TicketsOct. 29, 2009
RETURN TO CONFERENCE PLAY: Cincinnati brings its five match winning streak back to Fifth Third Arena this weekend when it welcomes Marquette and Syracuse for a pair of BIG EAST Conference matches. The Bearcats open the weekend with Marquette on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m., before taking on Syracuse on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 p.m. Friday's match will be Halloween Night as all fans are encouraged to wear their best Halloween costume to the match.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES: After starting the conference season with a 1-4 record, Marquette has won three of its last four conference matches heading into the week. The Golden Eagles are 15-9 overall and 4-5 in league play and are led offensively by Ashley Beyer's 3.31 kps. Defensively, Rabbecka Gonyo is one of a handful of players in the league averaging over 1.00 bps at 1.10 bps.
THE SERIES WITH MARQUETTE: Friday's meeting between UC and MU marks the 32nd meeting between the schools with Cincinnati holding a 25-6 lead in the all-time series. Cincinnati won last year's meeting in Milwaukee, 3-0, but despite the Bearcats' impressive record in the series, the Golden Eagles have captured two of the last four matches against UC.
ABOUT THE ORANGE: Syracuse enters the weekend with an 18-7 overall record and a 7-2 conference mark. Syracuse is one game behind Cincinnati for second place in the league and it is led by Sarah Morton, who leads the teams in kills and blocks averaging 3.07 kps and 1.56 bps, respectively. As a team, Syracuse is one of the top blocking teams in the conference averaging 2.83 bps.
THE SERIES WITH SYRACUSE: Sunday's meeting between the Bearcats and the Orange mark the eighth meeting between the schools with Cincinnati holding a 4-3 lead in the all-time series. Cincinnati won last year's meeting in Syracuse in dramatic fashion, 3-2, after falling behind 11-3 in the fifth set. UC has won three straight meetings in the series.
HARPENAU CARRIES UC TO PAIR OF WINS: Sophomore Missy Harpenau has been outstanding for the Bearcats in their last two matches leading the team to back-to-back three-set sweeps over Louisville and Wright State. Harpenau posted 12 kills, eight digs, and hit .524 in a win over Louisville on Oct. 23, before bouncing back with eight kills, 11 digs, four blocks, and four aces against Wright State on Oct. 27. Over the past two matches, Harpenau is averaging 3.33 kps, 3.17 dps, 1.00 sa/s, and 0.83 bps, while hitting .347.
SCOTT BRINGS HOME ANOTHER AWARD: After helping the University of Cincinnati volleyball team extend its home winning streak to 23 matches, tying the school record for most consecutive home wins, freshman Jordanne Scott was named the BIG EAST Conference Volleyball Freshman of the Week on Oct. 26. With the honor, Scott joins Syracuse's Laura Homann as the only two freshmen to have earned the award twice this season. In Cincinnati's lone match last week against Louisville, Scott posted a strong overall performance for the Bearcats with six kills, four blocks, and two digs in the win. Scott's 1.33 bps last week ranked fifth in the conference.
NOTHING LIKE FIFTH THIRD ARENA: With a three-set win over Louisville on Oct. 23, Cincinnati extended its home winning streak to 23 matches, tying the school record. The Bearcats have won 23 consecutive home matches dating back to Nov. 3, 2007. UC won its final two home matches of the 2007 season against Pittsburgh and West Virginia, before going 14-0 at home last season and starting this season 7-0 at home. The other 23-match home winning streak in school history spans from Nov. 17, 2002 to Oct. 24, 2004.
FESL PART OF ELITE TRIO: Early in the first set in UC's three-set win over Wright State on Oct. 27, junior Annie Fesl moved past Paige Pees for third place on UC's all-time assists chart. Fesl has dished out 3,875 assists in her career and is on pace to reach 4,000 assists by the end of the regular-season, which would make her just the third player in UC history to reach that plateau joining Noel Olsen (2003-06) and Laura Lauder (2000-03).
NATIONAL RANKINGS: In the most recent release of NCAA statistics, two UC players rank in the Top 40 nationally in four statistical categories. Junior Annie Fesl leads the way ranking 10th in the country in assists per set (11.71), which also ranks first in the BIG EAST. Additionally, fellow junior Stephanie Niemer ranks in the Top 40 nationally in three statistical categories. Niemer ranks 20th in the nation in points per set (5.01), 23rd in kills per set (4.33 kps), and 35th in service aces per set (0.43 sa/s).
X-FACTOR: One of the keys to success for Cincinnati this season has been its serving. In wins, UC is averaging 1.64 service aces per set compared to just 0.79 sa/s in losses. In its 17 wins, Cincinnati has collected 95 of the team's 122 service aces and the Bearcats have recorded at least four service aces in 15 of its 17 wins. On the other hand, the Bearcats have tallied fewer than four service aces in five of its eight losses. In wins, junior Stephanie Niemer and sophomore Missy Harpenau have combined for 61 of the team's 95 service aces (64.2 percent).
FOLLOW UC VOLLEYBALL AND HEAD COACH Reed Sunahara ON TWITTER: Fans can follow the Cincinnati volleyball team and head coach Reed Sunahara on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Cincinnativball and www.twitter.com/ReedSunahara.