COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State (6-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten) women's volleyball team returns to the road for the third of three-consecutive road trips, traveling to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Invitational and a match at Marquette. The Buckeyes, in the Panther Invitational, face Western Michigan (2-4) at 11 p.m. CT and play host UW-Milwaukee (1-5) at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday. Ohio State closes out the trip with a match against Marquette (6-1) at 1 p.m. CT, Sunday. Last week the Buckeyes finished second at the Hilton Classic in Ft. Collins, Colo. Ohio State lost, 3-2 to Colorado State and defeated Georgia Southern and Texas Arlington in 3-0 matches.
A LOOK AT OHIO STATE
Geoff Carlston is the head coach of the Buckeyes. Ohio State has a 6-1 record after finishing second at the Hilton Classic in Ft. Collins, Colo. The Buckeyes fell, 2-3 (17-25, 25-16, 25-17, 17-25, 10-15) to eventual Classic champion Colorado State and defeated Georgia Southern, 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-17) and Texas Arlington, 3-0 (25-10, 25-21, 25-17). Buckeyes Katie Dull and Kristen Dozier were named to the all-tournament team. Dull has a team-high 4.30 points and 3.87 kills per set average. Dozier ranks second in points (3.15) and kills (2.78). Dozier is hitting a team-high .343 with Dull second at .313. At setter, Amanda Peterson is averaging 8.85 assists per set with Betsy Hone at 8.80. Emily Danks has a team-high .62 aces per set with 15 with Peterson second at .55 with 11. Defensively, Chelsea Noble leads the squad with a 3.92 digs per set average. Dull ranks second at 2.87. At the net, Danks has a .67 blocks per set average to lead the team. She has two solos and 14 assists. Dozier ranks second at .61 with one solo and 13 assists. Ohio State is hitting .287 and is averaging 16.33 points, 12.79 kills and 11.38 assists per set. The Buckeyes average 1.96 aces, 14.54 digs and 1.58 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .096 and average 9.94 points, 8.08 kills and 7.25 assists per set. Buckeye opponents average 0.83 aces, 11.92 digs and 1.02 blocks per set.
A LOOK AT WESTERN MICHIGAN
Colleen Munson is the head coach for the Broncos. Western Michigan has a 2-4 record and finished second at the Holiday Inn West Bronco Invitational. Western Michigan defeated Wake Forest, 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-12) and Illinois State, 3-1 (25-16, 25-18, 23-25, 25-17) and lost to Dayton, 3-0 (25-22, 31-29, 25-19) in the championship match. Broncos Allyson Doyle and Katie Eberling were named to the all-tournament team. Michelle Moore leads the team in points per set with a 3.21 average. Jessica Brown ranks second at 2.95. Moore has a team-high 2.95 kills per set average with Brown second at 2.67. Brown is the leading hitter on the squad with a .322 hitting percentage. At setter, Sam Viox averages 10.00 assists per set with Jillian Mitchellsecond at 8.18. Caitlin Strimel has a team-high .19 aces per set average with four. Moore ranks second at .14 with three. Defensively, Strimel leads the squad in digs per set with a 4.10 average. Doyle ranks second at 2.76. At the net, Ashley Turnage has a team-high 1.07 blocks per set average. She has two solo and 13 assist blocks. Doyle ranks second at .62 with 13 assist blocks. Western Michigan is hitting .199 and is averaging 14.29 points, 12.05 kills and 11.10 assists per set. The Broncos average .81 aces, 14.14 digs and 1.43 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .244 and average 16.50 points, 13.24 kills and 12.67 assists per set. Bronco opponents average 1.05 aces, 15.86 digs and 2.21 blocks per set.
WESTERN MICHIGAN-OHIO STATE SERIES
Western Michigan leads the series with Ohio State, 4-2. The Buckeyes won the first match of the series in 1974, 3-0 (15-6, 15-2) at the MAIAW Championship played at Western Michigan. The Broncos won 3-2 (12-15, 15-6, 15-13, 14-16, 15-11) in 1983 in Columbus and 3-0 (15-11, 15-6, 15-3) in 1984 in Kalamazoo. Ohio State had to forfeit a 3-0 (15-11, 15-9, 15-9) win in 2000 at the Ameritech Invitational at Western Michigan and lost to the Broncos, 3-1 (28-30, 30-28, 30-20, 30-23) at the Buckeye Classic in 2003. The teams last played in 1993 at the Temple Volleyball Classic in Philadelphia, Pa., with OSU winning, 3-1 (30-27, 30-21, 29-31, 30-21).
A LOOK AT UW-MILWAKEE
Susie Johnson is the head coach for the Panthers. UW-Milwaukee is 1-5 on the season and lost three of four last weekend at the Magnolia Invitational in Oxford, Miss. The Panthers were defeated by Akron, 3-2 (22-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22, 15-9) and Mississippi, 3-2 (21-25, 10-25, 25-16, 25-18, 15-12) Friday. UW-Milwaukee defeated Alcorn State, 3-0 (25-7, 25-12, 25-12) and lost to UAB, 3-2 (25-19, 27-29, 27-25, 21-25, 15-9) Saturday. Leading the team in points per set is Jena Berg with a 3.29 average. Maddie Sueppel ranks second at 3.07. Berg has a team-high 2.96 kills per set average with Sueppel ranking second at 2.68. Natalie Schmitting leads the team in hitting percentage at .303. At setter, Samantha Trawitzke has an 8.58 assists per set.Lauren Felsing has a .33 aces per set average to lead the squad. She has eight ace serves. Ranking second at .21 is Lauren Hintze with five aces. Defensively, Felsing has a team-high 3.79 digs per set with Berg second at 2.96. At the net, Sueppel leads the team in blocks per set at .73 with a solo and 15 assist blocks. Kerri Schuh ranks second at .45 with one solo and nine assist blocks. UW-Milwaukee is hitting .193 and is averaging 14.04 points, 11.62 kills and 10.62 assists per set. The Panthers average 1.17 aces, 14.04 digs and 1.25 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .202 and average 14.71 points, 11.04 kills and 10.33 assists per set. Panther opponents average 1.29 aces, 12.96 digs and 2.38 blocks per set.
UW-MILWAUKEE-OHIO STATE SERIES
This is the first meeting between the schools.
A LOOK AT MARQUETTE
Bond Shymansky is the head coach for the Golden Eagles. Marquette is 6-1 on the season. The Golden Eagles won the Marquette Invitational last weekend with four wins. Marquette defeated Butler, 3-1 (25-21, 28-26, 24-26, 25-20) and Texas State, 3-2 (23-25, 25-23, 27-25, 23-25, 15-10) Friday and Austin Peay, 3-1 (18-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-20) and Binghamton, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-20) Saturday. Ciara Jones was named the most valuable player of the invitational with Rabbecka Gonyo and Nikki Klingsporn named to the all-tournament team. Gonyo leads the team in points per set with a 3.46 average. Ashley Beyer ranks second at 3.50. Beyer is the team leader in kills per set at 3.12. Jones ranks second at 2.75. Gonyo leads the squad in hitting percentage at .345. At setter, Klingsporn is averaging 10.96 assists per set. Beyer is the leader in aces per set at .27 with seven aces. Klingsporn ranks second at .26 with seven aces. Defensively Kelsey Warner has a team-high 3.04 digs per set average. Beyer ranks second at 2.58. At the net, Gonyo leads the team in blocks per set with a 1.37 average. She has six solos and 31 assist blocks. Klingsporn ranks second at .85 with two solos and 21 assists. Marquette is hitting .263 and is averaging 17.57 points, 13.93 kills and 12.44 assists per set. The Golden Eagles average 1.33 aces, 14.04 digs and 2.31 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .197 and average 15.67 points, 12.93 kills and 12.04 assists per set. Golden Eagle opponents average 1.22 aces, 13.63 digs and 1.52 blocks per set.
MARQUETTE-OHIO STATE SERIES
Ohio State leads the series, 1-0, over Marquette with a 3-0 (15-7, 15-3, 15-6) win in the Buckeye Invitational in 1996.
DOZIER EARNS ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Kristen Dozier was named to the Hilton Classic All-Tournament Team for her play last week. She had 14 kills while hitting .409 and added an assist block against Colorado State. Against Georgia Southern, Dozier posted 11 kills and hit .409 while adding two assist blocks. She added five kills and three assist blocks in the Texas Arlington match. For the week, Dozier averaged 3.09 points, 2.73 kills and .55 blocks per set while hitting .329. On the season, she is averaging 3.15 points, 2.78 kills and .61 blocks per set while hitting .313.
DULL NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Katie Dull averaged 4.00 points, 3.64 kills, 2.45 digs and .45 blocks per set while hitting .259 to earn all-tournament honors at the Hilton Classic last week. Dull posted 14 kills against Colorado State, adding 15 digs and an assist block. Against Georgia Southern, she recorded 12 kills while hitting .400 and added five digs and an assist block. Dull had 14 kills, seven digs, an ace serve, one solo block and two assist blocks against Texas Arlington. She has had double-figure kills in her last five matches. For the season, Dull is averaging 4.30 points, 3.87 kills, 2.87 digs and .43 blocks per set while hitting .313.
PETERSON POSTS CAREER-HIGHS AGAINST COLORADO STATE
Amanda Peterson recorded career highs of 41 assists, nine digs and four assist blocks in the Colorado State match. She added four kills and an ace serve in the contest. Peterson posted 35 assists, five digs, three kills and an ace serve against Georgia Southern and added 28 assists, six digs, two ace serves and a kill in the Texas Arlington match. In the three matches, Peterson averaged 9.45 assists and 1.82 digs per set. For the season, she is averaging 8.85 assists, 1.60 digs and .55 aces per set.
DANKS POSTS DOUBLE-FIGURE POINTS IN THE WEEKEND MATCHES
Emily Danks recorded double-figure points in all three matches last weekend at the Colorado State Hilton Classic. She had 13 points against Colorado State with nine kills, two ace serves, one solo block and two assists and added six digs. Against Georgia Southern, she posted 11 points with nine kills, a solo block and two assist blocks and added four digs. Danks closed out the weekend with 10 points against Texas Arlington with seven kills, an ace serve and four assist blocks while adding two digs. For the three matches, Danks averaged 3.09 points, 2.27 kills, .27 aces, 1.09 digs and .91 blocks per set while hitting .268. On the season, she is averaging 2.96 points, 1.96 kills, .62 aces, .88 digs and .67 blocks per set while hitting .288.
NOBLE EQUALS HER CAREER HIGH OF 23 DIGS AGAINST COLORADO STATE
Chelsea Noble recorded 23 digs against Colorado State to equal her career high set at Illinois in 2008. She had 15 digs, one ace serve and a kill against Georgia Southern and collected 12 digs and two aces in the Texas Arlington match. Noble has recorded double-figure digs in her last six matches. She handled 83 of 86 serve reception attempts for a .965 percentage in the three matches. For the season, Noble is averaging a team-high 3.92 digs per set and has a .946 serve reception percentage.
HALVERSON CONTRIBUTES AS DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST STARTER
Susan Halverson has started all seven matches this season as a defensive specialist. She is averaging 1.88 digs per set and has a .987 serve reception percentage for the season. Last week Halverson recorded her second double-figure dig match of the season with 10 against Colorado State. She had seven digs and an ace serve against Georgia Southern and six digs in the Texas Arlington match. In the three matches, Halverson handled 35 serve reception attempts without an error. She is averaging 1.88 digs per set for the season and has a .987 serve reception percentage.
OHIO STATE IN THE BIG TEN STATISTICS
Four Ohio State players are ranked in the Top 10 of the Big Ten Conference overall statistics. Leading the league in aces per set is Emily Danks at .62.Katie Dull ranks fifth in kills per set at 3.87 and is seventh in points at 4.30. Chelsea Noble ranks fifth in digs per set with a 3.92 average. Ranking 10th in assists per set is Amanda Peterson at 8.85.
In overall team statistics, the Buckeyes rank first in aces per set at 1.96. OSU is third in hitting percentage at .287 and fifth in digs per set at 14.54. The Buckeyes rank 10th in assists (11.38) and kills (12.79) per set and are 11th in blocks at 1.58 per set. Ohio State ranks second in opponent hitting percentage at .096.
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 Penn State matches and OSU's home match with Illinois will be broadcast. The Buckeyes host Penn State at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7 and return the trip to Penn State at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Buckeyes will host Illinois at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14 in St. John Arena in a match that will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.
HEAD COACH GEOFF CARLSTON
Geoff Carlston is in his second 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 211-85.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
After playing 10 matches on the road over three weeks, Ohio State returns home to host the Sports Imports Classic. The Buckeyes first match is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 against Bowling Green. OSU, on Saturday, Sept. 19, plays at 11:30 a.m. against Cleveland State and at 7:30 p.m. against Xavier.
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