Volleyball Voices

Santa Clara Volleyball's Kayla Lommori Pumped About Santa Clara's Future

 

 

Santa Clara Volleyball's Kayla Lommori Pumped About Santa Clara's Future

 

By Rico Chow, '12, Student Assistant

There are a lot of terrific changes going on with Santa Clara volleyball these days, including adding two new assistant coaches with fantastic backgrounds and a new sports performance coach as well.  Rising senior Kayla Lommori, a three-year starter, is excited about the changes and looking forward to spring training.  Check out her answers below. 

SCU:  After playing three seasons with the Broncos, how would you describe your experiences on the volleyball team? What would you like to change in preparation to play your last year at SCU?

KL: My last three years as a Bronco have been filled with adversity, and have allowed me to grow as a person on and off the court. Going forward, our team has somewhat of a different outlook and are ready to have some fun with the game that we all have loved for most of our lives. We have been competing extremely hard with each other in the off season, and the new people aboard on staff have been tremendous influences in providing us with a positive and energetic atmosphere.

SCU: Now that season is over, what are you working on in and outside of volleyball?

KL: We have been working hard in the off season to connect with our setters and learn hitting a new tempo set. We have been working out with our new sports performance coach, Ryan Leake, on mastering our bodies and becoming more athletic and agile athletes. Outside of volleyball, I have been working hard in the classroom and am doing some volunteer work on the weekends.

SCU:  Who is your role model? Who did you want to be when you were growing up?

KL: Growing up, I would always love to watch Kerry Walsh and Misty May Treanor in the Olympics and always thought that it would be so awesome to have the opportunity to play in that type of environment.

SCU:  In the past two weeks Santa Clara has added to two new assistant coaches, Brad Keller and Matt Lyles. What excites you about the new coaches head coach Jon Wallace has brought in?

KL: Having Matty on board with us is the absolute best thing for our team. Matty is one of the best coaches that I have had the privilege to learn from. His knowledge about the game is tremendous and he instills confidence in each and everyone on our team. His consistent energy will create an awesome practice environment, and allow us to grow as a team.

Brad is also a fantastic addition to our team. In the little time that I have had with him so far in the gym, he has been awesome and his energy is undeniably great. He has been very helpful to me in learning new skills and bringing new ideas to our team. He also has a great personality, and it has been really fun to train with him.

SCU: Brad Keller was most recently at UConn (for the past year) working with the women's volleyball team. In the past, he also helped guide men's volleyball team at UC Irvine to a No. 3 national ranking and the Southern California Trojans to the NCAA Championship Final. How do you think his experiences in working with top collegiate teams can help bring a change to the Broncos?

KL: Brad is extremely knowledgeable about the game of volleyball, and I am already seeing a huge difference in our team from the last couple of practices with him. We are learning to hit new tempo sets and the coaches seem to be communicating a lot about what they want from us going forward. Brad will definitely have a huge impact on our team, and I am so happy that he is here on the Bronco staff. 

SCU: Assistant coach Matt Lyles has a wide variety of experiences in both as a player, who was the former two-time All-American player and member of the U.S National Team for three seasons.  He also played internationally. He worked as a Bronco assistant coach from 2003-07 when the Broncos went to the Final Four in 2005. What would you like to learn from him?

KL: I feel like I have learned so much from Matty varying from how to hit different shots, passing techniques, and in some ways how to be a better person. There is an unlimited amount of new things that I would love to learn about the game, and I know Matty will be right by my side helping me improve every day. 

SCU: What do you like most about volleyball? What drives you to continue playing?

KL: I love to compete and I love the thrill that I get from playing the game. I love accomplishing tasks as a team, and feeling like I am a part of something bigger than myself. I love the way that I feel after winning a tough match, and knowing that we worked together as a team to out perform the other team.

SCU: Any comments for the fans?

KL: I would like to thank the fans that attend our matches, and would ask everyone to try to influence others to come out and support the Broncos!!!

 

Pepperdine Announces 2012 Sand Volleyball Schedule

 

 

Pepperdine Announces 2012 Sand Volleyball Schedule

Click here for interview with head sand volleyball coach Nina Matthies: http://pepperdinesports.cstv.com/allaccess/?media=299655

Click here for 2012 schedule: http://www.pepperdinesports.com/sports/w-svolley/sched/pepp-w-svolley-sched.html 

MALIBU, Calif. – Head sand volleyball coach Nina Matthies announced the 2012 schedule today, as Pepperdine gears up for the inaugural season of the emerging sport. The Waves are scheduled to host two dual matches and will compete in at least eight events, culminating in the AVCA National Championships at the end of April.

The Waves open the season on March 16-18, when they face Long Beach State, Florida State and host school USC in Santa Monica, Calif. at the Annenberg Community Beach House.

The opening week of play continues with a dual match against the 49ers in Long Beach on March 21 at 2 p.m.

Pepperdine concludes the month of March on the road, with a trio of duals hosted by the College of Charleston in South Carolina. On March 23, the Waves play Alabama-Birmingham followed by a March 24 contest versus the hosting Cougars. On the final day, March 25, Pepperdine takes on Mercer.

“With just four California schools sponsoring sand volleyball this season (others being USC, Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount), Pepperdine has made a commitment to allow us to travel and play in various tournaments in order to see the different competition around the country,” explained Matthies, who will be assisted by Marcio Sicoli.

The Waves host the first of two home events on Thursday, April 5 at noon, once again playing Long Beach State. A rematch with the Trojans is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 7.

Zuma Beach, on the south end near tower two, is where the Pepperdine sand volleyball team will call home in 2012.

The annual USA Volleyball Collegiate Challenge is next on the Waves’ slate, and will be held on Hermosa Beach on April 14-15.

Last season, Pepperdine won the team cup competition after going one-two in the individual standings. Caitlin Racich (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS) and Kim Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) took first place overall, defeating fellow Waves Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS) and Emily Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif./Murrieta Valley HS) in the championship match.

Various formats of competition will be tested throughout the season in order to see what the best fit for collegiate sand volleyball is. One such format will be a team dual match. Dual matches will be a contest for the best-of-five team points. Ten two-person teams, five from each school, will battle head-to-head, with each match worth one point. The overall dual match is decided when one team secures three points.

 

Similar to collegiate tennis, which features both team and individual singles and doubles competitions, sand volleyball will also play in individual tournaments. Doubles pairs will be placed in brackets and compete in a single elimination tournament until an overall winner is crowned.

 

“There will be a lot of trial and error this season,” explained Matthies, who is a legend in the sport in her own right. In 139 career starts on the beach, she won 43 titles and earned 93 podium finishes.  She was inducted into Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2004. “It’s been a tremendous amount of work, but I’m excited to be a part of this from the very beginning.”

 

The season concludes with the AVCA National Championship on April 27-29 in Gulf Shores, Ala.  As an emerging sport, the NCAA is not sponsoring a sand volleyball national championship in 2012. The competition will consist of both a team championship, which will include the top four NCAA women's sand teams, and a pairs championship, which will consist of the top-16 collegiate doubles teams.  Invitations to participate will be based on 2012 season results and tournament selections will be made by a committee.

Fourteen members of the Waves’ 2011 indoor squad, who reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, in addition to Racich and Summer Ross (Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad Seaside Academy), make up the 2012 Pepperdine sand volleyball roster.

Ross transferred to Pepperdine from Washington in January and is largely considered one of the best junior sand players in the world having won the FIVB Youth and Junior World Championship in 2010.  She subsequently became the first junior athlete to be named USA Volleyball Beach Female Athlete of the Year.

Racich, who was a member of the indoor team as a freshman and sophomore, became the Waves’ first scholarship recipient for sand volleyball last fall.

###

 

BYU Women's Volleyball Starts Spring Practice

 

 

BYU Women's Volleyball Starts Spring Practice

 

PROVO, Utah—The BYU women’s volleyball team started spring practice Thursday in preparation for four off-season events and a foreign tour this summer.

With only three seniors lost from the 2011 season, the Cougars (21-9 overall, 10-6 WCC in 2011) look forward to building on the success they found in their WCC debut.

“We have good numbers,” Shawn Olmstead said. “We like who we have in the gym. We’re excited for what we’re building towards. We’re trying to better what we had last year and fine-tune other things.”

The team kicks off spring competition with a match at Utah Valley University on March 9 at 2 p.m. Last year the Wolverines finished regular season Great West Conference champions. The team was on its way to capturing the conference tournament as well, but fell in the GWC tournament final to North Dakota. UVU ended the season 23-9 (9-1 GWC), an all-time school best.

BYU follows up with a home match against rival Utah March 23 at 3 p.m. The Cougars then head to Salt Lake City for a tournament at Utah March 31, which begins at 9 a.m. The Utes finished their season ninth in the Pac-12 with an 11-22 overall record and 6-16 conference record.

For the Cougars’ final spring matchup they face UVU once more, this time on Elaine Michaelis Court April 6 at 2 p.m.

To cap off the spring season, BYU will head to South America for matchups in Brazil and Argentina.

Sycamore Volleyball Players Reflect On USA National Team Tryout Experience

 

 

Sycamore Volleyball Players Reflect On USA National Team Tryout Experience

 

Four Sycamores Share Reflections Of Competing

At U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Open Tryouts

 

TERRE HAUTE, IND.  – Four members of the Indiana State volleyball team competed for a roster spot on the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team and the USA Women’s Senior A2 Teams during Open Tryouts Feb. 10-12 at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

 

Junior outside hitter Morgan Dall made her second trip to the Open Tryouts and was joined by junior middle blocker/opposite Shea Doran, sophomore outside hitter/libero Monique Morris, and sophomore setter Loni Mackinson.

 

Each of the Sycamores wrote about their experience at the elite competition.

 

MORGAN DALL – Outside Hitter

 

The USA Open tryouts were a great experience. Being coached by Coach Karch, a gold medal Olympian, was a really cool experience. He specifically helped me with my passing and explained certain concepts to me better. All of the coaches were really nice and created a very comfortable environment that was fun and easy to play in.

 

It was competitive but very relaxed at the same time. It was extremely interesting to play with so many talented players from schools across the country and see how we measured up against them.

 

Being able to sleep, walk, and eat where Olympians train daily was such an amazing feeling. We stayed in a dorm-like building with all of the other girls trying out, so we were able to meet lots of girls from all over.

 

Since this was my second year in a row going, I felt much more comfortable about it all. I feel like I got a lot more out of this trip this time around because the first time I was really nervous and I didn’t know as many players as I did this year. It was really cool going back and knowing the girls from last year.

 

I was so happy I was able to share this experience with my teammates and made memories alongside of them. This was an experience that I will never forget and loved every minute of it. I feel as if we are all taking a lot out of this trip.

 

We are bringing back some things to throw on the table for our entire team, not just ourselves. I feel that there are things we learned there that could benefit everyone and make us a stronger team. We need to work on our consistency on all levels. Once we are able to raise our constancy level, I think we’ll see an improvement in all of our stats and results.

 

SHEA DORAN – Opposite

 

Being able to go and represent Indiana State and our volleyball program in the National Women’s Open Tryout was an honor. Not only did I have an amazing time with my teammates and make memories that I will never forget, but I also learned so much. I learned a lot about passing and serving, and saw what techniques the Olympic team uses.

 

Playing side by side along some of the nations’ best players, wasn’t as intimidating as I thought it would be. I realized that these girls’ talent levels aren’t what sets them apart from us. Yes, they are very talented players, but what makes them so good is their consistency. They are able to make good, solid plays almost every time. Then when you put six of those consistent players on the court at the same time, that’s when they become a great team.

 

Training at the Olympic training center where actual Olympians train daily, was surreal. We even saw Michael Phelps on our last day in the cafeteria, which was a fun bonus.

 

Coming back from this experience, I feel like I’m bringing a lot back to my team. Not only am I a much more confident player, but I felt as if I saw what it takes in order for our team to improve and start competing with these teams. And it’s simpler than I thought. We all need to focus individually on getting more consistent at the simple things and then we can start to put it all together. I am so happy that I was able to go and experience this.

 

MONIQUE MORRIS – Libero

 

My experience in going to the USA tryouts was a memorable one.  Going into it I was quite nervous and non-confident, considering the fact I was going to be going up against what I thought was some huge competition. 

 

Going with Shea, Loni and Morgan definitely helped the matter though.  It was comforting to have them there, even though I was going into the tryout as a libero, apart from all of them.  Upon arrival, seeing the girls was another intimidating factor.  Even just seeing the schools they came from, for instance almost the whole UCLA team was there. 

 

Big schools from all over came to this tryout, and I knew all the libero’s had a lot more experience than I had.  At the first session, after the first half hour, my nerves relaxed.  I realized I was not as far behind in experience as I thought.  No one in particular stood at to me as “amazing”.  I came to the conclusion that all the teams that people look up to and watch on TV, aren’t what you think. 

 

By Sunday, I realized that it wasn’t the individuals that made the team great; it was how the team worked together, even in specific just seeing team chemistry.  At best, they were good players, who worked very well together.  That’s what made their team great.  We could be just the same. 

 

Another thing to point out was the food.  The food was not only healthy but extremely good.  It helped me notice that athletes need to take care of their bodies and recognize what they eat.  I felt throughout the whole weekend that I had a lot of energy, probably due to the fact that I was eating healthier.  

 

LONI MACKINSON – Setter

 

Going to Colorado Springs this past weekend was definitely one of the best experiences of my life so far. It meant a lot to me to have the opportunity to play with the best of the best in the current volleyball world, and to have the chance to make a USA team. Not everyone is given the chance to make those teams, and I am so grateful that I could go and make this opportunity the best I was able to.

 

Volleyball is a big part of everyone’s life on our team, and to see how other girls in the volleyball world cope with such a big part of their life is awesome to see. It also meant a lot to me to be able to learn from Olympic coaches and understand their perspective on the game.

 

I certainly learned a lot about not only the game, but also myself and what I need to work on. I also learned a lot about team work and how our team could be 50 times better. Throughout the weekend, Karch Kiraly would continually say “Do what makes others around you better”. This quote, to me, is all pertaining to teamwork, which is what I believe our team could be better at. If the teamwork on our team was higher, I honestly believe our team could be unstoppable and compete for the top spot in our conference.

 

What makes me so confident in how good our team could be is by the evidence I saw this weekend. For example, everyone knows UCLA is the national champions, and so they are good when they are all on the same side of the net. When I came into tryouts the first day and everyone was randomly placed on different sides of the net, I was expecting the individual UCLA girls on my team to be amazingly good.

 

However, their performance was not as I expected it to be. Sure, they were hitting the balls extremely hard and having good placement, but when the UCLA girls are split up and forced to become an individual on the court again and find a new team identity, they look just like everyone else, but with a bit more consistency.

 

As soon as I realized this, I was thinking to myself how much better our team would be if we had more teamwork and were playing not to make ourselves look better, but our teammates instead. Coach Dahl continually tells us that teamwork is what is going to win games, but to actually see this theory in action and have first-hand evidence is what makes me believe it that much more.

 

I am truly, truly grateful and so thankful that I had this opportunity to make the USA team, and I feel like it gave me a different and more appropriate perspective of the game!

 

Purdue Volleyball: NCAA Volleyball Sweet 16 Press Conference

 

 

Purdue Volleyball: NCAA Volleyball Sweet 16 Press Conference

 

Get the inside scoop on Purdue's thoughts entering the Sweet 16 in Minneapolis, Minn. as Boilermaker head coach Dave Shondell, senior Blair Bashen, sophomores Rachel Davis and freshman Kierra Jones talk about their outlook for this weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth Kuwata Resigns as University of Denver Head Volleyball Coach

Beth Kuwata Resigns as University of Denver Head Volleyball Coach

 

16-year veteran reassigned in DU Division of Athletics

 

DENVER – University of Denver head volleyball coach Beth Kuwata has resigned after 16 seasons, Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations Peg Bradley-Doppes announced Monday.

 

Kuwata, who guided the Pioneers to a 13-16 record in 2011, resigns as DU’s all-time winningest volleyball coach with a 254-237 (.517) record. Kuwata has been reassigned at DU and will work with DU’s development staff. A national search for Kuwata’s replacement will begin immediately.

 

“I want to thank all of the fantastic young women who I have had the opportunity and privilege to coach and mentor over the past 16 seasons,” Kuwata said. “Through their hard work, dedication and passion, we have been able to build a competitive volleyball program.

 

“During my time at DU I have enjoyed the support of many wonderful and talented people. I have learned much from my assistant coaches, support staff, administrators and coaching peers, and it is these relationships and the relationships with my past and present players that I will always cherish.”

 

Kuwata took over the DU volleyball program in 1996 and managed its progression from the Division II level to NCAA Division I and a perennial Sun Belt Conference Tournament participant. The Pioneers captured four SBC West Division titles (2000, 2005, 2007, 2008) under Kuwata’s tutelage and made 11 consecutive appearances in the SBC Tournament.

 

She placed 20 players on the SBC’s All-Conference teams, including the unanimous selections of setter Clarice Golesh-Burch in 2000, Freshman of the Year Lisa Hunter in 2003 and Defensive Player of the Year Kacie Wikierak in 2007.

 

Kuwata also fostered excellence in the classroom, as the Pioneers won the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Team Academic Award in each of the last 11 seasons.

Along with her two seasons as head coach at Wyoming, Kuwata has compiled a career record of 281-270 (.510) in 18 years of coaching.

 

“Although, I have enjoyed my role as Head Volleyball Coach tremendously, I am thrilled with the new opportunity to be involved in DU athletics in a new capacity,” Kuwata added. “I look forward to using my passion for the University of Denver to help continue to grow our division. Go Pioneers!”

 

As a student-athlete for the Pioneers from 1984-87, Kuwata was selected as the team’s most valuable player four times, was named to the All-Continental Divide Conference first team three consecutive seasons, and was named CDC player of the week once. She ranks as the Pioneers’ all-time leader in service aces (192), sixth in career assists (2,850), and 10th in digs per set (2.94) and attack percentage (.233).

Texas State tops UTSA for Southland Conference Tournament Championship

Texas State tops UTSA for Southland Conference Tournament Championship

 

 

 

CONWAY, Ark. - Texas State built a 2-0 deficit that proved to be too much for UTSA and the Bobcats won 25-20, 25-22, 16-25, 25-17 in the Southland Conference Tournament Championship Match on Sunday afternoon at the Farris Center.

The Roadrunners (22-11) won the third set to extend the contest, but the Bobcats (27-7) used a complete effort in the fourth to gain the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship.

Sophomore McKenzie Adams, who was named to the all-tournament team, registered a match-high 17 kills for UTSA, which was held to a .182 hitting percentage.

Adams was joined on the squad by senior Kelsey Jewasko, who tallied 17 saves and became the program's all-time digs leader (2,280).


Texas State received 12 winners from Amari Deardorff and a double-double from Caleigh McCorquodale, who recorded 40 assists and 14 digs.

 

Adams posted five kills, but the Roadrunners were limited to a .120 hitting percentage as Texas State claimed the opening frame.

The Bobcats jumped out to a 12-5 lead but UTSA answered with a 12-6 run, capped off by a winner from Adams, to pull within one (18-17). However, Texas State pushed the lead back to six points (24-18) and held off the Birds for a five-point win.

UTSA improved its offensive performance in the second set to a .237 clip, but the Bobcats' steady attack pushed their lead to 2-0. Adams racked up six more kills for the Roadrunners in a panel that featured 11 ties and four lead changes.

The Birds pulled out to a 7-3 advantage but Texas State managed to pull even with a 6-2 spurt. From there, the stanza remained close with neither squad leading by more than three.

Junior Whitney Walls gave UTSA a 22-21 lead with a cross-court winner, but the Bobcats tied up the set after Jewasko's serve went into the net. Following a kill by Melissa Toth and an attack error by Walls, Texas State's Ashlee Hilbun gave the top seed a 2-0 lead with a well-placed tip.

UTSA rebounded with a nine-point win in the third frame by holding the Bobcats to a negative .059 hitting percentage.

Texas State took a 1-0 lead but back-to-back kills by Walls gave the Roadrunners the lead for good.

With the fourth set tied at 11-all, the Bobcats reeled off a 4-0 spurt that pushed the game out of reach. UTSA could only cut the lead to two before Texas State pulled away to claim the victory.

Juniors Brittney Malloy and Walls each netted 11 kills for the Birds while redshirt junior Kelsey Schwirtlich tallied a match-high 46 assists.

NCAA Women's Volleyball: NIU Huskies Fall in Five Sets to Central Michigan in MAC Championship

NCAA Women's Volleyball: NIU Huskies Fall in Five Sets to Central Michigan in MAC Championship

 

 

 

Huskies Fall in Five Sets to Central Michigan in MAC Championship

 

NIU comes up just short in second straight title appearance

 

GENEVA, Ohio - Trailing 2-0 to No. 6 seed Central Michigan and out of rhythm, the No. 1 seeded Northern Illinois volleyball team nearly dug itself completely out of a hole as the Huskies fell four points shy of winning the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship in five sets (21-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-23, 11-15).

 

“I want to first say congratulations to Central Michigan,” said NIU Head Coach Ray Gooden.  “They were probably the best team here this weekend, and they showed it today.  We had a dogfight against them.  For the first time in a while we came in pretty tight.  The things we take pride in -- serving and passing -- weren’t quite as crisp as we needed it to be today.  But I give credit to Central for the pressure the put on us.”

 

Last season, NIU (27-6) was swept in the title match by Ohio and looked as if the unthinkable would happen again.  But The Huskies loosened up after a tight and uncharacteristically sloppy first two sets that saw NIU have 13 hitting errors, four receiving errors, and a combined .227 hitting percentage.  Meanwhile, CMU (18-12) chalked up a 7-2 blocking edge and hit .321 in the first two stanzas.

 

Down 13-9 in the third set and staring a sweep in the face, the Huskies rallied out of a timeout with two straight kills from second team All-MAC selection Allison McGlaughlin (Morton, Ill./Morton) and two-time reigning MAC Player of the Year Lauren Wicinski (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) that jump started an 11-4 run that put NIU ahead 20-17.  With momentum starting to shift NIU’s way the Huskies closed out the set to force the fourth set after a tip from Wicinski beat CMU’s block. 

 

With CMU noticeably tight and not playing with the same energy, NIU jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the fourth set after McGlaughlin hammered down an overpass.  Later in the set, CMU recovered and made a push for a 19-15 edge.  Needing someone to respond, second team All-MAC selection Sarah Angelos (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) scored NIU’s next three points to close the gap to 21-19.  After a CMU block, three straight Chippewa errors tied the set at 22. 

 

        

 

Out of a CMU timeout, first team All-MAC selection Mary Kursich (La Crosse, Wis./West Salem) and MacKenzie Roddy (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) teamed up for a huge block to put the Huskies up 23-22.  Following a CMU kill, Wicinski took over with a kill and an untouched ace to force the fifth and match-deciding set. 

 

In the fifth, a Wicinski tip gave NIU a 2-1 lead.  The teams then exchanged points until CMU scored two straight to grab an 8-7 advantage at the turn.  The first two plays after the switch changed all the momentum as Angelos misfired on a shot and Kurisch was blocked.  Down 10-7, the Huskies called timeout to regroup but just couldn’t get anything going after that. 

 

Handing NIU its first loss since Sept. 30^th at Ball State and ending a 15-match winning streak, the Chippewas outhit NIU .321-.216 and were stout at the net with a 13-4 blocking advantage.

 

Three Huskies reached double figures in kills, led by Wicinski’s 20.  McGlaughlin notched 17, tying a season high, and hit .316.  Angelos tallied 14 and a .333 attack percentage.  First team All-MAC selection Kristin Hoffman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) racked up 62 assists.

 

Defensively, Amber Walker (Juneau, Alaska/Juneau Douglas/Western Oregon) led NIU with 17 digs.  McGlaughlin and Wicinski had 12 apiece.

 

For the outstanding efforts in the tournament, Hoffman and Wicinski were named to the all-tournament team, NIU’s first such selections since 2001.

 

“For what we have done up until this point, this loss is going to be very difficult for our group,” Gooden said.  “This season has been amazing and I’m proud of our group.

 

“We play Marquette next weekend in a pretty critical match.  Then we have the NCAA selection show Sunday.  We hope to be one of the top 64.  We feel we have a pretty good body of work and hope the selection committee feels the same.  It’s been an amazing season.  I’m really proud to be a Huskie and so is our team.”

 

Next up for the Huskies is a 4 PM CT tilt with Marquette at Victor E. Court on Saturday, Nov. 26, as they hope for an NCAA Tournament appearance.  Tune into ESPNU on Sunday, Nov. 27, at 5 PM CT for the NCAA selection show to see if the Huskies make the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

 

NIU Head Coach Ray Gooden's postmatch interview: http://youtu.be/62mye8VeTXA

 

Arizona State Sun Devils Volleyball Bested By No. 2 UCLA, 3-0

Arizona State Sun Devils Volleyball Bested By No. 2 UCLA, 3-0

 

 

 

Sun Devils head to Tucson Nov. 22 for Territorial Cup match

LOS ANGELES – Erica Wilson’s 10 kills and .714 attack percentage led the Arizona State volleyball’s offense, but it was not enough as the Sun Devils were topped by UCLA 3-0 with set scores of 25-23, 25-19, 29-27.

ASU is 8-21 overall and 4-16 in conference action while UCLA improves to 24-5 and 17-4 in the Pac-12 with the win.

Nora Tuioti-Mariner also chipped in 10 kills and Sonja Markanovich had seven of her own for a second-best attack percentage on the day at .385.

In the opening frame, Ashley Kastl recorded six kills as a pair came back-to-back from Shannan McCready at the 23-22 mark to put ASU back into the game after starting the set down 17-9.

Arizona State stayed within reach of the Bruins, having 15 kills to their 14, but five key blocks were enough for UCLA to take the set 25-23.

 

 

 

 

 

ASU shook off the rocky start of the first set when it led the second stanza to the 7-7 point. Fromthere the Bruins held a steady two-point lead to force the Sun Devils into a timeout at 19-16. UCLA continued its run to head into the break up 2-0 after taking the second set 25-19.

With 12 ties, the Sun Devils did not shy away in the final set of the match. Hitting at a .217 clip as ateam, ASU tied it at 10-all, then went on a five-point run for its biggest lead of the day at five.

Not to be outdone, UCLA battled back to take a lead at 22-20. The drama of the final set was not finished as ASU tied it three more times before the Bruins forced the finaltwo-point surge to capture the match with a set score of 29-27.

The Sun Devils stay on the road for the Territorial Cup match against Arizona on Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. (MT). For more information on the Territorial Cup click follow here:
http://www.territorialcupseries.com/

Oregon State: Shaw Posts Career Match, but Beavers Fall in Four to No. 5 Cardinal

Oregon State: Shaw Posts Career Match, but Beavers Fall in Four to No. 5 Cardinal

 

 

 

Stanford, Calif. – Senior Dre Shaw (Wailuku, Hawai’i) hit .352 for a career-high 24 kills but the Oregon State volleyball team (15-15, 7-13 Pac-12) fell in four (19-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-25) to the No. 5 Stanford Cardinal (21-6, 15-6 Pac-12) on Sunday afternoon in Maples Pavilion.

 

“We really competed hard against [Stanford],” head coach Taras Liskevych said. “But, we kind of let our focus go in the fourth set. We were ahead 7-3, and we really just let them get back into that set. on some untimely errors on our side of the net.

 

We attacked well throughout the match, other than in that fourth set. And Corinna Mommert had a really good performance off the bench, coming in as an outside hitter and had a really good serving match. Also, Dre Shaw hit really well today. Now we’ve just got to be ready for the Ducks on Tuesday.”

 

Freshman Arica Nassar (Menifee, Calif.) backed up Shaw with her 11 kills effort, also recording four blocks – two solo.

 

 

 

Defensively, sophomore Becky Defoe (Bend, Ore.) led four players with double-figure digs numbers with a match-high 19, while junior Megan McBride (Auburn, Wash.) posted a double-double effort with 36 assists and 17 digs. Shaw recorded 15 digs, and junior Camille Saxton (Balzac, Alberta) notched 11 digs.

 

Junior Ashley Eneliko (Seattle, Wash.) earned five blocks, two solo, of the teams 10.0 total with redshirt Allie Rogers (Eugene, Ore.) rounding out the team’s top three blockers with four block assists.

 

The Cardinal was led by Rachel Williams’ double-double with 21 kills and 13 digs.

 

Oregon State returns home next for the first match of the Civil War Series, presented by PacificSource Health Plans and Northwest Ford Dealers, against No. 15 Oregon on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in Gill Coliseum.

 

Oregon State Notes – Senior Dre Shaw killed a career-high 24 balls on a best 54 swings; Earning a double-double with 24 kills and 15 digs … Junior Megan McBride earned her 10^th double-double of the season, 15^th career, with 36 assists and 17 digs … Oregon State’s 58 kills, 52 assists and 71.0 points are the most this season in a four-set match.

 

Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund. For more information follow this link or call 541-737-2370. Former student-athletes are invited to join the Varsity O Facebook Page for upcoming Alumni events.

 

Tournament Champs! Texas State Ousts UTSA For Seventh SLC Tournament Title

Tournament Champs! Texas State Ousts UTSA For Seventh SLC Tournament Title

 

 

 

 

 

 

Texas State advances to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in the program’s history

 

Conway, Ark. – For the eighth time in Texas State volleyball history, the Bobcats will be heading to the NCAA Tournament after defeating UTSA, 3-1, in the Southland Conference Tournament championship match to claim the team’s seventh tournament title in the program’s history.

 

The No. 1 seed Bobcats (27-7) won the tournament championship after taking home the regular season title last week, marking the fourth time in the program’s history that the Bobcats have won both conference and tournament championships in the same season.

 

Senior Amber Calhoun was named the MVP of the tournament, while junior Caleigh McCorquodale and sophomore Ashlee Hilbun each earned all-tournament team honors as the Bobcats put an end to the Roadrunners’ season.

 

“It was an all-around team effort,” Chisum said. “Our defense kept us around all game. UTSA is a really good team and it’s a shame that someone had to lose, but I felt that we were the better team today.”

 

 

 

On Sunday, Texas State led the entire first set and fended off a UTSA rally before closing out the period with a 25-20 victory. The second set saw UTSA in front and in control for the majority before the Bobcats went on a late run to secure a 25-22 win and 2-0 advantage heading into intermission.

 

The third set was all UTSA from the outset as the Roadrunners delayed the inevitable with a 25-16 victory in the third set, but Texas State refocused in the fourth set to win going away, 25-17, after a kill from senior Lindy DeGeare gave the Bobcats a tournament championship in their final season in the Southland Conference.

 

 “In our huddles, we just kept saying that we have to play one point and a time,” Chisum said. “We never lost our cool.”

 

Calhoun, the 2011 Southland Conference Player of the Year, capped a phenomenal tournament with another standout match on Sunday. Calhoun put 11 of her 20 attempts down for kills offensively for a match-high .450 hitting percentage while also posting a match-high eight blocks on the defensive side of the net.

 

With her performance, Calhoun improved her career hitting percentage to .330, just .001 behind the Texas State record. She also moved into second in career total blocks (396) at Texas State and bettered her career block assists record to 324 for her career.

 

McCorquodale made it nine straight matches with a double-double after she handed out 40 assists to go along with a team-high 14 digs. She also added a career-high five blocks (one solo, four assists) on the afternoon.

 

After posting a career high for kills on Friday and a career high for blocks on Saturday, Hilbun flashed more of her skills on Sunday as she had 11 kills, a .346 hitting percentage and 11 digs for second double-double this season.

 

 

 

The Bobcats also received solid performances from sophomore Amari Deardorff, who led the team with 12 kills, and senior Rachel Doyle, who tallied 13 digs along with a number of great passes from UTSA serves.

 

Texas State now awaits its destination for the 2011 NCAA Tournament which will begin in two weeks. The Bobcats will host a viewing party for the NCAA Selection Show, which will take place at 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 27, in the Maroon & Gold Room in Strahan Coliseum.

 

Check back to www.TxStateBobcats.com for additional coverage and more information coming soon.

 

Missouri Valley Conference: Sycamore Volleyball To Meet Wichita State In Opening Round

Missouri Valley Conference: Sycamore Volleyball To Meet Wichita State In Opening Round

 

Indiana State, Wichita State To Meet In Tournament First Round

 

Sycamores open tournament action at 6 p.m. (ET) on Thanksgiving Day 

 

TERRE HAUTE, IND. – The Indiana State Sycamores will continue their remarkable season this week as they end a seven year drought by playing in the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament this week in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Indiana State is the sixth seed and will play third seeded Wichita State at 5 p.m. Thursday in the quarterfinals.

 

Indiana State, 14-16 overall, closed out the regular season with a close, hard-fought loss at home to Wichita State (19-9) Saturday night. The Sycamores did have six Valley wins heading into this past weekend’s action which were good enough to earn them the sixth seed in the upcoming tournament.

 

After another competitive regular-season slate, the 2011 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Championship field is set as tournament seeds came down to Saturday’s final matches of the regular-season.  UNI had already locked up the No. 1 seed entering this weekend’s matches, but the Panthers completed their third straight perfect MVC regular-season with a 3-0 win at Southern Illinois. 

 

Missouri State, which had already clinched the No. 2 seed, came back from two sets down to top Illinois State (No. 5 seed).  Wichita State was a 3-0 winner over Indiana State (No. 6 seed), making the Shockers the No. 3 seed, while Creighton took down Drake to lock up the No. 4 seed.  Evansville, a 3-1 winner over Bradley, spoiled the Braves chances at the final spot in next week’s tournament.

 

The State Farm MVC Volleyball Championship will get underway when No. 3 Wichita State takes on No. 6 Indiana State in the tournament opener on Thursday, Nov. 24, at 5:00 p.m., followed by No. 4 Creighton vs. No. 5 Illinois State at 7:30 p.m.  The game one winner between WSU/INS will take on No. 2 Missouri State on Friday evening at 5:00 p.m. in the first semifinal while the CU/ILS winner will face host and No. 1 UNI in the second semifinal at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. 

 

Semifinal winners will face off for the Missouri Valley Conference automatic berth into the NCAA Volleyball Championship on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 6:37 p.m.

 

Both opening round and semifinal matches are available on MVC Live - the league's video-streaming package, while the championship contest on Saturday will be televised live on Fox Sports Midwest at 6:37 p.m.

 

Final MVC Regular-Season Standings

No. 1 UNI (18-0 MVC)

No. 2 Missouri State (15-3 MVC)

No. 3 Wichita State (13-5 MVC)

No. 4 Creighton (12-6 MVC)

No. 5 Illinois State (9-9 MVC)

No. 6 Indiana State (6-12 MVC)

 

Thursday, Nov. 24

5 p.m. – No. 3 WSU vs. No. 6 INS

7:30 p.m. – No. 4 CU vs. No. 5 ILS

 

Friday, Nov. 25

5 p.m. – No. 2 Missouri State vs. Winner of WSU/INS

7:30 p.m. – No. 1 UNI vs. Winner of CU/ILS

Saturday, Nov. 26

6:37 p.m. – Championship Match

 

Phil Bush: SEC “The Rotation” Volleyball Blog with Phil Bush

 

Phil Bush: SEC “The Rotation” Volleyball Blog with Phil Bush

 

By: Phil Bush
SEC Digital Network Volleyball Insider

Phil Bush is an SEC volleyball analyst for SportSouth and Comcast Sports South and writes this weekly column for the SEC Digital Network.

ATLANTA - It was another very competitive week in the Southeastern Conference.

And look at the team records from just the weekend:

·         Florida 2-0
·         Tennessee 1-0
·         Kentucky 1-0
·         LSU 1-0

Not surprising that this turned out this way. All are the teams that are traditionally at the top of their game, but it was NOT easy.  See below:

·         Auburn 0-2 – Lost to LSU in four, and then had to take on the Razorbacks of Arkansas, who were smarting from a loss to the Georgia Bulldogs. It was a hard time for the Tigers, but they fought like crazy. 
·         Alabama 0-2 – The Tide had to play the Gators and then the suffered the dreaded “Gator Hangover” and played South Carolina in three VERY close sets, one of them losing 26-28.
·         Georgia 1-1 – Two five-set matches at home against two teams bound for the NCAA Tourney in Athens: LSU won in five and Arkansas lost in five.  A VERY good situation for the Bulldogs as they build for the future.
·         Arkansas 1-1 – Tough weekend, but the young Razorbacks kept fighting on the road.
·         Ole Miss 1-1 – Went on the road and played at the top of their game on Friday against the Gamecocks, but had to then face the Gators at home.  If the Rebels had been a little more consistent and healthy, I think they would be right in the mix for the NCAA Tourney.
·         South Carolina 1-1 – A tough loss on Friday but then the Gamecocks battle back to even the season series with the Crimson Tide of Alabama.  That’s right 1-1
·         Miss State 0-2 – Yes they lost, but they had Kentucky, which wanted revenge from losing in Starkville, and then the Bulldogs took the Lady Vols to four Sets. These Bulldogs may not have a great record, but they have been VERY competitive in many matches. They were 1-1 against the Wildcats!

The number of close, competitive sets and matches indicates where the SEC is going.  There are very few “easy” matches in this conference, and that is why, at the end of the season, five SEC Teams should go to NCAA Tourney.  The RPI might not indicate such, but anyone who has been watching the SEC for a while can look at these scores below and know that this conference is going to really come on strong during postseason play.

Last weekend scores – Home Team in Bold

Friday Matches

Auburn lost to LSU 26-28, 35-33, 25-27, 23-25
Florida def. Alabama 25-16, 25-12, 25-21
Georgia def. Arkansas 25-15, 23-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-12
Kentucky def. Mississippi State 25-19, 25-22, 25-20
Ole Miss def. South Carolina 25-18, 25-14, 25-21

Sunday Matches

Auburn lost to Arkansas 20-25, 18-25, 19-25
Florida def. Ole Miss 25-13, 25-22, 25-10
Georgia lost to LSU 25-20, 17-25, 16-25, 25-21, 16-18
South Carolina def. Alabama 25-14, 28-26, 25-22
Tennessee def. Mississippi State 25-22, 23-25, 25-16, 25-14

Standings

SEC East:

                            SEC                 All
Tennessee      14-1                  22-3     
Kentucky          13-2                   22-4     
Florida              12-3                  19-5    
Georgia            6-10                 10-16   
USC                  3-12                 12-13

SEC West
                      
                          SEC                 All
LSU                  10-5                 17-8

Arkansas         9-6                   17-9

Miss State       5-11                 10-15
Ole Miss          5-10                 9-15

Alabama          4-12                 11-16
Auburn            4-12                 12-16

Why at these records in italics?  Because they are not that bad!  I am sure all of these coaches want the teams to be better and they are working on it all the time.  I am confident that teams will continue to climb up both in the SEC and in the national RPI in the future.  It may take some time, but with addition of two former Big 12 Schools in Texas A&M and Missouri to the SEC fold, the competition will keep getting better.

The teams in bold I believe are in the Tourney right now!

Most interesting matchups of the week:

Friday, November 11

·         Florida vs. LSU (Baton Rouge, La.) 7:00 p.m. CT – No such thing as an easy time on the road, and LSU will be waiting trying to solidify their standing at the expense of the Gators.  The PMAC will be rocking.  At least four sets here, if not all five
·         Georgia vs. Mississippi State (Athens, Ga.) 7:00 p.m. ET – Look for a touch match-up here.  Georgia pushing for .500 in conference, and Mississippi State pushing to get closer to the top of the SEC West. Another five-setter.
·         Ole Miss vs. Tennessee (Oxford, Miss.) 7:00 p.m. CT – Ole Miss, if they can play the way they played last week is going to be handful on their home floor.  Wells, Craven, Thomas bring a lot.  Not that Tennessee will be intimidated, but I see this going at least four sets

Sunday, November 13

·         Arkansas vs. Florida (Fayetteville, Ark.)(CST) 1:00 p.m. CT – Arkansas will try to beat the Gators, but Florida will be pushing hard to play their best volleyball in the late part of the season.  Going at least four.
·         Auburn vs. Mississippi State (Auburn, Ala.)(SPSO) 1:00 p.m. CT I will be doing this match on Sports South.  Two teams that may look a different to each other very different to each out other than last time they played.  Should go five.
·         Kentucky vs. Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.) 1:30 p.m. CT A very tough for Ole Miss to have two top-25 teams back-to-back.  But, they are tough at home, and I think Kentucky will have really bring it all to beat the Rebels

Next Week: The SEC vs. the Top 25 and vs. other Conferences!

Women's Volleyball: Kim Hill Named Pepperdine's First Ever Finalist for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award

Women's Volleyball: Kim Hill Named Pepperdine's First Ever Finalist for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award

 

Oct. 12, 2011

 

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Ten NCAA women’s volleyball student-athletes who excel both on and off the court were selected as finalists today for the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, including Pepperdine’s own Kim Hill. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.

 

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School^®, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. 

 

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in August. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner.

 

Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) is Pepperdine’s first ever top-10 finalist for the award. Miranda Ayim of women’s basketball and baseball’s Nick Gaudi both were honored as top-30 candidates during the 2009 season. 

 

Fans are encouraged to vote on either the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website or the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through November 21. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

 

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award winner during the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, which will be played December 15 and 17 in San Antonio, Texas.

 

Hill, a two-time AVCA All-American honorable mention, has continued to shine in 2011. She currently leads the Waves and ranks second in the West Coast Conference with a 3.71 kills/set average. The senior earned her second-consecutive WCC Player of the Week award on Oct. 3. Hill catapulted the Waves to a 3-2 victory over Saint Mary’s on Sept. 29 with a career-high 25 kills. The week prior, she averaged 3.67 kills/set versus both Portland and Gonzaga. She tallied a team-best 33 total kills in two matches, highlighted by her 10th kill of the contest versus Portland which counted as career kill #1,000.

 

Pepperdine (11-5, 5-0 WCC) plays at Santa Clara on Thursday, Oct. 13, before a road match at San Francisco on Saturday, Oct. 15.

 

Women’s Volleyball Finalists

Rachael Adams, Middle Blocker, Texas

Lane Carico, Outside Hitter, Miami (Fla.)

Kanani Danielson, Outside Hitter, Hawaii

Kaylie Gibson, Libero, North Carolina

Sarah Havel, Middle Blocker, College of Charleston

Kim Hill, Opposite Hitter, Pepperdine

Kelsey Jewasko, Libero, Texas-San Antonio

Kelly Murphy, Setter/Right Side, Florida

Tarah Murrey, Outside Hitter, California

Darlene Ramdin, Outside/Middle Hitter, St. John’s (NY)