TicketsOct. 6, 2008
BEARCATS STEP OUT OF CONFERENCE FOR MID-WEEK TILT: Cincinnati returns to the floor on Tuesday, Oct. 7 when it welcomes the University of Dayton Flyers to Fifth Third Arena for a 7:30 p.m. contest. Following the mid-week contest, Cincinnati returns to BIG EAST action at home this weekend against Seton Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, and Villanova at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12.
NEVITT NAMED BIG EAST VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: After leading Cincinnati to a 2-0 record last week, including a four-set victory over Notre Dame on Sunday, Oct. 5, senior Jessie Nevitt was named the BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday, Oct. 6. Nevitt led the Bearcats in hitting percentage for the week after hitting at a .588 clip. Nevitt recorded seven kills on eight attempts in a three-set victory over DePaul on Friday, Oct. 3, before putting 16 balls to the floor against Notre Dame. Nevitt made just three errors for the weekend and averaged 3.29 kps and 1.00 bps. This is the second time this season and the fifth time in her career that Nevitt has earned BIG EAST Player of the Week accolades.
HOME COOKING: Cincinnati improved to 6-0 on the season at home with a three-set sweep over DePaul on Friday, Oct. 3, before defeating Notre Dame in front of a national television audience in four sets on Sunday, Oct. 5. In home matches this season, the Bearcats are out-hitting their opponents .303 to .171 and they are averaging 2.67 bps compared to 1.79 bps for their opponents. Cincinnati plays three home matches this week beginning with Dayton at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
NEVITT CLOSING IN: In the first set of Cincinnati's four-set win over Notre Dame on Sunday, Oct. 5, senior Jessie Nevitt moved into second place on the all-time Cincinnati total blocks chart passing current Cincinnati assistant coach Myanna Hellsten (2003-06). Nevitt has 559 total blocks in her career and needs just 35 more blocks to move past Stephanie Meinig (1997-00) into first place. Nevitt also needs just two block assists to pass Hellsten on the career block assists chart and 30 block assists to capture the top spot from Meinig.
THIRD SET IS A CHARM: Part of Cincinnati's success through the midway point of the season has been its ability to win crucial sets. The third set is a crucial set as one team is either trying to put the match away or take a commanding two sets to one advantage. This season, the Bearcats are 10-0 when winning the third set.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Through the first 12 matches of the season, Cincinnati failed to have one player collect a double-double. However, in the past five matches, two Bearcat players have collected double-doubles on three occasions. Freshman Missy Harpenau recorded the first double-double of the season against IUPUI on Sept. 23 with 11 kills and 12 digs. This past weekend, sophomore Annie Fesl recorded two double-doubles in wins over DePaul and Notre Dame. Against DePaul, Fesl picked up 30 assists and 11 digs, before registering 42 assists and 15 digs against Notre Dame.
ABOUT DAYTON: The Flyers enter the mid-week contest with an 11-6 overall mark and a 2-0 Atlantic 10 record after opening up conference play with wins at George Washington and at Charlotte last weekend. Offensively, Nicole Bateman leads the team averaging 3.06 kps. Bateman also leads the team in digs, averaging 3.59 dps. Lindsay Fletemier is Dayton's top blocker as she averages 1.12 bps. The Flyers have played top competition this season and own wins over a nationally-ranked Fighting Illini squad, and the BIG EAST pre-season favorite, Louisville.
THE SERIES WITH THE FLYERS: Cincinnati holds a 21-18-1 lead in the all-time series versus Dayton. The last time the visiting team registered a win on the home team's floor was on Sept. 23, 2003 when Cincinnati traveled up to Dayton and defeated the Flyers, 3-0. In the last meeting between the two programs on Sept. 3, 2007, the Flyers defeated the Bearcats three games to none.