Tenth-Ranked Volleyball at Michigan and Michigan State – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 17, 2001
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 10th-ranked Ohio State (15-1 overall, 7-1 Big Ten, 2nd place) women’s volleyball team travels up north this weekend to face Michigan (9-6, 5-3, 4th) and Michigan State (11-4, 4-4, 5th-tie). The Buckeyes face the Wolverines at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 19 and the Spartans at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 20.
WISSLER ENTERS OHIO STATE ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
Leisa Wissler (Rosen), a middle blocker from 1988 to 1991, will be inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame this Friday. Wissler, a 1991 All-American, was a three-time All-Big Ten selection, the 1988 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the 1991 Big Ten Player of the Year and the 1992 Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year. Her squad won Big Ten Championships in 1989 and 1991, playing in the NCAA Tournament her final three seasons and advancing to the NCAA national semifinals in 1991. She currently is an assistant women’s volleyball coach at the University of Michigan. Wissler becomes the sixth women’s volleyball player to be inducted. The others are Mary Ormsby (1977-80), Lisa Bettio (1982-85), Karen Alsbrooks (1976-79), Holly O’Leary (1987-90) and Laura Davis (1991-94). Wissler will be unable to attend the induction ceremonies as she will be assisting her husband, Mark, in coaching Michigan against the Ohio State women’s volleyball team Friday night in Ann Arbor.
A LOOK AT OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes are 15-1 overall and 7-1 in the Big Ten. Anne Botica (Sr., Windsor, Ontario) is the team leader in kills per game at 4.33. Stacy Gordon (Fr., Oshawa, Ontario) is second at 3.95 and Suzie Stiling (Jr., Glenview, Ill.) is third at 3.78. Erin Baker (Sr., Elmhurst, Ill.) is the squad leader in hitting percentage at .419 with Stiling second at .411. The top server on the team is Shelly Draeger (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.) with a .71 per game average with 42 aces. Second is Botica at .65 with 27 aces. Katie Virtue (Jr., St. Charles, Ill.) runs the offense and averages 13.20 assists per game. Defensively, Gordon has a team-high 3.04 digs per game average with Botica second at 2.73. At the net, Baker is averaging 1.04 blocks per game with Stiling second at .80. The Buckeyes are hitting .310 as a team and average 16.65 kills per game. OSU is averaging 2.87 aces, 13.78 digs and 2.15 blocks per game.
A LOOK AT MICHIGAN
The Wolverines of coach Mark Rosen are 9-6 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten, holding fourth place. Michigan had won five straight matches before a 3-1 (18-30, 28-30, 30-27, 27-30) loss at Illinois last Friday. The Wolverines rebounded with a 3-2 (30-25, 28-30, 30-28, 28-30, 15-11) victory at Indiana on Saturday. Erin Moore leads the team in kills per game at 3.29 (191 kills). She is the top hitter on the squad with a .292 attack percentage. Shannon Melka runs the attack and averages 11.89 assists per game. Katrina Lehman has a team-high 16 aces (.29 per game) with Moore second with 15 (.26). Defensively, Jennifer Gandolph has a team-high 2.93 digs per game average and Lehman leads the team in blocking with a 1.12 per game average on 63 blocks (7-56). Nicole Poquette is second in blocking at 1.04 (50-1-49). Michigan is hitting .241 as a team and averages 15.22 kills per game. The Wolverines average 1.36 aces, 12.71 digs and 2.22 blocks per game.
THE OHIO STATE – MICHIGAN SERIES
Ohio State has a 38-7 record against Michigan. OSU is 15-4 in Ann Arbor and has lost the last three matches played at Michigan. The Buckeyes have won all 20 matches played in Columbus. Ohio State won 3-1 (15-11, 15-9, 11-15, 15-7) last season in St. John Arena and lost 0-3 (13-15, 9-15, 9-15) in Ann Arbor.
A LOOK AT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans of coach Chuck Erbe are 11-4 overall and 4-4 in the Big Ten. MSU is in a four-way tie for fifth place in the conference. Michigan State split two road matches last weekend. The Spartans defeated Indiana, 3-1 (30-16, 26-30, 30-28, 30-20), Friday and lost, 0-3 (27-30, 26-30, 22-30), at Illinois Saturday. The Spartan attack has Erin Hartley averaging a team-high 4.00 kills per game (224) and hitting a team-high .342. Nikki Colson runs the offense and averages 12.63 assists per game. Emily Engel has a team-high 46 aces (.82 per game) for the Spartans. Kyla Smith is the team leader in digs with a 2.69 per game average (140) with Angela Morley the top blocker on the squad with a 1.27 per game average on 71 blocks (3-68). Hartley is second at 1.05 (59-10-49). The Spartans are hitting .270 and average 15.38 kills per game. Michigan State is averaging 2.20 aces, 12.23 digs and 2.78 blocks per game.
THE OHIO STATE – MICHIGAN STATE SERIES
Ohio State has a 31-17 advantage in the series with the Spartans. The Buckeyes are 12-10 in matches played in East Lansing and 17-3 in Columbus. The squads split matches last season with OSU winning, 3-1 (11-15, 15-5, 15-7, 15-11), in Columbus and losing, 1-3 (15-9, 6-15, 4-15, 12-15,) in East Lansing.
BOTICA RETURNS TO ACTION
After missing the Northwestern and Wisconsin matches with a knee problem, Anne Botica returned to the Ohio State lineup. She tied her season high of 21 kills against Iowa, adding 10 digs, five assist blocks and three ace serves. She had 14 kills, 12 digs and three ace serves against Minnesota. Botica’s five assist blocks against the Hawkeyes were a career-high and equaled, for a third time, her career-high for total blocks. Botica has 871 career kills and needs 25 to pass Vicki Wright (1983-86) to move into 16th on the OSU career kills list. Her six aces give her 101 for her career and is now tied for 16th on the OSU career list with teammate Shelly Draeger and Margie Meyers (1984-87).
GORDON RETURNING TO FORM
Recovering from a shoulder injury, Stacey Gordon was limited to back row play against Iowa where she collected 10 digs in the match. She returned to full action against Minnesota and had match highs of 19 kills, 14 digs and four ace serves. Gordon’s four aces equaled her career-high set at Northwestern the previous week. Her fourth ace of the match was the match point against the Gophers.
STILING HAS CAREER-HIGH FIVE ACES AGAINST IOWA
With five ace serves against the Hawkeyes, Suzie Stiling improved her career high from the previous three aces against Ohio University. She added 14 kills (.367), eight digs and two solo and an assist block against Iowa. Stiling equaled her season-high of 16 kills against Minnesota adding a season-high 11 digs. She also had three aces and two assist blocks against the Gophers. Her two solo blocks against the Hawkeyes gives her 39 career solos and moves her to 11th in OSU career solos, passing Audrey DiPronio (1988-90) and Lisa Bettio (1982-85), each with 37. With her 234 assist blocks, Stiling has 273 total blocks and ranks 11th for OSU. She needs two to pass Jen Flynn (1996-99), who is 10th with 274 (32-242) and needs five to pass Gabriele Jobst (1991-94), who is ninth with 277 (17-260).
DRAEGER DIGS HER WAY TO A SEASON HIGH
With 14 digs against Minnesota, Shelly Draeger established a new season high. Her previous mark was 11 at Wright State. Against the Gophers, Draeger added 12 kills, two assist blocks and an ace serve. She also had 12 kills against Iowa setting a new season high. She added three digs, three assist blocks and an ace serve against the Hawkeyes. Her two ace serves on the weekend gives her 101 for her career and ties her for 16th on the OSU career list with teammate Anne Botica and Margie Meyers (1984-87).
BAKER, THE TOP HITTER IN THE BIG TEN (ALL MATCHES)
With a .419 overall hitting percentage, Erin Baker is the top hitter in the Big Ten Conference. She is followed in the ranking by teammate Suzie Stiling at .411. Baker, who ranks third at .426 in conference matches, had eight kills (.353) and added six assist blocks against Iowa. She had 10 kills (.389), three assist blocks and a digs against Minnesota.
VIRTUE DIRECTING SOLID OFFENSE
Under the direction of setter Katie Virtue, tenth-ranked Ohio State is 15-1 this season and is in second place in the Big Ten with a 7-1 mark. Virtue had 47 assists, six digs, five kills and an ace serve against Iowa last week. She added 62 assists, seven digs, five kills and a solo and assist blocks against Minnesota. Virtue ranks second in the conference in assists with a 13.33 per game average. She was seventh in the country last week in the national statistics with a 13.41 per game average.
ACE SERVES PROVIDING OSU WITH OFFENSE
Ohio State has produced 158 ace serves in 16 matches this season. The Buckeyes had 187 aces in all of last season (33 matches). OSU ranks first in aces per game (2.87) for all matches and in conference matches (2.83). The Buckeyes were ranked sixth in the country last week in aces with a 2.83 per game average.
OHIO STATE, 2-1 AGAINST RANKED TEAMS
Ohio State is 2-1 against ranked teams this season. The Buckeyes lost to No. 6 Wisconsin, 3-0, and have defeated No. 6 Penn State, 3-2, and No. 20 Minnesota, (3-2).
THE CANADIAN CONNECTION
Take a freshman and senior from Canada and you have a lot of firepower for the Buckeyes. Freshman Stacey Gordon (217 kills, 3.95 per game) and senior Anne Botica (208 kills, 4.33 per game) have combined for forty-six percent of the kills this season for Ohio State. They have combined for 425 of OSU’s 916 kills (.463). The duo also has 298 (Gordon 167, Botica 131) of OSU’s 758 digs (.393)
HOME WINNING STREAK AT 13 MATCHES
Ohio State has won its last 13 home matches dating back over last season. OSU is 9-0 at home this season and won its last four matches in the 2000 season.
SEASON OPENING WINNING STREAKS
Ohio State opened the 2001 season with 13 consecutive wins. The Buckeyes have had two other winning streaks that opened a season. OSU went 11-0 to start the season in 1996 and was 16-0 last season.
REGULAR SEASON, NON-CONFERENCE WINNING STREAK
Ohio State, over the last three years, has won 21 consecutive regular season, non-conference matches. The streak includes OSU’s 7-0 mark this season, a 10-0 mark in 2000 and four wins in 1999.
NEWCOMERS JOIN THE BUCKEYES
Two additions were made to the squad this summer. Freshmen Trine Melsether (Aalesund, Norway/Fagerlia) and Tamika Drake (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) joined the squad for preseason practice. Melsether, a 6-1 outside hitter, played for the Aukra Club last season, winning the Junior Championship. Previously she played for Bindheim Club. Drake, a 5-7 defensive specialist, played four years at Euclid High School as a middle hitter. She also played for the Leva Volleyball Club in Riverside-Painesville.
BUCKEYES RANKED 10TH IN BOTH NATIONAL POLLS
In the national polls released on Monday, Oct. 15, Ohio State was ranked 10th in both the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll and the Volleyball Magazine Poll. Long Beach State is ranked No. 1 in both polls with Nebraska second. The Big Ten has four teams ranked in the coaches Top 25. They include Wisconsin at sixth, Ohio State 10th, Penn State 11th and Minnesota 21st. Michigan State is listed as others. In the Volleyball Magazine Poll, Wisconsin is sixth, Ohio State tenth, Penn State 12th. Minnesota and Michigan State is listed as others.
TELEVISED MATCHES
2001 Big Ten Conference Volleyball Broadcasts on ESPN2 Date Match Time Broadcast Date/Time Oct. 19 Wisconsin at Minnesota 7 p.m. CT Sun., Oct. 21, 4 p.m. ET Oct. 27 Wisconsin at Penn State 7 p.m. ET Sun., Oct. 28, 4 p.m. ET Nov. 16 Michigan State at Ohio State 7 p.m. ET Sun., Nov. 18, 2 p.m. ET
2001 Big Ten Conference Volleyball Broadcasts on FoxSports Chicago Date Match Time Broadcast Date/Time Sep. 29 Northwestern at Indiana NOR 3, IND 1 Oct. 5 Penn State at Wisconsin WIS 3, PSU 0 Oct. 14 Minnesota at Ohio State OSU 3, MIN 2 Oct. 19 Illinois at Purdue 7 p.m. CT Sun., Oct. 21, 3 p.m. CT Oct. 26 Wisconsin at Ohio State 7 p.m. ET Sun., Oct. 28, 3 p.m. CT Nov. 3 Michigan at Iowa 7 p.m. CT Sun., Nov. 4, 3 p.m. CT Nov. 17 Michigan State at Penn State 7 p.m. ET Sun., Nov. 18, 3 p.m. CT Nov. 23/24 TBA-Wildcard TBA Sun., Nov. 25, 3 p.m. CT
2001 Ohio News Network Volleyball Broadcasts Date Match Time Broadcast Date/Time Sep. 21 Illinois at Ohio State OSU 3, ILL 0 Sep. 22 Indiana at Ohio State OSU 3, IND 0 Sep. 28 Purdue at Ohio State OSU 3, PUR 0 Oct. 27 Northwestern at Ohio State 7 p.m. ET Sun., Oct. 28, 2 p.m. ET Nov. 17 Michigan at Ohio State 7 p.m. ET Sun., Nov. 18, 1 p.m.
LAST WEEK FOR OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes collected wins over Iowa and No. 20 Minnesota last week to extend their home winning streak to 13 matches. Anne Botica had 21 kills in the 3-1 win over Iowa. Suzie Stiling added 14 and Shelly Draeger 12 for the Buckeyes. OSU trailed Minnesota, 2-1, before pulling out a five-game victory. Five Buckeyes recorded double figure kills in the match with Stacey Gordon taking match-high honors with 19. Stiling added 16, Botica 14, Draeger 12 and Erin Baker 10 for OSU.
BUCKEYE HEAD COACH JIM STONE
Jim Stone is in his 20th season at Ohio State. He has a 439-189 record with the Buckeyes and is 249-106 in Big Ten play. His squads have won Big Ten Championships in 1989, 1991 and 1994 and in the last 12 years have only finished below third twice. In the championship years, he was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year and was the 1991 Volleyball Monthly National Coach of the Year. Under Stone, Ohio State has participated in the NCAA Championship the last 12 years, advancing to the national semifinals in 1991 and 1994. Stone’s coaching career record includes three years at Wyoming (1979-1981). His 22-year career record is 489-231.
NEXT UP FOR THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State begins the second half of the Big Ten double round robin schedule with home matches against No. 6 Wisconsin and Northwestern. OSU hosts Wisconsin (14-2, 8-0) at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 26 and faces Northwestern (7-7, 4-4) at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27. The Wisconsin match will be carried by FoxSports Chicago and the Northwestern contest by the Ohio News Network. Both matches will be on tape delay. The Buckeyes then travel to No. 11 Penn State (13-3, 6-2), Wednesday, Oct. 31 and at Purdue, Saturday, Nov. 3
