Women’s Volleyball: Buckeyes Open Big Ten Play Wednesday against Michigan, at Michigan State Friday – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State (9-3) women’s volleyball team opens the Big Ten Conference season by hosting No. 21 Michigan (12-0) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in St. John Arena. Special promotions for the match include give-aways of 2,000 rally towels, 1,000 team posters and 1,000 key chain schedules. Ohio State will have a team autograph session after the match. The match will be carried live by the Big Ten Network with Brent Stover calling the action and former OSU All-American Audrey (DiPronio) Flaugh handling the color. The Buckeyes then travel to East Lansing, Mich. to face Michigan State (8-3) at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Breslin Center.
Last week, Ohio State won the Kent State/Mizuno Open with 3-0 sweeps of Duquesne (25-19, 25-15, 25-21), Chicago State (25-7, 25-11, 25-9) and Kent State (25-23, 25-21, 25-23). OSU’s Kelli Barhorst was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament with Kristen Dozier and Ashley Hughes was named to the all-tournament team.
A LOOK AT OHIO STATE
Head coach Geoff Carlston is in his first season with the Buckeyes. Ohio State is 9-3 on the season. The Buckeyes won the Kent State/Mizuno Open last week with 3-0 wins over Duquesne, Chicago State and Kent State.
Leading the Buckeyes in points per set is Katie Dull at 4.61. Anna Szerszen ranks second at 4.44 with Kristen Dozier third at 3.98. Dull is the team leader in kills per set at 3.84. Szerszen ranks second at 3.67 with Dozier third at 3.34. OSU’s top percentage hitter is Dull at .365. Kelli Barhorst ranks second at .310 with Kaila Calhoun third at .282. At setter, Ashley Hughes is averaging 8.38 assists per set with Betsy Hone having a 6.64 average. Chelsea Noble has a team-high .34 aces per set average with a team-high 14 aces. Hone ranks second at .28 with seven aces. Hughes is third at .26 with nine aces. Barhorst leads the team in blocks per set at 1.19 with five solos and 14 assists. Szerszen ranks second at 1.11 with two solos and eight assists with Dozier third at .93 with six solos and 32 assists. Leading the team in digs per set at 3.34 is Calhoun. Noble ranks second at 2.73 with Susan Halverson third at 2.42. Laura Kastein has a .985 reception percentage handling 68 attempts with four errors. Calhoun is at .973 with four errors in 149 attempts. Halverson ranks third at .968 with four errors in 125 attempts. Noble has a team-high 311 attempts with 15 errors and a .925 percentage.
Ohio State is averaging 17.79 points, 13.68 kills and 12.78 assists per set. The Buckeyes average 1.44 aces, 13.15 digs and 2.67 blocks per set. OSU opponents are averaging 13.22 points, 10.80 kills and 9.98 assists per set. They are averaging 1.00 aces, 11.02 digs and 1.41 blocks per game.
A LOOK AT MICHIGAN
Head coach Mark Rosen is in his 10th season with the 21st-ranked Wolverines. Michigan has a 12-0 record on the season for the third-consecutive year. Last week the Wolverines won their fourth tournament, the Michigan/Adidas Invitational, with 3-0 wins over Western Kentucky (25-18, 25-20, 25-21) and Albany (25-18, 25-19, 25-18) and 3-1 over Arizona State (25-19, 25-27, 27-25, 25-16). Lexi Zimmerman was named the Most Valuable Player of the invitational with Juliana Paz and Beth Karpiak named to the all-tournament team.
Paz leads the team in points per set with a 3.79 average. Karpiak ranks second at 3.66 and Megan Bower is third at 3.29. Paz leads the team with a 3.17 kills per set average. Karpiak ranks second at 3.03 with Bower third at 2.70. Karpiak has a team-high .440 attack percentage. Zimmerman ranks second at .354 with Paz third at .266. At setter, Zimmerman averages 11.50 assists per set for the Wolverines. Sloane Donhoff has a team-high .43 aces per set average with a team-high 17. Paz ranks second at .35 with 14 and Zimmerman is third at .28 with 11. Defensively, Kerry Hance leads the team with a 3.35 digs per set average. Ranking second is Zimmerman at 2.92 with Donhoff third at 2.65. At the net, Karlee Bruck is averaging a team-high .90 blocks per set with 27 assists. Karpiak ranks second at .93 with eight solos and 29 assists. Ranking third is Bower at .68 with two solos and 25 assists.
Michigan is averaging 18.83 points, 14.75 kills and 13.62 assists per set. The Wolverines average 1.83 aces, 15.07 digs and 2.25 blocks per set. Opponents average 13.39 points, 10.55 kills and 9.75 assists per set. Wolverine opponents average .82 aces, 12.57 digs and 2.01 blocks per set.
OHIO STATE – MICHIGAN SERIES
Ohio State has a 45-14 lead in the series with Michigan. In Columbus, the Buckeyes are 23-4. OSU is 19-4 in Ann Arbor and 3-3 in neutral site matches. Ohio State had won six-consecutive matches prior to last season when the Wolverines won 3-0 (30-27, 30-27, 30-28) in Columbus and 3-1 (30-17, 26-30, 30-16, 30-26) in Ann Arbor. This is the first meeting against Michigan for Ohio State head coach Geoff Carlston.
A LOOK AT MICHIGAN STATE
Head coach Cathy George is in her third season with the Spartans. Michigan State has an 8-3 overall record on the season. The Spartans have won eight straight matches. Last week, Michigan State defeated Oakland, 3-1 (25-15, 25-21, 17-25, 25-19) at home and won 3-1 (27-25, 25-15, 20-25, 26-24) at Central Michigan.
Leading Michigan State in points per set is Jenilee Rathje with a 4.46 average. Vanessa King ranks second at 3.55 with Becca Zlabis third at 2.81. Rathje has a team-high 4.07 kills per set average for the Spartans with King second at 2.80 and Zlabis third at 2.54. Leading the squad in attach percentage is Vineece Verdun at .365. King, at .353, ranks second and Natalie Emro is third at .342. At setter, Emro is averaging 10.55 assists per game and has a team-high .28 aces per set average with a team-high 11 aces. Allyson Karaba ranks second at .25 with 10 and Heather McDaniel is third at .21 with six. Defensively, Karaba leads the team in digs per set with a 4.25 average. Carli Weiler ranks second at 2.89 with Rathje third at 2.25. At the net, King has a team-high 1.23 blocks per set average with five solos and 44 assists. Verdun, at .74 blocks per set, ranks second with four solos and 19 assists with Emro third at .68 with two solos and 25 assists.
Michigan State is averaging 14.05 points, 11.45 kills and 10.33 assists per set. The Spartans average .86 aces, 10.51 digs and 1.74 blocks per set. Opponents are averaging 11.30 points, 9.00 kills and 8.25 assists per set. Spartan opponents average .65 aces, 9.02 digs and 1.66 blocks per set.
OHIO STATE – MICHIGAN STATE SERIES
Ohio State leads the series with Michigan State, 38-25. The Buckeyes have a 16-14 advantage in matches played in East Lansing. In Columbus, Ohio State is 20-7 and trails, 2-4, in neutral site matches. The Buckeyes had won seven-consecutive matches prior to a 3-0 (31-29, 30-24, 30-23) loss at East Lansing last year. Earlier last season, Ohio State won, 3-0 (30-21, 30-22, 31-29), in Columbus. Ohio State head coach Geoff Carlston is 0-1 against Michigan State.
OHIO STATE HAS THREE MATCHES ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK
Ohio State will have three Big Ten matches telecast live on the Big Ten Network this season. Both Michigan matches and OSU’s home match with Northwestern will be broadcast. The Buckeyes will open the Big Ten Conference season hosting Michigan at 7 p.m. Wednesday and face the Wolverines in Ann Arbor at 7 p.m. Nov. 12. The Buckeyes will host Northwestern at 8 p.m. Nov. 8 in St. John Arena as part of a Big Ten Network doubleheader.
HEAD COACH GEOFF CARLSTON
Geoff Carlston is in his first season at Ohio State. He came to Ohio State after spending five years as head coach of Ohio University where he built an outstanding program. His squads played in five NCAA tournaments, reaching regional play in 2005. At Ohio, Carlston guided the Bobcats to five-consecutive Mid American Conference championships with an overall record of 144-22. He had a MAC conference record of 78-2 and was 14-1 in the conference tournament, winning four of five.
Carlston was named the MAC Coach of the Year four times and was twice named the Mideast Region Coach of the Year.
He began collegiate coaching with three years at Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) where he posted a 49-42 record. His career record is 202-67.
CARLSTON GAINS 200TH CAREER VICTORY
Geoff Carlston, with a 3-0 victory over Duquesne, recorded his 200th career win. His career record heading into the Michigan match is 202-67.
BARHORST EARNS MVP HONORS AT THE KENT STATE/MIZUNO OPEN
Kelli Barhorst was named the Most Valuable Player at the Kent State/Mizuno Open last weekend. In helping the Buckeyes win the Open, Barhorst averaged 4.33 points, 3.22 kills and 1.78 blocks per set in the three matches. She posted career highs of 10 kills against Duquesne and Chicago State and a career-high seven total blocks (one solo, six assists) against Duquesne. Barhorst hit a career-high .556 (10-0-18) in the Chicago State match. In her five starts this season, Barhorst is averaging 3.00 points, 2.25 kills and 1.19 blocks per set.
DOZIER EARNS ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS AT THE KENT STATE/MIZUNO OPEN
Kristen Dozier earned all-tournament honors at the Kent State/Mizuno Open last weekend. Against Duquesne, she had a match-high 16.5 points with 13 kills, a solo block and five assist blocks. Dozier collected 7.5 points against Chicago State with four kills, two ace serves and three assist blocks. Dozier closed out the weekend with 9.5 points at Kent State with nine kills and a block assist. A starter in all 12 matches, Dozier is averaging 3.98 points, 3.34 kills, 44 digs and .93 blocks per set.
SZERSZEN LEADS BUCKEYES AGAINST KENT STATE
Anna Szerszen scored a match-high 14.5 points in the 3-0 win over Kent State to secure the Kent State/Mizuno Open championship. She had 12 kills in the match adding seven digs, two solo blocks and one assist block against the Golden Flashes. In the Duquesne match, Szerszen had eight kills, an ace serve, three digs and a season-high six assist blocks. She did not play in the Chicago State match. Szerszen has started and played in three of the last four matches for the Buckeyes and is averaging 4.44 points, 3.67 kills, 2.00 digs and 1.11 blocks per set.
NOBLE PLAYING WHERE NEEDED
Chelsea Noble continues to show her athletic ability to play where needed as she was the libero against Duquesne and started at outside hitter against Chicago State and Kent State. She equaled her Ohio State career high of 15 digs against Duquesne and added two ace serves in the match. Against Chicago State she contributed six kills, an ace serve, eight digs and an assist block. She then posted five kills, an ace serve and seven digs against Kent State. Noble has started in 10 matches and was the starting libero in two. On the season, she is averaging 2.18 points, 1.61 kills, .34 aces, 2.73 digs and .41 blocks per set.
HUGHES EARNS ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS AT THE KENT STATE/MIZUNO OPEN
Ashley Hughes earned all-tournament honors at the Kent State/Mizuno Open last weekend. She directed the Buckeye offense to the tournament championship while averaging 9.56 assists per set. Hughes posted 36 assists against Duquesne adding two kills and four digs. She had 15 assists against Chicago State adding a career-high six ace serves, two kills, one dig and an assist block. In the Kent State match, Hughes recorded 35 assists adding three kills, two digs and an assist block. She has played in 11 matches this season, starting 10. Hughes is averaging 8.38 assists per set on the season and is averaging 1.51 points, .91 kill, .26 aces, 1.15 digs and .59 blocks per set.
HONE EQUALS HER CAREER-HIGH OF FOUR ASSIST BLOCKS AGAINST DUQUESNE AND CHICAGO STATE
Betsy Hone collected four assist blocks against Duquesne to equal her career high set against Pacific last season. She added three kills, an assist and one dig against the Dukes. Hone equaled her career-high of four assist blocks against Chicago State adding one kill, seven assists and three digs. She had her fourth start of the season against Chicago State as the Buckeyes started both setters in the match. Hone has played in nine matches and is averaging 6.64 assists and 1.40 digs per set.
CALHOUN CONTRIBUTES AGAINST DUQUESNE AND KENT STATE
Kaila Calhoun played and started in two of the three matches last week at Kent State. She had six kills, seven digs and an assist block against Duquesne and collected four kills and 10 digs against Kent State. Calhoun has played and started in 11 matches this season. She is averaging 3.28 points, 2.76 kills, a team-high 3.34 digs and .61 blocks per set.
HALVERSON STARTS AT LIBERO IN TWO MATCHES
Susan Halverson started at libero against Chicago State and Kent State because of line up adjustments. Against Chicago State, she had five digs and recorded a career-high four ace serves against the Cougars. Halverson had 10 digs and an assists in the Kent State match. She saw action against Duquesne, recording three digs. On the season, Halverson has played in all 12 matches with seven starts at libero. She is averaging 2.42 digs per set.
KASTEIN HAS STARTS AT DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST
Laura Kastein started as a defensive specialist against Duquesne and Chicago State. She had one assist in the Duquesne match and recorded an ace serve and a dig in one set against Chicago State. She played one set against Kent State collecting an assist. Kastein has played in all 12 matches, starting in five and has three starts at libero. For the season, she is averaging 1.73 digs per set.
PRANG COLLECTS A CAREER-HIGH FOUR KILLS AGAINST CHICAGO STATE
Lisa Prang saw action off the bench in two matches last week. She posted one kill and a dig against Duquesne, playing in all three sets. Against Chicago State, Prang recorded career highs of four kills and three total blocks in the match. She had a solo and two assist blocks in the contest and added a dig. Prang has played in four matches this season and has recorded seven kills, three blocks, three digs and an assist.
RALSTON HAS A CAREER-HIGH SIX DIGS AGAINST CHICAGO STATE
Maria Ralston played in all three sets against Chicago State collecting career highs of six digs and an ace serve against the Cougars. The Chicago State match was her third appearance of the season.
MIGNIN CONTRIBUTES AGAINST DUQUESNE AND CHICAGO STATE
Sarah Mignin saw action in two matches last weekend. She played in two sets against Duquesne collecting two digs and an assist. Against Chicago State, she played in two sets and recorded a dig. Mignin has played in nine matches this season. She is averaging 1.56 digs per set and has recorded three assists.
SCHWARZWALDER RANKS FOURTH IN BLOCKS PER SET
Allie Schwarzwalder, with 30 total blocks, has a .91 blocks per set average, ranking fourth for the Buckeyes. She has three solos and 27 assists. Schwarzwalder has played in 10 matches and has eight starts. She is averaging 1.95 points, 1.45 kills and .91 blocks per set. Schwarzwalder saw limited action last weekend, playing in one set against Kent State.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Ohio State will travel to face Northwestern (6-5) Friday at 8 p.m. EDT in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Buckeyes then play at Wisconsin (10-2) Sunday at 2 p.m. EDT in the Wisconsin Field House. OSU returns home the following week for matches against Illinois (9-2) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 and Purdue (11-1) at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 in St. John Arena.
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