TicketsAug. 30, 2006
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SETTING THE SCENE: The University of Cincinnati will try to shake off a tough loss to No. 10 UCLA when it returns to action this weekend (Sept. 1-2) at the Radisson Hotel Invitational, hosted by Bradley University. The Bearcats (2-1) will play three matches this weekend, opening against Austin Peay on Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT. UC will also take on the host Braves and Western Illinois during the weekend.
ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT: The tournament field for the 2006 Radisson Hotel Invitational hosted by Bradley includes the Bearcats and the host Braves, along with Austin Peay and Western Illinois. Austin Peay is 0-4 after dropping all three matches at the Aces Invitational in Evansville, Ind. last weekend. Bradley won one of three at Purdue's Mortar Board Premier, while Western Illinois was swept in three matches at Northern Illinois' tournament. The schedule for the weekend is as follows:
Friday, Sept. 1
Cincinnati vs. Austin Peay, 4:30 p.m. CT
Western Illinois at Bradley, 7 p.m. CT
Saturday, Sept. 2
Cincinnati vs. Western Illinois, 11 a.m. CT
Austin Peay at Bradley, 1 p.m. CT
Western Illinois vs. Austin Peay, 4:30 p.m. CT
Cincinnati at Bradley, 7 p.m. CT
NOTING THE BEARCATS:
- The crowd of 766 for the Bearcats' match against UCLA on Sunday was the largest to witness a UC home match since a crowd of 861 watched a match against UAB on Oct. 13, 2000.
- Senior Noel Olson passed Annie Gant for fourth place on UC's career assists chart. At the end of the weekend, she has 3,195 to her credit.
- UC's loss to UCLA marked the Bearcats first since the team's home tournament was reinstated in 2003. The Bearcats are 11-1 in that time and have a games record of 34-6.
- Natalie Dossman (22), Jaime Frey (26) and Jessica Elley (21) all established new career-highs in digs during the tournament.
- Jessica Elley and Jessie Nevitt were both named to the State Farm Bearcats Invitational All-Tournament Team.
- UC's win over Western Michigan in the tournament opener marked the team's first over the Broncos in seven tries.
THE NEW KID IN TOWN: Sophomore Jessica Elley is on the fast track to stardom after her performance in the season-opening State Farm Bearcats Invitational. Following in the footsteps of her predecessors at outside hitter, Julie DuPont and Maria Pongonis, Elley averaged a team-best 3.91 kills per game, along with 4.18 digs and 1.00 blocks per game. She was at her best against No. 10 UCLA, tallying a career-high 21 kills and adding 12 digs. In the tournament, she recorded the first three double-doubles of her career.
IN GOOD HANDS: The setter position is once again in good hands with senior Noel Olson in her third-year as a starter. The preseason All-BIG EAST selection has shown steady improvement each year and got her season off to a strong start, averaging 13.27 assists per game in the first weekend of play. The total ranks second in the BIG EAST. Olson will go down as one of the top setters in program history, as she ranks fourth in school history in career assists. Her total of 3,195 is 305 back of Mindy Backus (1986-88) for third place.
READY FOR MORE: As impressive as the 2005 season was for Jessie Nevitt, this year could be even better as she hits the court for her second full year. Nevitt was a dominator in the BIG EAST as a redshirt freshman, earning the league's rookie of the year award and winning a conference-record six BIG EAST Rookie of the Week awards. She went one step further in the awards department, being honored as an all-conference first team selection and an honorable mention All-American. She got 2006 off to a good start, earning a spot on the State Farm Bearcats Invitational All-Tournament Team by averaging 2.73 kills and 1.45 blocks per game while hitting .344.
THE YOUNG GET YOUNGER: With Natalie Dossman lost for the season, an already young Bearcats' squad will get younger with freshman Jaime Frey now assuming the starting libero position. The Cincinnati-native proved she could hold her own during the first weekend of play, averaging 4.18 digs per game to earn a spot on the BIG EAST's Weekly Honor Roll.
POLL TALK: The preseason CSTV/AVCA top-25 coaches poll shows Cincinnati drawing two votes. Bearcats' opponents in the rankings include UCLA (No. 10), Louisville (No. 12) and Notre Dame (No. 21), along with Colorado, Dayton and Western Kentucky each receiving votes.
HOME COURT HEROICS: Cincinnati has enjoyed a strong home court advantage since the opening of Fifth Third Arena in 1989. In the 16+ years the building has been in existence, the Bearcats have posted a 137-56 (.710) record at home and are 72-10 (.878) over the past seven-plus years. A handful of those contests have also taken place outside the Arena at both the former Laurence Hall and, more recently, at St. Ursula Academy. During the program's time in Fifth Third, it has enjoyed two lengthy win streaks, including a school-record 23 match string that ended in 2004. At the time the streak was snapped, it represented the third-longest active streak in the nation.
BEARCATS TABBED THIRD IN BIG EAST POLL: The 2006 preseason BIG EAST Conference coaches poll was good to Cincinnati as the Bearcats were tabbed third. After a 20-12, 9-3 BIG EAST campaign that saw UC finish tied for fourth in the league, the Bearcats were picked one spot higher for the 2006 season, while also garnering one first place vote. Notre Dame was a narrow choice to win the league title by eight points over Louisville. The Fighting Irish earned eight first place votes to six for the Cardinals. St. John's and Pittsburgh round out the top-five.
BEARCATS DOMINATE PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST SQUAD: A total of three Bearcats earned spots on the preseason All-BIG EAST squad, giving UC a league-high total. Redshirt sophomore Jessie Nevitt, last season's conference rookie of the year, was a unanimous choice for the team. She ended last season averaging 3.11 kills and 1.38 blocks per game and hitting .337. Joining her on the team were senior setter Noel Olson and junior right-side hitter Jenny Custer. Olson finished second in the BIG EAST last season averaging 12.63 assists per game. Custer enjoyed a career-year with personal highs of 3.13 kills and 2.00 digs per game.
COUNTING ON PETE: Like teammate Jessie Nevitt did a year ago, sophomore Lindsey Peterson has benefited from a summer trip to Argentina with improved play early in the 2006 season. During the State Farm Bearcats Invitational, Peterson averaged 3.00 kills and 1.27 digs per game, taking over the position vacated by the injured Erin Maldo. Peterson was particularly strong during UC's win over Western Michigan as she rebounded from a slow start (two kills in the first two games) to post a career-best 15 kills in the four-game victory.
UP NEXT: The next hurdle in the Bearcats' road comes Sept. 7-9 when the squad travels to Boulder, Colo. for the Colorado Invitational. A look at the tournament match-ups.
Thursday, Sept. 7: Cincinnati at Colorado, 7 p.m. MT
Friday, Sept. 8: Southern Miss vs. Central Connecticut, 11 a.m. MT/Cincinnati vs. Southern Miss, 5 p.m. MT/Central Connecticut at Colorado, 7 p.m. MT
Saturday, Sept. 9: Southern Miss at Colorado, 11 a.m. MT/Cincinnati vs. Central Connecticut, 1 p.m. MT