Volleyball Hosts 1st And 2nd Round NCAA Matches, Buckeyes Face Robert Morris Friday – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 28, 2001%^$
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%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State (25-3 overall) plays host to first and second round matches in the NCAA women’s volleyball championship this week. The Buckeyes, who were seeded 13th of 16 seeds, received an at-large bid to the championship and will face Robert Morris (30-6) at 7 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first match) Friday, Nov. 30. The opening match will have Cincinnati (22-7) facing Xavier (25-5) at 5 p.m. The Friday winners will advance to a second round match at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. The second round winner advances to the regional semifinal at a site to be determined.%^$
%^$OHIO STATE IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
%^$Ohio State’s at-large bid to the 2001 NCAA Championship marks the 13th consecutive year the Buckeyes have played in the tournament. OSU received automatic bids in 1989, 1991 and 1994 as the Big Ten champion and an at-large bid in the other years. In the 12 previous years, Ohio State has a 16-12 record in the tournament. The Buckeyes have advanced to regional semifinals eight times and twice reached the NCAA National Championship Semifinals (1991 and 1994). Last year Ohio State hosted first and second round matches defeating Ball State in the first round 3-1 (16-14, 15-3, 14-16, 15-10) and Notre Dame 3-2 (15-12, 3-15, 9-15, 15-6, 15-13) in the second round. Ohio State advanced to the Central Regional Semifinals at Lincoln, Neb., where the Buckeyes lost to eventual NCAA Champion Nebraska 0-3 (9-15, 6-15, 5-15).%^$
%^$BOTICA, VIRTUE AND GORDON NAMED ALL-BIG TEN
%^$Anne Botica (Sr., Windsor, Ontario), Katie Virtue (Jr., St. Charles, Ill.) and Stacey Gordon (Fr., Oshawa, Ontario) have been named to the 12-player All-Big Ten squad. OSU’s Suzie Stiling (Jr., Glenview, Ill.) was an honorable mention All-Big Ten Selection. Virtue, who repeats as a two-time honoree, was the Big Ten statistical champion in assists with a 14.49 per game average. Botica finished fourth in the conference in kills per game at 3.94, seventh in digs at 2.73 and eighth in aces at .42. Gordon finished conference play ranked third in the Big Ten in kills per game at 5.07 and was ninth in hitting percentage at .325. She was sixth in aces at .45 and fifth in digs at 2.77. Stiling was sixth in hitting percentage at .359.%^$
%^$GORDON NAMED BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
%^$Outside hitter Stacey Gordon was selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She was also named to the six-player Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Gordon ranked in the top 10 in four conference statistical categories. She was third in kills per game with a 5.07 average and ranked ninth in hitting percentage at .325. She was ranked fifth in digs per game at 2.77 and sixth in aces at .45 per game.%^$
%^$BOTICA NAMED BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
%^$The Big Ten Conference has announced that Anne Botica has been named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week. Botica recorded 58 kills in just two matches as the Buckeyes completed the regular season with 3-1 wins at Minnesota and Iowa. Against the Gophers, she posted 22 kills and 11 digs for her 13th double double of the season. In the win over Iowa, she posted a career-high 36 kills, the highest single-match total in the Big Ten this year. For the week, Botica averaged 7.24 kills and 2.50 digs per game. This marks the fifth time an OSU player has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week. Stacey Gordon was honored as the Big Ten Player of the Week three times and Suzie Stiling, once as the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week.%^$
%^$A LOOK AT OHIO STATE
%^$The Buckeyes are 25-3 overall and 17-3 in the Big Ten, finishing in second place. OSU received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship. Anne Botica (Sr., Windsor, Ont.) is the team leader in kills per game at 4.85. Stacy Gordon (Fr., Oshawa, Ont.) is second at 4.68 and Suzie Stiling (Jr., Glenview, Ill.) is third at 3.57. Stiling and Erin Baker (Sr., Elmhurst, Ill.) are tied for the team lead in hitting percentage at .390. The top server on the team is Shelly Draeger (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.) with a .56 per game average with 55 aces. Second is Botica at .48 with 44 aces. Katie Virtue (Jr., St. Charles, Ill.) runs the offense and averages 14.12 assists per game. Defensively, Gordon has a team-high 2.93 digs per game average with Botica second at 2.82. At the net, Stiling is averaging .91 blocks per game with 15 solo and 74 assists. Baker is second at .84 with 8 solo and 73 assists. The Buckeyes are hitting .313 as a team and average 17.46 kills per game. OSU is averaging 2.44 aces, 13.82 digs and 2.09 blocks per game.%^$
%^$A LOOK AT ROBERT MORRIS
%^$The Colonials of coach Tim Horsmon are 30-6 overall and were 8-1 in the Northeast Conference, finishing second. The Colonials defeated Central Connecticut State 3-1 (30-21, 31-33, 30-11, 30-22) in the Northeast Conference Tournament to win the league’s automatic bid. Katie Noble is the team leader in kills per game at 3.36. Karla Barhorst is second at 3.09. The top percentage hitter is Rachel Leitch at .372. Setter Darcey Miller averages 11.02 assists per game. Barhorst has a team high 49 aces (.40) with Miller second with 47 (.43). Traci Zureick has a team high 3.98 digs per game average While Leitch is the team leader in blocking with a .80 per game average on 42 solos and 52 assists. As a team, the Colonials are hitting .229 and average 15.45 kills per game. Robert Morris averages 1.80 aces, 17.72 digs and 2.06 blocks per game.%^$
%^$THE OHIO STATE – ROBERT MORRIS SERIES
%^$This will be the first match against Robert Morris for Ohio State.%^$
%^$A LOOK AT CINCINNATI
%^$The Bearcats of coach Reed Sunahara are 22-7 overall and were the league champions with a 14-2 mark in Conference USA earning an automatic bid to the NCAA championship. Becky Stahl is the team leader in kills per game at 4.31. Bonita Wise is second at 3.30. Wise is the top percentage hitter on the squad at .312. Setter Laura Lauder averages 12.82 assists per game. Stahl has a team-high 51 aces (.50). Trish Ladusaw has a team high 4.04 digs per game average while Wise is the team leader in blocking at 1.13 per game on 22 solo and 94 assists. Julie DuPont is second at 1.08 with 12 solos and 99 assists. Cincinnati is hitting .222 on the year and averages 15.85 kills per game. The Bearcats average 1.63 aces, 15.74 digs and 2.68 blocks per game.%^$
%^$THE OHIO STATE – CINCINNATI SERIES
%^$Ohio State leads the series with Cincinnati, 17-1. After a 3-0 Cincinnati win in 1973, the Buckeyes have won 17 straight matches from the Bearcats. OSU has won all eight matches played in Columbus. The squads played earlier this season (Sept. 18), in Cincinnati. Ohio State won 3-0 (30-20, 30-20, 30-28).%^$
%^$A LOOK AT XAVIER
%^$The Musketeers of coach Floyd Denton are 25-5 overall and finished 13-3 in the Atlantic 10 Conference in second place. Xavier won the Verizon Atlantic 10 Tournament with a 3-0 (30-26, 30-24, 30-27) win over Temple to earn its first ever berth in the NCAA Championship. Sara Bachus is the team leader in kills per game at 4.61 and has a team-high .387 hitting percentage. Jill Hampton is second in kills at 3.37. Setter Molly Martin averages 13.65 assists per game. Martin is the team leader in aces with 42 (.41). Hampton has a team-high 3.59 digs per game average with Amanda Lang second at 3.53. Katey Wygant is the team leader in blocking with a 1.19 per game average on 17 solos and 89 assists. The Musketeers are hitting .278 on the season and average 16.71 kills per game. Xavier averages 1.59 aces, 17.06 digs and 2.22 blocks per game.%^$
%^$THE OHIO STATE – XAVIER SERIES
%^$Ohio State has a 4-0 lead in the series with Xavier. Two of the OSU wins were in Columbus with the other matches at neutral sites. The teams last played on Sept. 11, 1998, in Columbus. Ohio State won 3-0 (15-6, 15-7, 15-4).%^$
%^$OHIO STATE IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICS
%^$In the latest release (Nov. 18) of the national statistics by the NCAA, Ohio State ranks third in hitting percentage at .320, fifth in aces per game at 2.51, seventh in kills per game at 17.38 and was tied for 11th in assists per game at 15.52.%^$
%^$ACE SERVES PROVIDING OSU WITH OFFENSE
%^$Ohio State has produced 239 ace serves in 28 matches this season. The Buckeyes had 187 aces in all of last season (33 matches). OSU ranks first in aces per game (2.44) for all matches and in conference matches (2.27). The Buckeyes were ranked fifth in the country as of Nov. 18 in aces with a 2.51 per game average.%^$
%^$OHIO STATE, 4-2 AGAINST RANKED TEAMS
%^$Ohio State is 4-2 against ranked teams this season. The Buckeyes lost to No. 6 Wisconsin, 3-0, and No. 5 Wisconsin, 3-1, and have defeated No. 6 Penn State, 3-2, No. 20 Minnesota, (3-2), No. 11 Penn State (3-0) and No. 24 Illinois (3-0).%^$
%^$THE CANADIAN CONNECTION
%^$Take a freshman and senior from Canada and you have a lot of firepower for the Buckeyes. Freshman Stacey Gordon (459 kills, 4.68 per game) and senior Anne Botica (441 kills, 4.85 per game) have combined for 52 percent of the kills this season for Ohio State. They have combined for 900 of OSU’s 1,711 kills (.526). The duo also has 544 (Gordon 287, 2.93, Botica 257, 2.82) of OSU’s 1,354 digs (.401).%^$
%^$SEASON OPENING WINNING STREAK
%^$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.%^$
%^$BUCKEYES RANKED 10TH IN BOTH NATIONAL POLLS
%^$In the final regular season national polls released on Monday, Nov. 26, Ohio State was ranked 10th in 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 five teams ranked in the coaches’ Top 25. They include Wisconsin at sixth, Ohio State 10th, Penn State 16th, Illinois 21st and Michigan State 22nd. In the Volleyball Magazine Poll, Wisconsin is seventh, Ohio State 10th, Penn State 16th and Michigan State 19th. Illinois and Minnesota are listed as others.%^$
%^$LAST WEEK FOR OHIO STATE
%^$Ohio State completed the regular season with wins at Minnesota and Iowa. OSU’s 3-1 (30-26, 30-24, 32-34, 30-27) win at Minnesota was highlighted by a 22-kill, 11 dig performance by Anne Botica. Stacey Gordon added 15 kills and 10 digs and tied the OSU match record with seven ace serves. Shelly Draeger added 13 kills and Suzie Stiling 11. OSU hit .209 for the match to .158 for Minnesota while the Gophers outblocked OSU, 19 to 10. Botica continued to have the hot hand in the 3-1 (30-22, 30-26, 27-30, 30-27) win at Iowa. She had a career-high 36 kills in the match while hitting .378. Stiling added 16 kills and Gordon 14. Defensive specialist Nikki Cisco (Sr., Dublin, Ohio) recorded a career-high 21 digs in the match. Ohio State hit .268 for the match to .197 for Iowa.%^$
%^$REGULAR SEASON, NON-CONFERENCE WINNING STREAK
%^$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.%^$
%^$PLAYER NOTES
%^$#3 Katie Virtue (junior setter): At Minnesota: 58 assists, 8 digs, 4 assist blocks, 2 kills. At Iowa: 69 assists, 6 digs, 3 assist blocks, 2 kills, 1 ace. An All-Big Ten Selection. Virtue has 4,277 career assists and passed Audrey DiPronio (1988-90) with 4,184 to move to second on the OSU career assist list. Virtue is the OSU career leader in assists per game at 13.89 and ranks 18th in assist blocks with 160 and 20th in total blocks with 174 (14-160). Virtue was ranked second in the country as of Nov. 18 in the national statistics in assists per game with a 13.97 average.%^$
%^$#4 Erin Baker (senior, middle blocker): At Minnesota: 3 kills (.111), 2 assist blocks, 1 dig. At Iowa: 4 kills (.400), 2 digs, 1 assist block. Baker was ranked 12th in the country as of Nov. 18 in the national statistics in hitting percentage at .398. She was ranked third in the Big Ten in conference hitting statistics at .383.%^$
%^$#8 Anne Botica (senior, outside hitter): At Minnesota: 22 kills (.161), 11 digs, 1 assist block. At Iowa: 36 kills, 9 digs, 1 ace serve. An All-Big Ten selection. Named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week for her play at Minnesota and Iowa. Her 36 kills at Iowa was a career high. Botica surpassed 1,000 kills at Illinois and has 1,104 career kills. She passed Sherri Helman (1993-96) with 1,049 to move to 11th on the OSU career list. Botica ranks 10th in OSU career kills per game with a 3.10 per game average and is 12th in career aces with 114. Botica has had 24 matches with double-figure kills and 14 with double-figure digs. She did not play at Northwestern and Wisconsin because of a knee injury.%^$
%^$#9 Suzie Stiling (junior, middle blocker): At Minnesota: 11 kills (.318), 8 digs, 6 blocks (1 solo, 5 assists), 1 ace. At Iowa: 16 kills (.250), 13 digs, 4 assist blocks. An honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection. Stiling was honored as the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week for her play at Indiana and Illinois. Her 17 kills at Illinois was a season high. Her previous high was 16, reached 3 times. Stiling ranks sixth in OSU career attack percentage at .297. She is 13th in OSU career kills with 991. Stiling is tied for ninth in OSU career solo blocks with Holly O’Leary (1987-90) with 45. She is sixth in career assists blocks with 273 and has 318 total blocks, ranking seventh. Stiling has had 23 matches with double-figure kills. Stiling was ranked 10th in the country as of Nov. 18 in the national statistics in hitting percentage at .401.%^$
%^$#10 Stacey Gordon (freshman, outside hitter): At Minnesota: 15 kills (.122), 10 digs, 7 aces, 1 solo block. At Iowa: 14 kills (.095), 12 digs, 2 assist blocks. An All-Big Ten selection, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and selected as a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Gordon won back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week honors earlier this season. She won her third Big Ten Player of the Week award against Penn State and Purdue and was honored as the AVCA/Sports Imports Division I National Player of the Week. Gordon has had 26 double-figure kill matches and 16 double-figure dig matches. A shoulder injury at Wisconsin limited her play the next match to the back-row only, against Iowa, where she recorded 10 digs. Gordon was ranked 25th in the country as of Nov. 18 in the national statistics in kills per game with a 4.78 average.%^$
%^$#11 Nikki Cisco (senior, defensive specialist) (back row sub for Erin Baker): At Minnesota: 9 digs. At Iowa: 21 digs. Her 21 digs at Iowa is her career high. Previous best was 18 at Florida in 1998 in the NCAA Tournament.%^$
%^$#15 Shelly Draeger (junior outside hitter): At Minnesota: 13 kills (.375), 6 digs, 3 blocks (1 solo, 2 assists), 2 aces. At Iowa: 9 kills (.273), 8 digs, 1 assist block, 1 ace. Draeger has 857 career kills and ranks 19th on the OSU career list. She is 11th on the OSU career aces list with 117. Draeger has had nine matches with double-figure kills and three matches with double-figure digs. Draeger was ranked tied for 25th in the country as of Nov. 18 in the national statistics in aces per game with a .58 average.%^$
%^$#14 Trine Melsether (freshman, outside hitter): Played in six matches. Replaced Anne Botica (knee injury) at Northwestern (four kills (.000), career-high four ace serves, two digs, a solo and an assist block) and at Wisconsin (career-high seven kills (.286), three digs, and two assist blocks). Replaced Stacey Gordon (shoulder) against Iowa (six kills (.091), two digs and one ace serve).%^$
%^$#1 Ashley Adamczyk (freshman defensive specialist): Played in 18 matches. Usually subs in the back row for Suzie Stiling. Career-high five digs against South Florida.%^$
%^$#6 Heather Whalen (sophomore, setter): Played in five matches. Season-highs of five assists and two digs against Evansville.%^$
%^$#13 Tamika Drake (freshman, defensive specialist): Played in nine matches. Two digs against Northwestern and an assist. Had one dig against Purdue.
