TicketsSept. 18, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
BEARCATS RETURN TO MIDWEST FOR TIS BOOKSTORE INDIANA INVITATIONAL: Following a six-match, 13-day road trip to Hawai'i and Arizona, UC's volleyball team returns to the Midwest when it competes in the TIS Bookstore Indiana Invitational this weekend hosted by Indiana University. Cincinnati opens tournament play with two matches on Friday, Sept.. 19, beginning with a 10:30 a.m. match against Ball State, before playing George Mason at 5:30 p.m. Both matches will be played at University Gymnasium. Tournament host Indiana and Cincinnati conclude tournament action when they meet at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20 in Assembly Hall.
NEVITT NAMED BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: After taking home all-tournament honors at the ASU Sheraton Invitational, senior Jessie Nevitt was selected as the BIG EAST Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday, Sept. 15. At the ASU Sheraton Invitational, Nevitt averaged 4.18 kps, 1.27 bps and 5.18 pps. It was the fourth time in Nevitt's career that she was named BIG EAST Player of the Week after being earning the honor twice in 2006 and once last season.
ASU SHERATON INVITATIONAL RECAP: The Bearcats finished the ASU Sheraton Invitational with a 2-1 overall record. Cincinnati started tournament play with a three-set win over Cal State Northridge, before Arizona State defeated Cincinnati in a tough four-set match. The Bearcats rallied back to defeat Montana in its final match of the tournament to finish in second place behind Arizona State. Senior Jessie Nevitt and senior Jessica Elley both earned all-tournament recognition for their play. Nevitt averaged 4.18 kps, 1.27 bps and hit .359 en route to her second all-tournament selection this season. Elley, who went to high school in Arizona, averaged 2.09 kps, 0.91 bps and hit .315 for the weekend. Elley also recorded a team-high five service aces for the tournament.
FIVE BEARCATS RANK AMONG CONFERENCE LEADERS: With three weeks completed in the 2008 season, four Bearcat players rank in the Top 6 in five BIG EAST statistical categories. Just as she has done throughout her career, senior Jessie Nevitt has been a force on both sides of the net in the early stages of the 2008 campaign. Nevitt ranks fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.369) and blocks (1.16 b/s) and fifth in the BIG EAST in kills (3.19 kps). Sophomore Stephanie Niemer sits in the sixth position in kills per set (3.35 k/s), while fellow sophomore Annie Fesl ranks sixth in assists per set (10.10 a/s). Senior Jessica Elley ranks fourth in the conference with 0.48 sa/g.
MOVING UP THE CHARTS: Junior Jaime Frey recorded 51 digs during last weekend's ASU Sheraton Invitational, which moved her into fifth place on UC's all-time digs chart with 1,182. Frey passed Dani Peterson (1,132; 1989-92), Sonja Jackson (1,135; 1984-87) and Katie Graham (1,153; 1996-99) to move into sole possession of fifth place. Senior Jessie Nevitt is closing in on current assistant coach Myanna Hellsten, who played at UC from 2003-06, for second place on UC's block assists chart. Nevitt has 463 career block assists and is 27 block assists away from tying Hellsten.
ACES UP: One of the Bearcats strengths in the early portion of the 2008 campaign has been its serving. Through Sept.. 14, Cincinnati ranks second in the BIG EAST and 10th in the nation in service aces per set (2.10 sa/s). Four UC players average over 0.30 sa/g led by senior Jessica Elley's 0.48 sa/s. Elley ranks 58th nationally in service aces.
ABOUT BALL STATE: The Cardinals enter this weekend's tournament with a 3-8 overall mark. Julie Breivogel is the team's top hitter entering the weekend, averaging 2.98 kps. Defensively, the Cardinals are extremely solid digging the ball as they average 15.27 dps, which ranks 59th nationally.
THE SERIES WITH THE CARDINALS: Ball State leads the all-time series 7-6 over the Bearcats. Cincinnati defeated Ball State in the last meeting between the schools, 3-0, in 2003.
ABOUT GEORGE MASON: The Patriots travel to Bloomington with a 4-6 record after posting a 2-1 mark at the Davidson Invitational last weekend. The Patriots average 2.35 bpg as a team, which ranks 57th nationally. Rebecca Walter leads the squad with 3.30 kps.
THE SERIES WITH PATRIOTS: The Bearcats hold a 4-0 record against George Mason, which includes a 3-1 Cincinnati victory during the last encounter in 2003. Under the leadership of head coach Reed Sunahara, the Bearcats are 2-0 against the Patriots.
ABOUT INDIANA: The Hoosiers own a 6-3 record entering the TIS Bookstore Indiana Invitational. Indiana is playing extremely well in the young season and their strong play is highlighted by Erica Short and Ashley Benson. Short ranks third nationally in kills per set (5.0), while Benson ranks in the Top 100 nationally in three statistical categories. Benson ranks 76th in the country in kills per set (3.66), 30th in hitting percentage (.396), and second in blocks per set (1.69).
THE SERIES WITH THE HOOSIERS: Saturday's match between Indiana and Cincinnati marks the first meeting between the teams since the 2000 season where Indiana defeated UC, 3-0. The overall series is tied at 8-8-1. The Hoosiers have won five straight matches between the schools and UC is 3-4 when playing in Bloomington, last winning in Bloomington on Oct. 19, 1974, 2-1.