TicketsSept. 17, 2010
The Game
• The Cincinnati Bearcats split their four matches last week and moved to 8-3 on the season. UC opened the week with a dramatic five-set victory over No. 16 Kentucky on Sept. 7. After losing its first two matches of the Charleston Riverview Classic at the College of Charleston, the Bearcats rallied vs. Auburn, winning 3-1 on Sept. 11.
• Cincinnati's victory over No. 16 Kentucky on Tuesday was its first against a ranked opponent since beating then-No. 16 St. Louis, 3-0, on Sept. 12, 2009 as part of a tournament hosted by Illinois.
Series Histories
• After a 28-year break between matches, UC and Illinois renewed its series in 2008 and played again last season. Illinois owns a 5-4 lead in the all-time series and has won the last two matches in straight sets.
• Purdue is 7-3 in the all-time series vs. Cincinnati, but the two schools have not met on the court since Oct. 31, 1980.
• The Bearcats own a record of 25-56-2 (.313) vs. teams currently in the Big Ten Conference.
In Regular-Season Tournament Play
• The Bearcats own a record of 22-11 (.667) in tournament play since 2008. During that span, UC has won its home tournament, the Bearcats Invitational all three years.
• Cincinnati opened 2010 at the Aztec Invitational where it posted a record of 2-1 with wins over Northern Colorado (2-1) and Cal State Northridge (3-0). The loss was in three sets to host San Diego State. The Bearcats went 1-2 last weekend at the Charleston Riverview Classic hosted by the College of Charleston. After losing to CofC and Oregon State, 3-1 in both matches, the Bearcats knocked off Auburn, 3-1, in the final match of the event.
Niemer BIG EAST Player of the Week
• Senior outside hitter Stephanie Niemer earned her third BIG EAST Player of the Week honor of her career and UC's second in as many weeks, helping the Bearcats to a 2-2 record last week. Included in the mark was a 3-2 victory over No. 16 Kentucky on Sept. 7. Niemer had 18 kills and 11 digs against the Wildcats.
• The senior was named to the Charleston Riverview Classic all-tournament team, notching a 25-kill performance along with a conference-best 30-kill outing in a 3-1 win over Auburn on Sept. 11. The Erlanger, Ky. native had double-doubles in all four matches last week and led the conference with a 5.35 kills-per-set average. She also had a 3.29 digs per set and a 1.03 blocks per set average.
Bearcats Picked to Win BIG EAST Conference
• The University of Cincinnati volleyball team was unanimously picked to finish first in the BIG EAST Conference by leaque's coaches in the annual BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Poll. The Bearcats earned 196 points, including 14 first-place votes, followed by Louisville with 176 points.
In the NCAA National Rankings
• As a team, Cincinnati is ranked tied for sixth in assists per sets (13.67), 10th in hitting percentage (.306), and 15th in kills per set (14.41).
• Individually, OH Stephanie Niemer is fourth in points per set (5.56) and eighth in kills per set (4.72). Teammates Annie Fesl is sixth nationally in assists per set (12.08), while Beccaq Refenes is 24th in blocks per set (1.36).
Up Next
• Next week, UC travels to Morehead State on Tuesday, Oct. 21 in its last non-conference match-up before taking on BIG EAST foes Seton Hall on Sept. 24 and Rutgers on Sept. 26 at home in Fifth Third Arena.