TicketsOct. 22, 2010
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PROTECT THIS HOUSE
With a three-set win over Notre Dame on Oct. 10, Cincinnati extended its home winning streak record to 36 matches.
The previous school record for consecutive home wins was 23 matches, which spanned from Nov. 17, 2002 to Oct. 24, 2004.
The Bearcats' current home winning streak dates back to 2007, where Cincinnati won its final two home matches of the season, before going a perfect 14-0 at home in 2008 and 12-0 in Fifth Third Arena in 2009.
"SETTING" UP A RUN
When the Bearcats rallied from a 2-0 deficit to No. 5 Illinois and won the final three sets on Sept. 17 in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge, they began a 29-set winning streak, breaking the record for the longest streak in program history. UC broke the school record on Oct. 10 vs. Notre Dame and extended the streak to 29 at Louisville on Oct. 16 before losing the third set. The previous school record for the most consecutive sets was 25, set between Sept. 22 - Oct. 18, 2000.
FESL 5K: Senior setter Annie Fesl became just the second player in Cincinnati history to top the 5,000-assist mark during the Bearcat's win over DePaul on Oct. 9. Laura Lauder (2000-03) holds the all-time UC mark with 5,946 assists.
HAY DAY FOR HAYDEN: After playing in her 150th career set on Oct. 16 in the fifth stanza at Louisville, sophomore MB/RS Emily Hayden became eligible for Cincinnati's all-time hitting percentage list. Her career .323 clip is currently good for fifth all-time.
THE SERIES WITH SOUTH FLORIDA: Saturday's match-up with USF will be the 20th meeting between the two schools with Cincinnati holding a 10-9 edge in the series after the Bearcats defeated South Florida twice in 2009, recording 3-0 wins on Nov. 8 in Tampa, Fla. and on Nov. 21 in a BIG EAST Conference tournament semifinal match in Louisville, Ky.
THE SERIES WITH GEORGETOWN: Sunday's meeting with the Hoyas will be the eight all-time with the Bearcats owning a 6-1 lead in the series. Last year Georgetown beat Cincinnati 3-0 on Nov. 6, 2009 in Washington, D.C.
BEARCATS CLIMB THE AVCA RANKINGS
After a pair of BIG EAST wins last weekend vs. St. John's and Connecticut, the Bearcats climbed one spot to No. 21 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll. It is UC's third week in the poll.
Before being ranked this season, the last time UC was ranked in the AVCA Top 25 on Nov. 17, 2003 when they were No. 23, three spots behind the all-time highest ranking of No. 20, the week prior.
This is just the seventh time UC has appeared in the coaches poll since it started in 1982.
UC owns a record of 18-4 this season, including a pair of wins vs. Top 25 squads. The wins vs. No. 16 Kentucky on Sept. 7 and No. 5 Illinois on Sept. 17 mark the first time in the program's 38-year history Cincinnati has knocked off two ranked teams in the same season. The 3-0 win over Illinois in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge marks the highest-ranked team the Bearcats have beaten.
NIEMER PILING UP THE HARDWARE
Senior outside hitter Stephanie Niemer Neimer became the first player in BIG EAST Conference history to win conference Player of the Week honors in five consecutive weeks (Sept. 13-Oct. 11).
The senior leads the BIG EAST in kills (420), kills per set (5.45), and points (482.5) , and currently ranks third on the Cincinnati career kills chart and fifth in career aces.
The Erlanger, Ky. native became the first player in BIG EAST Conference history to be named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week after her performance at the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge on Sept. 17-18. In the upset of No. 5 Illinois, she notched her seventh double-double of the season with 28 kills and 15 digs, but it was in UC's three-set sweep of Purdue Niemer posted her strongest performance of the year, putting away a BIG EAST season-best 32 kills. It was her second 30-kill performance in UC's last three matches.
PROMOTIONS
Saturday's match will be Hawaiian Day as fans are encouraged to wear their best Hawaiian-themed attire. The first 300 in attendance will receive Hawaiian leis. Additionally, in recognition of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, Sunday's tilt has been deemed a Dig for a Cure match to benefit University Hospital's Barrett Cancer Center. Donations will be accepted and fans are encouraged to come dressed in pink. The first 150 people in attendance will receive a pink head band.
BEARCATS PICKED TO WIN BIG EAST CONFERENCE
After finishing in a tie for first place and a tie for second place in the BIG EAST Conference regular-season standings in 2008 and 2009, respectively, the University of Cincinnati volleyball team was forecasted to continue that trend in 2010 after being unanimously picked to finish first by conference coaches in the annual BIG EAST Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati hits the road again next week for a non-conference showdwon Tuesday, Oct. 26 at IUPUI, before returning to BIG EAST play when it hosts Villanova on Halloween, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m. at Fifth Third Arena.