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Bearcats Open Homestand Against BIG EAST Pair

Bearcats Open Homestand Against BIG EAST PairBearcats Open Homestand Against BIG EAST Pair

Sept. 27, 2007

FIRST SERVE: Cincinnati will be out to keep its hold on a share of first place in the BIG EAST standings when the Bearcats (10-4, 2-0 BIG EAST) return to the court for a pair of home contests this weekend. The weekend kicks off with a visit from longtime rival Marquette (4-6, 1-0 BIG EAST) on Friday (Sept. 28) at 7:30 p.m. Action continues on Sunday (Sept. 30) at 2 p.m. when Syracuse (10-6, 1-0 BIG EAST) comes to town. Live, streaming video of both matches will be available on GoBEARCATS.com through the Bearcats All-Access package.

NOTING THE BEARCATS:

  • The Bearcats are led by two-time honorable mention all-American Jessie Nevitt, who ranks among the BIG EAST leaders in hitting, kills and blocks. The junior is third in blocks (1.49 per game), fourth in hitting (.362) and eighth in kills per game (4.04).
  • Three freshmen-setter Annie Fesl, outside hitter Stephanie Niemer and middle blocker Lindsay Upton-have become staples in the Bearcats' starting line-up. The trio is combining for 5.49 kills, 3.59 digs, 0.88 aces and 1.39 blocks per game this season, while Fesl is averaging 13.61 assists per game.
  • With wins last weekend at Georgetown and USF, the Bearcats started 2-0 in league play for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
  • UC which holds a 23-6 edge in its series with Marquette, will be out to snap a three-match losing streak to the Golden Eagles which dates back to 2004.
  • Nevitt is making a charge towards becoming the second player in UC history with 1,000 career kills and 500 career blocks, a feat accomplished only by current assistant coach Myanna Hellsten. Nevitt enters weekend play with 902 kills and 409 blocks.

NOTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES:

  • Marquette, picked fifth in the preseason BIG EAST coaches poll, has started the year just 4-6, but opened league play with a sweep of Rutgers last weekend.
  • Kimberley Todd is the Golden Eagles top player, ranking second in the BIG EAST with 4.56 kills per game. Marquette has struggled offensively, however, ranking 10th in the league in kills per game and 13th in hitting percentage.
  • Middle blocker Jenn Brown, who set a Fifth Third Arena record during the 2006 BIG EAST Championship with 18 block assists, is ranked ninth in the league in blocks with 1.17 per game.

NOTING THE ORANGE:

  • With an early season record of 10-6, Syracuse is just one win shy of matching its win total from the 2006 season. The Orange swept Rutgers last weekend to open BIG EAST play.
  • The outside hitter combo of senior Cheryl Cobbina and sophomore Kacie MacTavish lead the Orange offense, with 3.96 and 3.37 kills per game, respectively.
  • The defense is led by libero Joscie Kaup, the second-ranked player in digs per game in the BIG EAST with 4.95 per game.

NIEMER EARNS BIG EAST NOD: Stephanie Niemer's continued improvement has been recognized as she has been named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week. Niemer becomes the second UC player to earn the award this season. For the week, Niemer averaged 3.55 kills, 1.55 digs and 0.64 blocks per game as the Bearcats opened BIG EAST play 2-0. Niemer had at least a dozen kills in each of the three Bearcat wins, including 14 in a five-game triumph at USF. Niemer joins classmate Annie Fesl as Bearcats to capture the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week award this year.

MAKING A FIRST IMPRESSION: The Bearcats' freshmen trio of Annie Fesl, Stephanie Niemer and Lindsay Upton have made quite the first impression during their first season of collegiate competition. A look at each's first taste of college:

  • Fesl has won a BIG EAST Freshman of the Week award (Sept. 3) and is ranked second in the league with 13.61 assists per game. Against TCU on Sept. 1, Fesl finished with career highs of 69 assists and five blocks. Her first career match against Southern Miss on Aug. 24 was a good one, as she finished just three assists shy of a UC three-game record with 55 assists. Through matches of Sept. 23, Fesl was listed sixth nationally in assists per game.
  • Niemer also has a BIG EAST Freshman of the Week award (Sept. 24) and ranks second on the team with 3.27 kills per game. The Erlanger, Ky. native has been stout of late, averaging 3.82 kills per game in her last six matches. Niemer exploded for career-highs of 19 kills and seven digs at Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Sept. 7 and hit a career-high .423 with 13 kills at IUPUI on Sept. 18.
  • Upton cracked the starting six against Maryland on Aug. 25 and has been a solid player in the middle opposite of Jessie Nevitt. She has reached double figures in kills four times and is averaging 1.94 kills, 0.67 digs and 0.49 blocks per game. Twice this year, Upton has tallied a career-high with 12 kills.

CUSTER'S LAST STAND: Senior Jenny Custer has been a regular contributor during her Bearcat career and is having another solid campaign in 2007. This year, Custer is listed fourth on the Bearcats with 2.79 kills per game, while adding 2.06 digs and 0.69 blocks per game. She is also listed second in the BIG EAST with 0.52 service aces per game. In UC career annals, Custer has moved into fifth place on the service aces list with 146. Custer was outstanding in three UC wins last week, averaging 3.73 kills, 2.36 digs and 0.91 blocks per game and hitting a team-best .393 for the stretch.

HOME COURT HEROES: Cincinnati has enjoyed a strong home court advantage since the opening of Fifth Third Arena in 1989. In the 17-plus years the building has been in existence, the Bearcats have posted a 151-59 (.719) record at home and are 86-12 (.878) since Reed Sunahara took over as head coach in 2000. The Bearcats ended last year with a 13-2 home mark and are 3-1 at home this season, with their only loss coming to No. 2 Stanford on Sept. 12.

ON THE HORIZON: If all goes according to plan, head coach Reed Sunahara will add another milestone to his coaching resume this season. Now in his eighth-year as the Bearcat boss, Sunahara needs just 10 more victories to reach 200 for his career. Already the winningest coach in program history, Sunahara has guided UC to four NCAA Tournament appearances and three conference regular season titles.

TRYING FOR THREE STRAIGHT: Junior Jessie Nevitt is making a push for her third straight All-American honor with her play in 2007. A look at some of Nevitt's accomplishments this season:

  • Ranks among the BIG EAST leaders in hitting percentage (4th-.362), blocks per game (3rd-1.49) and kills per game (8th-4.04).
  • Named MVP of the State Farm Bearcats Invitational and to the all-tournament team at the Panther Invitational.
  • Tabbed BIG EAST Player of the Week on Aug. 27 and to the weekly honor roll on Sept. 3 and Sept. 10.
  • Recorded a career-high 21 kills in just three games in UC's win over Bradley (Sept. 7). Has double figure kills in 11 of the Bearcats' 14 matches this season.
  • Has 10 performances of at least five blocks in a match, including a season-best nine at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Sept. 7).
  • Became the 19th player in program history with 900 career kills during UC's win over USF (Sept. 23).
  • Cracked the top-10 on the UC career block assists (7th-359) and total blocks (10th-409) charts.