No. 10 Volleyball Travels To No. 11 Penn State And Purdue – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 30, 2001
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 10th-ranked Ohio State (18-2 overall, 10-2 Big Ten, 2nd place) women’s volleyball team goes on the road to face No. 11 Penn State (16-4, 9-3, 3rd) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. OSU then faces Purdue (3-17, 1-11, 10th-tie) at 7 p.m. Saturday in West Lafayette.
A LOOK AT OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes are 18-2 overall and 10-2 in the Big Ten, holding second place. The Buckeyes dropped a 3-1 (24-30, 30-27, 22-30, 28-30) decision to fifth-ranked Wisconsin and then defeated Northwestern 3-0 (30-22, 30-13, 30-15). OSU is one match behind conference leading Wisconsin (11-1) and a match ahead of third place Penn State (9-3). Anne Botica (Sr., Windsor, Ontario) is the team leader in kills per game at 4.53. Stacy Gordon (Fr., Oshawa, Ontario) is second at 4.17 and Suzie Stiling (Jr., Glenview, Ill.) is third at 3.72. Erin Baker (Sr., Elmhurst, Ill.) is the squad leader in hitting percentage at .424 with Stiling second at .411. The top server on the team is Shelly Draeger (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.) with a .59 per game average with 41 aces. Second is Botica at .56 with 35 aces. Katie Virtue (Jr., St. Charles, Ill.) runs the offense and averages 13.45 assists per game. Defensively, Gordon has a team-high 3.00 digs per game average with Botica second at 2.76. At the net, Baker is averaging .96 blocks per game with Stiling second at .84. The Buckeyes are hitting .317 as a team and average 16.96 kills per game. OSU is averaging 2.70 aces, 13.38 digs and 2.17 blocks per game. A LOOK AT PENN STATE
The Nittany Lions of coach Russ Rose are 16-4 overall and 9-3 in the Big Ten. In home matches last week, Penn State defeated Northwestern 3-0 (30-25, 30-21, 30-23) and upset No. 5 Wisconsin 3-2 (20-30, 28-30, 30-23, 30-26, 15-9). Katie Schumacher powers the PSU offense with a 4.38 kills per game average. Mishka Levy is second at 3.32. Cara Smith is the top percentage hitter on the squad with a .372 percentage. At setter Shannon Bortner started both matches last weekend, averaging 10.88 assists per game and has a season average of 4.33. Jess Hayden had previously started, averaging 10.59 assists per game. Hayden has a team-high 25 (.42) aces. Bortner is the team leader in digs with a 2.88 per game average, with Schumacher, second, at 2.54. Smith is the squad’s top blocker with a 1.44 per game average. Nadia Edwards is second at .99. Penn State is hitting .274 as a team and averages 15.93 kills per game. The Nittany Lions average 1.37 aces, 15.01 digs and 2.86 blocks per game.
THE OHIO STATE – PENN STATE SERIES
Penn State has a 21-10 advantage in the series with Ohio State. The Nittany Lions had won 10 straight matches before OSU’s 3-2 (30-24, 28-30, 28-30, 31-29, 15-12) win in Columbus. Penn State has won 11 of 14 home matches and has won the last six in Rec Hall. OSU’s last win in State College was Nov. 1, 1995, a 3-0 (15-5, 16-14, 15-13) Buckeye win.
A LOOK AT PURDUE
The Boilermakers of coach Jeff Hulsmeyer are 3-17 overall and 1-11 in the Big Ten. After winning at Valparaiso 3-1 (30-27, 23-30, 30-27, 30-26), Purdue lost at Michigan State 0-3 (22-30, 19-30, 30-32) and Michigan 2-3 (27-30, 31-29, 18-30, 30-24, 11-15) last weekend. Leah Wischmeier is the team leader in kills per game at 2.70 with Maegan Petersen, second at 2.68. Eryn Leach is the top percentage hitter on the squad with a .297 average. Jen Bova runs the offense and averages 10.15 assists per game. Tiffany Yoskey has a team-high 20 (.31) ace serves on the squad. Petersen has a team-high 2.71 digs per game average with Bova second at 2.38. Leach is the top blocker on the squad with a 1.00 per game average with Yoskey second at .85. Purdue is hitting .174 as a team and averages 13.35 kills per game. The Boilermakers average 1.34 aces, 14.53 digs and 2.29 blocks per game.
THE OHIO STATE – PURDUE SERIES
Ohio State has a 32-25 advantage in the series with Purdue. OSU has won the last four meetings and 13 of the last 14 matches with the Boilermakers. Earlier the season, the Buckeyes defeated the Boilermakers 3-0 (30-18, 30-12, 30-21). Purdue has a 13-9 advantage in matches played in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers last won on Oct. 16, 1999, a 3-1 (15-8, 15-8, 9-15, 15-10) victory.
ACE SERVES PROVIDING OSU WITH OFFENSE
Ohio State has produced 186 ace serves in 20 matches this season. The Buckeyes had 187 aces in all of last season (33 matches). OSU ranks first in aces per game (2.70) for all matches and in conference matches (2.57). The Buckeyes were ranked fourth in the country last week in aces with a 2.74 per game average.
OHIO STATE, 2-2 AGAINST RANKED TEAMS
Ohio State is 2-2 against ranked teams this season. The Buckeyes lost twice to No. 6 Wisconsin, 3-0, and No. 5 Wisconsin, 3-1, 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 (288 kills, 4.17 per game) and senior Anne Botica (281 kills, 4.53 per game) have combined for forty-eight percent of the kills this season for Ohio State. They have combined for 569 of OSU’s 1,170 kills (.486). The duo also has 378 (Gordon 207, 3.00, Botica 171, 2.76) of OSU’s 923 digs (.409).
SEASON OPENING WINNING STREAK
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.
BUCKEYES RANKED 10TH/12TH IN BOTH NATIONAL POLLS
In the national polls released on Monday, Oct. 29, Ohio State was ranked 10th in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll and 12th in the Volleyball Magazine Poll. Long Beach State is ranked No. 1 in both polls with Nebraska second. The Big Ten has five teams ranked in the coaches Top 25. They include Wisconsin at seventh, Ohio State 10th, Penn State 11th, Minnesota 24th and Illinois 25th. Michigan is listed as others. In the Volleyball Magazine Poll, Wisconsin is seventh, Penn State eleventh and Ohio State 12th. Michigan State, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois are listed as others.
LAST WEEK FOR OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes fell to No. 5 Wisconsin in four games (24-30, 30-27, 22-30, 28-30). Anne Botica had a match-high 24 kills, with Stacey Gordon adding 21 and Suzie Stiling 14. OSU tied the match at one game each while hitting .397. Wisconsin had 12 of its 15 blocks in the final two games, limiting Ohio State to a .177 hitting percentage. Ohio State defeated Northwestern 3-0 (30-22, 30-13, 30-15) hitting .500 for the match. Anne Botica had a match-high 16 kills with Stacey Gordon adding 15.
BUCKEYE HEAD COACH JIM STONE
Jim Stone is in his 20th season at Ohio State. He has a 442-190 record with the Buckeyes and is 252-107 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 492-232.
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.
PLAYER NOTES
#8 Anne Botica (senior, outside hitter): Had a match/season-high 24 kills (.353), 11 digs, two blocks against Wisconsin and 16 kills (.538), a match-high 12 digs, three aces and two blocks against Northwestern. Missed the matches at Northwestern and Wisconsin at the beginning of October because of a knee injury. Ranks 15th in OSU career kills with 944. Botica needs 25 to pass No. 14 Jen Flynn (1997-99) with 968. Tied for 13th in OSU career aces with Rosie Snow (1996-99) with 105. Needs to aces two pass No. 12 Lisa Vitali (1986-89) with 106. Double-figure kills in 17 of the 19 matches she has played, including the last eight. Has nine matches with double-figure digs.
# 4 Erin Baker (senior, middle blocker): (plays front row only) Had eight kills (.211) and an assist block against Wisconsin and five kills (.556), two blocks (1-1) and an ace against Northwestern. Career high of 11 kills against Penn State and at Northwestern. Had 10 kills against Minnesota. Team leader in hitting at .424 for all matches and .431 in the Big Ten, tops in the Conference. Team leader in blocking with a .96 per game average.
#11 Nikki Cisco (senior, defensive specialist): (back row sub for Erin Baker) Had eight digs against Wisconsin and six against Northwestern. Double-figure digs four times this season with a high of 13 against Ohio University. Averages 2.01 digs per game, ranking third on the team.
#3 Katie Virtue (junior, setter): Had 62 assists, nine digs, two kills, one ace and two blocks (1-1) against Wisconsin and 40 assists, four digs, three aces and an assist block against Northwestern. Ranks third in OSU career assists with 3,821 and is first in career assists per game with a 13.70 average. Ranks first in the Big Ten in assists for conference matches at 13.68
#9 Suzie Stiling (junior, middle blocker): Had 14 kills (.500), 10 digs, three aces, three assist blocks against Wisconsin and nine kills (.615), four assist blocks, three digs and two aces against Northwestern. Double-figure kills in 17 of 20 matches this season. Ranks 11th in OSU career solo blocks (41). Needs two to pass No. 10 Vanessa Wouters (1996-97) with 42. She is tied seventh with 246 career assist blocks with Sherri Rinker (1984-87). Passed Jen Flynn (1996-99) with 242. Ranks ninth in OSU career total blocks (287, 41-246). Needs 6 blocks to pass No. 8 Margie Meyers (1984-87) with 292 (77-215). Ranks 17th in OSU career kills with 898 passing Vicki Wright (1983-86) with 895. She needs five to pass No. 16 Carrie Leonard (1991-94) with 902. Ranks sixth in career hitting percentage at .293.
#15 Shelly Draeger (junior, outside hitter): Had three kills, three digs, three assist blocks and an ace against Wisconsin and nine kills (.500) and a dig against Northwestern. Her 12 kills at Michigan State equaled her season high for the third time. Has five matches with double-figure kills. Has three matches with double-figure digs. Has 103 career ace serves, ranking 16th.
#10 Stacey Gordon (freshman, outside hitter): Had 21 kills (.238), 11 digs, two aces and a solo block against Wisconsin and 15 kills (.448), seven digs and three assist blocks against Northwestern. Has 18 matches with double-figure kills and 13 with double-figure digs (last seven). Only played in the back row against Iowa (10 digs) after a shoulder injury during the match at Wisconsin. She came back two days later with 19 kills in the 3-2 win against Minnesota. Named the Big Ten Player of the Week in consecutive weeks with wins over Cincinnati, Illinois and Indiana the first week and wins over No. 6 Penn State and Purdue in the second week. Is the first freshman in league history to win back-to-back player of the week awards.
#14 Trine Melsether (freshman, outside hitter): Played in six matches. Replaced Anne Botica (knee injury) at Northwestern (four kills (.000), career-high four ace serves, two digs, a solo and an assist block) and at Wisconsin (career-high seven kills (.286), three digs, and two assist blocks). Replaced Stacey Gordon (shoulder) against Iowa (six kills (.091), two digs and one ace serve).
#1 Ashley Adamczyk (freshman defensive specialist): Played in 17 matches. Usually subs in the back row for Suzie Stiling. Career-high five digs against South Florida.
#6 Heather Whalen (sophomore, setter): Played in five matches. Season-highs of five assists and two digs against Evansville.
#13 Tamika Drake (freshman, defensive specialist): Played in five matches. Two digs against Northwestern and an assists. Had one dig against Purdue.
VOLLEYBALL RULE CHANGES
Several new playing rules will be in effect for the 2001 season. Match scoring will move from sideout to a rally-scoring format where each play results in a point. The first four games will be scored to 30 points. The fifth game will be played to 15 points. All games must still be won by two points.
The collegiate game will mimic the international game with the let serve. A served ball will remain in play if it hits the net and continues its path to the opposition’s court.
The international pursuit, an experimental rule for 2001-2002, can be implemented in a match by agreement of both coaches. The rule allows for a player to retrieve a ball (on the second contact) that has crossed the plane of the net to the opponent’s free space, provided that player does not touch the opponent’s court and sends the ball back to their court, over or outside the antennas, for an opportunity for the third contact.
NEXT UP FOR THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State continues on the road the matches at Indiana on Friday, Nov. 9 and at Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 10. The Buckeyes then return home to host Michigan State, Friday, Nov. 16 and Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 17. The match with the Spartans will be carried on tape delay by ESPN2 (2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18) and the Wolverine match will be broadcast on tape delay by the Ohio News Network (3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18).
