Northbound Buckeyes Journey to Iowa and Wisconsin – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 17, 2015
RELATED INFO
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 16 Ohio State University women’s volleyball team travels north this week for road matches at Iowa (Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET) and No. 10 Wisconsin (Sunday, 2 p.m. ET). Four matches remain for teams across the country to add to their NCAA Tournament resumes with bids and hosting duties to the top-16 seeds on the line.
WEEKLY BASICS
Wednesday, Nov. 18 – 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET – Minneapolis, Minn. (Sports Pavilion)
#16 Ohio State (21-7, 10-6 Big Ten) at Iowa (12-17, 2-14 Big Ten)
Live Stats: GameTracker
Live Video: BTN Plus
Sunday, Nov. 22 – 1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET – Madison, Wis. (UW Field House)
#16 Ohio State at #10 Wisconsin (20-6, 12-4 Big Ten)
Live Stats
Live Video: BTN Plus
HISTORY WITH THE HAWKEYES AND BADGERS
Ohio State has won 13 consecutive contests against Iowa, a streak that dates back to Geoff Carlston’s first season as a Buckeye in 2008. The Buckeyes have taken 27 of the last 28 meetings and own a 60-9 advantage in the all-time series (27-4 in Iowa City). Ohio State came away with four-set victories over both Iowa and Wisconsin earlier this season, closing within two matches in the all-time ledger versus the Badgers. Wisconsin has seized 37 of 72 clashes overall and 18 of 34 in Madison.
SANDBOTHE STUFFS
Taylor Sandbothe terrorized the Fighting Illini throughout Ohio State’s four-set triumph last week (Nov. 11). In addition to 19 kills, Sandbothe stuffed Illinois 11 times. Her career-high 11 blocks are the sixth-highest total by a Buckeye in school history and the third-best mark against a conference foe. The last Buckeyes to reach 11 blocks in a match was Mariah Booth back in 2010 against Kennesaw State.
HISTORIC PACE
Buckeye classmates, Valeria León and Taylor Sandbothe, are putting up all-time numbers this season ranked among the best in school history. León’s 4.35 digs per set is the highest rate ever by a Buckeye and her total of 457 digs already ranks eighth. Meanwhile, Sandbothe is attacking .375 (5th) and her 1.23 blocks/set are also slotted eighth.
BAILEY, SMEATHERS SIGN ON TO BECOME BUCKEYES
Brooke Bailey and Madison Smeathers signed National Letters of Intent this week and will join the Ohio State Women’s Volleyball roster for the 2016 season. The pair of High School All-Americans are both slotted in Prep Volleyball’s Top-65 Senior Aces List.
Bailey is a native Buckeye hailing from Canton, Ohio. Smeathers comes to Columbus from Vargersville, Indiana. Both Buckeye signees earned all-state recognition multiple times during their high school careers.
ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON IN THE BOOKS FOR CARLSTON
Ohio State captured its 20th win of the season on Nov. 7 with a road sweep at Rutgers. Geoff Carlston has now notched 20 or more victories in six of eight seasons in Columbus and in 11 of 13 campaigns as a Division-I head coach. Carlston enters the week with a 311-123 (.717) D-I career mark and has averaged 24.2 wins per year through his first 12 seasons at the helm of Ohio University and Ohio State.
RPI REPPIN’
The NCAA began releasing the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) each Monday midseason. Ohio State is slotted No. 10 nationally this week in the rankings which carry substantial weight in determining NCAA Tournament participants and First/Second Round hosts.
HOME COOKIN’
Ohio State Women’s Volleyball has won nearly 70 percent of its matches inside St. John Arena all-time. The Buckeyes began competition in the facility in 1986, compiling an overall mark of 307-132 (.699) which includes a 9-3 mark this season.
THE BIG TEN GAUNTLET
Seven Big Ten programs are ranked in this week’s AVCA Division I Coaches Poll, including No. 3 Minnesota, No. 4 Penn State, No. 6 Nebraska, No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 15 Purdue, No. 16 Ohio State and No. 18 Illinois. In addition, Michigan is receiving votes. Thirteen of 14 conference schools posted winning percentages above .700 during non-conference action.
Speaking of non-conference foes, Ohio State has also faced No. 20 Florida State (twice) and No. 23 Arizona this season. As of this week’s rankings, just under half of the Buckeyes’ matches will be against schools nationally-ranked or receiving votes (15 of 32 regular season matches).
