaul (Sat., Oct. 2). Both matches are slated for 7 p.m. CT starts. The Bearcats will enter the league slate with a 7-6 record after an uncharacteristically slow start, that included a six-match losing streak. Since that string, however, UC has bounced back with wins over Butler and IUPUI. Marquette holds a 9-3 record entering the weekend, while DePaul is 7-9 after a Wednesday night loss to Valparaiso.
NOTES FROM IUPUI:
? Senior Leslie Newell won round one of the ?Battle of the Newell Sisters? as she recorded a season-high 11 kills to help UC to the win over younger sister Carol, and her Jaguar teammates.
? Rachel Torblaa hit a season-best .591, registering 13 kills in 22 attempts with zero errors. It was also the sixth time the senior reached double figure kills in a match this season.
? Julie DuPont passed former teammate Rachel Beran for seventh place on the school?s career digs list. DuPont now has 1,114 digs for her career and trails sixth place Dani Peterson by 18 digs.
? The Bearcats continued to build on their school record home winning streak, stretching the string to 19, dating back to the end of the 2002 season.
? The 21-kill, 11-dig performance by DuPont was her 11th double-double of the season and third in a row. She now has 58 double-doubles in her career.
ABOUT MARQUETTE: The Golden Eagles enter league play with a 9-3 record after winning their last three in a row. Marquette, picked to finish fifth in Conference USA in a preseason poll of league coaches, finished last season just 14-16, but posted an 8-5 league slate. Three MU players average over three kills per game, led by preseason all-conference selection Theresa Coughlin and her 4.03 per game. Senior Erica Heisser ranks second with 3.58 kills and paces the squad with 1.15 blocks per game. Five defensive players are at 2.50 digs per game or higher, led by senior libero Erin Freer. UC has dominated the all-time series between the programs, holding a commanding 22-3 lead. The Bearcats have won the last six meetings, including a 3-1 win in Cincinnati last year.
ABOUT DePAUL: The Blue Demons are on a three-match losing streak entering the weekend, including a five-game loss to Valparaiso on Wednesday night. DePaul was the No. 9 selection in the Conference USA Preseason Coaches poll, after an 11-20 and 3-10 C-USA finish last season. Offensively, three DePaul players average over three kills per game, including junior Mandy Moorberg (3.69) and senior Janet Goreham (3.52). Goreham is also the team leader in blocks at 1.22 per game, while sophomore Ellen Hayes? 3.63 digs per game average leads the Blue Demons. The all-time series between UC and DePaul has seen the Bearcats win 16 of the last 17 match-ups to take a 20-15 lead in the series. The only blemish for UC was an upset in the quarterfinals of the 2001 C-USA Tournament.
BACK TO THE SCENE: The Bearcats? return to Milwaukee this weekend, marks the first trip back to the scene of the best offensive performance of senior Leslie Newell?s career. Against Marquette on Oct. 5, 2002, Newell erupted for a career-high 22 kills and just two errors on 32 attempts. That performance left Newell with a .625 hitting performance for the match, the fifth-highest in school history. Prior to this season, the Golden Eagles played in Marquette Gym, but the team has since moved into the brand new Al McGuire Center.
APPROACHING NO. 700: Now in its 33rd year as a varsity program at UC, the Bearcat volleyball program is closing in on 700 wins all-time. Cincinnati enters the weekend with an all-time record of 694-437-8 (.613) and with win number 700 will become only the second Conference USA school to reach the feat. Houston, with an all-time record of 761-416 (.647), is currently the only 700-club member in the league, with USF (682), Memphis (678) and Louisville (610) getting close.
ON CONFERENCE OPENERS: The Bearcats are preparing to open their 10th Conference USA season and conference openers have treated UC well as they are 6-3 in the first match of league play since joining C-USA in 1995. The Bearcats have faced Marquette three times in C-USA openers, twice on the road, and have won all three of the contests.
BEFORE A FULL HOUSE: The Bearcats? match-up at Wisconsin on Sept. 18, was played before a full house as 3,044 fans piled into UW?s Fieldhouse. The attendance figure is the 25th-highest of any match in the country this season.
SISTER, SISTER: Senior Leslie Newell has a unique opportunity during her final season as a collegiate player, as she and her Bearcat teammates will play contests against both of Newell?s younger sisters. UC defeated IUPUI with youngest sister Carol, a freshman, on Sept. 28 and is scheduled to play Conference USA rival Charlotte and sibling Lisa, a junior, at home on Nov. 5. Leslie Newell has bettered sister Lisa in all three of the sisters? head-to-head match-ups. UC has won each of the last two regular season match-ups between the schools, while also taking a C-USA Tournament quarterfinal win in 2002.
HIGH RISER: Maria Pongonis has proven to be an intergral part of UC?s success this season, as she ranks second on the team in kills (3.16) and third in digs (2.80). Against Washington State on Sept. 10, Pongonis recorded a new career-high with 23 kills, three more than her previous high from last season?s Marquette contest. She also recorded a new best in digs on Sept. 25 at Butler as she finished with 16. In 13 matches this season, Pongonis has led or tied for the team lead in kills four times, after accomplishing the feat just three times all of last season. Cincinnati?s success has also paralleled Pongonis? as during the team?s seven wins, she is averaging 3.27 kills and 3.27 digs per game and hitting .174, but the numbers dip to 3.05 kills and 2.32 digs and a .038 hitting percentage in UC?s six defeats.
TORBLAA CLIMBING THE CHARTS: While she has proven to be a solid and valuable offensive player during her career, senior Rachel Torblaa has made her name at the net with her strong blocking ability. With two block assists vs. IUPUI on Tuesday, Torblaa moved closer to third in school history with 358. Torblaa has some work to do as Becky Tenkman (393) and Bontia Wise (431) are third and second, respectively. Former UC assistant coach Stephanie Meinig is the program?s all-time leader with 518 block assists. Torblaa also ranks in UC annals in both blocks per game (sixth-1.27) and total blocks (seventh-410).
FINALLY ON THE CHARTS: By playing in their 150th career game in UC?s Sept. 18 match against Wisconsin, sophomores Myanna Hellsten and Noel Olson are now eligible for inclusion on the school?s career charts. Already, Hellsten is listed in two categories, ranking seventh in blocks per game (1.26) and eighth in hitting percentage (.272), while Olson is 10th with 3.54 assists per game.
C-USA COACHES SPEAK: For the third consecutive campaign, the Bearcats have been selected second in the preseason poll of Conference USA coaches. UC, after sharing the Conference USA regular season championship with Louisville, was once again chosen one spot back of the Cardinals. In addition, senior Julie DuPont, the reigning C-USA Player of the Year, was tabbed the league?s preseason player of the year.
OLSON NOW IN CHARGE: After starting the season in a two-setter alignment, sophomore Noel Olson has stepped to the forefront as the team?s primary setter. Twice this season, Olson has registered new career-highs in assists, including a best of 59 against Miami (Fla.) on Sept. 11. Olson ranks 10th in Conference USA averaging 10.62 assists per game, while freshman Jenny Custer, who has also seen time at setter, has an average of 2.25 assists per game.
STRUGGLING TO HIT: During UC?s recent six-match losing streak, one of the team?s biggest problems was struggling to hit for a high percentage. During the stretch, UC is hit just .144 as a team and was under .100 in the last three contests. No Bearcat player hit over .228 in the six-match stretch and the team?s top two offensive threats, Julie DuPont and Maria Pongonis, hit just .152 and .038 respectively. The sub-.100 hitting in the three contests marked the first time since Nov. 17, 2001 that UC hit under .100 in a match. That event was a Conference USA Tournament loss to DePaul that saw the Bearcats hit just .095. The Bearcats have rebounded from that slump to hit .274 in the last two matches, both of which resulted in wins.
REMEMBERING STEPH: The Bearcats will play their 2004 season in honor of assistant coach and former UC star player Stephanie (Meinig) Rosfeld, who passed away unexpectedly during the preseason. UC will honor Stephanie?s number 10, as no player will wear the number this season, while the entire team?s uniforms will bear the initials SAR and the number 10.
NEAR MISSES: Throughout her career, Julie DuPont has shown her talent as an impact all-around player, but still has come up short of achieving the fourth triple-double in program history. DuPont?s most recent near miss came on Sept. 25 at Butler when she recorded 33 kills, 15 digs and seven blocks. Only Becky Tenkman (1996), Tobi Kirchenwitz (2000) and Bonita Wise (2000) have achieved triple doubles in school history.
SUNAHARA REACHES THE TOP: Cincinnati head coach Reed Sunahara became the program?s all-time winningest coach in the Bearcats? Sept. 10 win over Washington State. Sunahara now has 104 wins in his Cincinnati career, three better than Mike Lingenfelter?s career total. Lingenfelter recorded 101 wins in his five-year career, which covered 1986-87 and 1993-95. Sunahara, now in his fifth year as the Bearcats? mentor, is 123-79 (.609) in his coaching career, with an even more impressive 104-39 (.727) mark at UC.
DUPONT WINS C-USA AWARD: For the sixth time in her career, senior Julie DuPont was honored on Sept. 7 as the Conference USA Player of the Week, sharing the honor with Saint Louis? Aida Antanaviciute. In earning MVP honors at the Bearcat Invitational, DuPont averaged 5.22 kills and 3.89 digs per game, while hitting .370. DuPont now shares the top spot with former USF players Paula Araujo and Michelle Collier and Saint Louis? Colleen Hunter in number of career Player of the Week awards.
MATCHES MOVED: Due to a previously scheduled event in Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center, the Bearcats matches on Oct. 8-9 have been moved to St. Ursula Academy. The school, located at 1339 E. McMillan St., is just minutes from UC?s campus. Admission for both of the Conference USA matches against rivals UAB and USF, is free to all fans. Fans travelling to St. Ursula should park in the parking lot directly behind the school?s soccer field.
DUPONT JUMPING THE C-USA CHARTS: In addition to her name being written throughout the UC record books, Julie DuPont is also starting to make waves in the Conference USA annals as well. DuPont is currently sixth in conference history in kills with 1,787. Next on the list for DuPont to catch is former UC star and school record holder Becky Tenkman who closed her career with 1,843 kills. Former USF star Michelle Collier, the only player in C-USA history to be named All-American besides DuPont, is the all-time record holder with 2,729.
BEARCATS IN C-USA: In the eight years of Conference USA play, the Bearcats have gone 106-26 for an .803 winning percentage, ranking second in both, trailing only Louisville. The Bearcats have now won 70 of their last 83 matches against C-USA opponents. Five of the 13 losses have been to Louisville, while four have come against USF. The marks exclude C-USA Tournament play.
DUPONT NEARING HISTORY: During her career, senior Julie DuPont has made her mark as one of the top players in program history and she is on the verge of reaching another career milestone. DuPont, who is tops in school history in kills per game with 4.65, ranks second on the kills chart with 1,787, after passing Cathy Guye in the Sept. 10 contest against Washington State. She now has only Becky Tenkman to catch on the UC charts. Tenkman recorded 1,843 kills from 1995-98, only 56 more than DuPont?s current total. DuPont also ranks in the UC annals in attempts (third), digs per game (seventh), digs (seventh) and block assists (ninth).
HOME SWEET HOME: The Bearcats? win over IUPUI on Sept. 28 allowed UC to stretch its consecutive home match winning streak, as they have now won 19 in a row, dating back to 2002. The new streak, which became a record in the Sept. 7 win over Miami (Ohio), is two better than the previous best of 17 straight home wins, established from a Sept. 7, 1999 win over Dayton to an Oct. 18, 2000 defeat to Louisville. Since the opening of Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center, the Bearcats have been nothing short of dominant on their home floor. In the 14 years the building has been in existence, the Bearcats have posted a 119-50 (.704) record at home, with exactly half of those losses coming in a three-year span from 1991-93.
BEARCATS WITH THE ACE: Over the past few seasons, the Bearcats have not been considered one of Conference USA?s top serving teams. Last season, they ranked eighth in the league in aces, but are up to seventh in the latest C-USA rankings. Much of the damage was done in the Sept. 10 match against Washington State, as the Bearcats established a school record for a four-game match with 17 aces, one better than a 1993 effort against Evansville. Senior Rachel Torblaa led the charge against the Cougars, with a career-high six and is tied for the team lead this season with 18. She shares the top spot with Maria Pongonis.
DUPONT JOINS ELITE CLUB: As she has so many times during her career, Julie DuPont made history in the Sept. 4 match against Kent State. Against the Golden Flashes, DuPont became just the fifth UC player ever with 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. DuPont, with 1,787 kills and 1,114 digs, joins an exclusive club that includes Sonja Jackson (1,443 kills; 1,135 digs), Dani Peterson (1,040 kills; 1,132 digs), Becky Tenkman (1,843 kills; 1,303 digs) and Trish Ladusaw (1,465 kills; 2,074 digs).
MORE OUTSTANDING FRESHMEN: Head Coach Reed Sunahara and his staff have once again assembled another outstanding freshmen class that appears poised to continue the tradition of outstanding freshmen at UC. During the nine years of Conference USA Volleyball, the Bearcats have featured five freshman or co-freshman of the year in the league. Myanna Hellsten continued the run last year, capturing league and region freshman of the year honors, giving UC four recipients of the C-USA award in the last five years. This year?s crop includes promising newcomers Jenny Custer, Natalie Dossman, Erin Maldo, Hannah May and Jessie Nevitt. This season, both Custer and Dossman have moved into key roles in the Bearcat line-up. Custer has played both hitter and setter, averaging 0.66 kills, 1.34 digs and 2.25 assists per game. She also ranks third on the team with 15 service aces. Dossman has registered double digit digs in 10 matches this season as the starting libero, averaging 3.70 digs per game including a career-high 18 against Miami (Fla.) on Sept. 11. Maldo has seen limited action, averaging 0.75 kills and 0.25 digs per game, while May made her collegiate debut in game three of the Sept. 28 win over IUPUI.
TOURNAMENT HONORS: For the second consecutive season, UC dominated the Bearcat Invitational Sept. 3-4, winning all three matches and posting a perfect 9-0 games record. As she did in 2003, Julie DuPont garnered tournament MVP honors and was joined on the all-tournament squad by a pair of her teammates. Rachel Torblaa repeated as a member of the team and was joined by first time honoree Myanna Hellsten.
TORBLAA NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT: At the Furama Hotel Invitational hosted by Loyola Marymount University, Rachel Torblaa was the Bearcats? sole representative on the all-tournament team. Torblaa earned the honor after averaging 3.00 kills and 1.00 blocks per game and hitting .379 for the tournament. The all-tournament honor was the second of the season for Torblaa and fourth of her career.
HELLSTEN EARNS TOURNAMENT NOD: For the second time this season, Myanna Hellsten earned an all-tournament team award, when she was named to the squad at the InnTowner Invitational hosted by the University of Wisconsin. For the tournament, Hellsten averaged 2.17 kills and 1.17 blocks per game. Hellsten was also honored following the Vernon Manor Bearcat Invitational.
LOOKING AHEAD: Cincinnati will step out of Conference USA play for a match-up at Western Kentucky on Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. CT The Bearcats then return home for three straight, beginning with visits from C-USA rivals UAB and USF on Oct. 8-9. Those C-USA contests will be played at St. Ursula Academy, just minutes from UC?s campus.