Volleyball Voices

College Volleyball Player Awards: AVCA All-Midwest Region Team Volleyball Awards and Honors

Tulsa’s Henderson Named Regional Freshman of the Year; Three Tulsa University Volleyball Players Earn AVCA All-Midwest Region Honors

Henderson, Eichler named to all-region team, and Adams named honorable mention selection

 

TULSA, Okla. – Tyler Henderson was named Midwest Region Freshman of the Year, and two other University of Tulsa volleyball players – Jennifer Eichler and Jessica Adams – were named to the America Volleyball Coaches Association All-Midwest Region team, the AVCA announced Wednesday.

 

Henderson, the 2009 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, and Eichler, the 2009 C-USA Player of the Year, were named to the all-region team, while Adams, a second-team All-C-USA selection, was an honorable mention all-region selection. The trio helped lead the Golden Hurricane to a 26-7 overall record and 13-3 C-USA record in 2009, finishing second in the league and reaching the C-USA Championship finals.

 

Henderson this season became just the second player in Tulsa history to record more than 500 kills in a single season, setting the school freshman record for kills in a season. She ranks 10^th in the NCAA in kills per set with 4.62, and 22^nd in points per set with 4.89. She led C-USA in total kills with 554, kills per set, total points with 587.0, and ranked second in points per set. She was the only C-USA player to earn the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week award four times this season. Overall, Henderson totaled 554 kills (4.62 k/s), hit a .286 attack percentage, and tallied 66 digs, 53 total blocks and 587.0 points. She stepped up her game against the stiffest competition – against AVCA regionally ranked opponents from all regions, she totaled 223 kills (5.44 k/s), 28 digs, 20 blocks, and totaled 253 points (5.73 per set).

 

“Tyler continues to prove to be one of the best players in Conference USA,” Tulsa Head Coach Ed Allen said. “We expect this to be one of many awards she will receive over the next few years. She has worked very hard to get where she is, and we expect her to develop into one of the best players in the country.”

 

Eichler earned her first all-region accolades as a senior and in her second year at the Division I level. She played every rotation for the first time in her college career, and finished the season as one of the best players in Conference USA. She ranked second in the league in total kills, fourth in kills per set and third in points per set. She recorded 400 kills in each of her two seasons at TU, totaling 866 kills. This season Eichler totaled 466 kills, 3.80 kills per set, a .283 attack percentage, 22 service aces, 299 digs (2.47 dig/s), 86 total blocks and 528.0 points. In matches against AVCA regionally ranked opponents, she totaled 164 kills (4.00 k/s), six aces, 121 digs (2.95 dig/s), 28 total blocks and 186.5 points (4.55 points/s).

 

“We are very pleased for Jen,” said Allen. “She has given a great deal to this program in a short amount of time. She was asked to do things this season to help the program that she has never been asked to do.”

 

Adams, a freshman, played in all 121 sets this season as the libero, and finished the season ranked 17^th in the NCAA, averaging 5.25 digs per set. She also ranked second in C-USA in total digs, 635, and digs per set. She became just the second player in school history to record 600 digs in a single season, setting the school freshman record for digs. Adams also added 29 assists and 18 service aces. Against AVCA regionally ranked opponents, she totaled 244 digs, averaging 5.95 digs per set.

 

“We are excited for Jess,” Allen said. “We believe her to be one of the best liberos in the league. If she continues to improve, she can continue to be one of the best liberos in the region.”

 

For all TU volleyball information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane. Become a fan of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane page on Facebook – search “Tulsa Golden Hurricane.”

College Volleyball Player Awards: AVCA All-Mideast Region Team Volleyball Awards and Honors

Katie Dull Named to the AVCA Mideast All-Region Team

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State women's volleyball outside hitter Katie Dull has been named to the 2009 AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Mideast All-Region Team the AVCA announced Jan. 9. The 14-member team was picked by a panel of coaches. The All-Region team members as well as honorable mention selections will be considered for All-America first, second or third team selections and will be announced Dec. 16. Dull, a 5-10 junior from Stow, Ohio, was an honorable mention selection in 2008. This season, she averaged team-highs of 4.65 points and 3.98 kills per set. Dull finished second in digs per set at 2.26 and was second in ace serves with 33 for a .26 per set average. She had a team-high 25 solo blocks and ranked third on the squad in blocks per set with a .61 average (52 assist blocks). Dull finished the 2009 season with double-figure kills in her last 33 matches. Ohio State finished the 2009 season with a 25-10 overall record and was tied for fourth in the Big Ten Conference with a 12-8 mark. The Buckeyes were an at-large selection to the NCAA Championship and advanced to the second round. Mideast Region Ashley Benson, Indiana University, MB, Jr. Blair Brown**, Penn State University, RS/Opp., Jr. Laura DeBruler**, University of Illinois, OH, Jr. Katie Dull, The Ohio State University, OH, Jr. Lauren Gibbemeyer**, University of Minnesota, MB, Jr. Alisha Glass***, Penn State University, S, Sr. Ellen Herman**, Ohio University, OH, Sr. Megan Hodge****, Penn State University, OH, Sr. Sabel Moffett, Northwestern University, MB, Jr. Kate Nobilio, Northwestern University, DS/Lib., Sr. Juliana Paz, University of Michigan, OH, Sr., Christine Tan**, University of Minnesota, DS/Lib., Sr. Arielle Wilson**, Penn State University, MB, Jr. Lexi Zimmerman***, University of Michigan, S, Jr. Region Freshman of the Year: Darcy Dorton, Penn State, OH Honorable Mention:  Kyndra Abron, Michigan State, OH, So.  Johannah Bangert, Illinois, MB, Jr. Michelle Barstch, Illinois, RS/Opp., So.  Taylor Carico, Minnesota, S, Sr. Darcy Dorton, Penn State, OH, Fr.  Hillary Haen, Illinois, S, Jr. * Denotes total number of years selected to AVCA Division I All-Region Team ##ohiostatebuckeyes.com##

NCAA Volleyball Tournament 2009 Playoffs Dec 11: Kentucky Volleyball Women Drop 3-2 Thriller to Florida State

Sauer sets single season digs record

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Another gritty comeback effort ended in a heartbreaker as the Kentucky volleyball team suffered a 3-2 (16-25, 26-24, 25-17, 19-25, 17-15) loss to Florida State in the round of 16 at the NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn. Senior BriAnne Sauer’s 23 digs propelled her to claim the single-season digs record in UK history in the loss.

Kentucky (29-5) suffered the heartbreaker after storming back to force a deciding fifth stanza. Kentucky’s tenacity also enabled the Blue and White to fight off four set points and a three-point deficit in the middle of the fifth frame.

UK had four players reach double-figures in the kill column led by juniors Sarah Mendoza with 19 and Lauren Rapp with a season-high 18 hammers. Junior Blaire Hiler eclipsed a career-best with 15 kills and sophomore Becky Pavan added 13. Kentucky used a .290 hitting clip in the match and accounted for 75 kills. Senior setter Sarah Rumely dished out a season-high 63 assists while Sauer led the defensive effort with 23 digs.

Mendoza registered her fifth straight double-double effort with the 19 kills and 14 digs. Rapp posted six blocks and sophomore Gretchen Giesler turned back four. Junior Laura Stokowski and freshman Stephanie Klefot picked up six digs each in the loss.

Rapp had the first point of the fifth set to give UK the early edge. Florida State responded quickly with a point of its own and the teams traded points back and forth until Florida State broke free for back to back kills to take a 6-4 lead. Florida State maintained its two point edge into the switch of benches with an 8-6 lead after the Seminoles earned a kill that rolled the length of the net and barely fell into the court of play on its eight point of the set.

Out of the break Rapp posted a kill to bring UK within one and then Florida State had another stroke of luck when a ball just graced the net and dropped in front of UK’s defense to take a 9-7 edge. Back-to-back kills enabled the Seminoles to take an 11-8 advantage forcing UK into a timeout. Kentucky fired back with consecutive kills from Mendoza and Hiler to pull to within one again at 11-10. This time Florida State opted for a timeout.

Florida State earned a rejection out of the timeout to once again earn a two-point lead at 12-10. Hiler came up with another huge kill and UK once again got to within one. A long defensive battle ended in a slam by Pavan to tie the score at 12 apiece. Florida State responded with a kill of its own to go ahead once again. Hiler’s answer tied the score at 13 as she found a seam deep in the backcourt. UK served the ball into the net to give Florida State set point, but Rapp kept the match alive with a kill. Kentucky then committed another unforced error to allow Florida State to earn set point at 15-14 and UK opted to use its final timeout.

A block from Rapp and Pavan once again kept the match alive for the Wildcats, but Florida State captured set point again with a kill and the match ended on a service ace giving Florida State the victory.

The Seminoles captured the first two points of the fourth stanza to gain an early advantage. Rapp’s kill made the score 2-1 in favor of the home team. Florida State would go on to score the next four points to take a 6-1edge. UK would slowly climb back into the thick of things with a 6-0 run to take a 9-8 lead. Hiler had three kills in the stretch and Giesler and Rumely came up with a huge momentum changing block to ignite the UK rally. After watching the Wildcats rattle off six unanswered points Florida State chose to use burn an early timeout.

Out of the timeout Giesler and Rumely teamed up again for another rejection to give UK a 10-8 lead. The Wildcats took their largest lead of the early going at 12-9 after another Hiler kill. After a long rally that featured tremendous defensive plays from both sides of the net Rapp ended the run with a timely kill to bring the crowd to its feet and give the Wildcats a 14-11 lead. UK continue to thrive as Rapp was in on back-to-back blocks to allow UK to take a 16-11 edge. After consecutive points from Florida State, Mendoza ended the rally with another kill to keep the Wildcats ahead.

UK’s defense forced the Seminoles into an errant attack and UK took a 21-14 advantage. After consecutive points for FSU, Giesler came up with a solo block to keep the Seminoles at bay. Hiler’s kill and another miscue from the Florida State enabled UK to capture a 25-19 set four win to force a deciding fifth stanza.

Kentucky used a .222 attack percentage and 16 kills in the fourth set. The Wildcat defense limited Florida State to a mere .049 hitting clip and just 10 kills. Kentucky’s six blocks in the set proved to be the difference maker.

Florida State opened the scoring with a kill, but Kentucky quickly responded when Pavan slammed down a kill to get the Blue and White on the board. The Seminoles took the next two points, but then the Wildcats stormed back with a kill from Rapp and back-to-back service aces from Sauer. Kentucky took its first lead thanks to a miscue from the Seminoles when the server put the ball into the next giving UK a 6-5 edge. The Wildcats would take their largest lead of the early going after three straight kills from UK’s offense allowed the designated visitors to take a 12-8 lead and force Florida State into a timeout.

Out of the early break, Mendoza fired back with another kill. UK continued to stretch its lead taking a seven-point advantage at 17-10 after another ace this time from Rapp. The Blue and White did not let up despite a consecutive points from the Seminoles to make the score 20-15. Hiler fired back with a kill and Rumely earned her second ace of the stanza to give UK a 22-15 lead. Florida State opted to use its final timeout of the set.

Rapp came up with a solo block from the middle out of the timeout to give the Wildcats a 23-15 lead. Rapp and Mendoza capped off the set with kills to allow Kentucky to earn the first set victory with the score of 25-16.

UK hit a blistering .500 in the stanza with 17 kills as five UK players had at least one kill led by Mendoza’s opening seven to begin the night. Kentucky totaled just two errors, while Florida State hit .323 but tallied just 11 kills. Kentucky also totaled five serving aces to aid the UK cause.

Pavan started the scoring in the second frame when she sent a scorching kill into the center of the court and then came up with a solo block on the next possession to give the Wildcats the early 2-0 advantage. Florida State would not go away though as UK could only stretch its lead to a three point edge at 13-10 after a Rapp kill. The Wildcats took a two-point lead on another Rapp kill into the media timeout to give UK the 15-13 advantage.

With her seventh dig of the match in the second set Sauer set the single-season school record for digs in a single season. Kentucky earned its largest lead of the stanza at 17-13 off of a kill from Rumely when she took a turn swinging away into the Florida State defense. The Seminoles slowly chipped away at the lead however, as the designated home team pulled to with 19-18 after three straight points forcing UK to use its first timeout.

Pavan posted her eighth kill of the match out of the break to give UK a 20-18 edge, however Florida State would come back to tie the score at 20 with consecutive kills. The Seminoles earned their first lead of the entire set with a kill to make the score 22-21. Florida State captured a two point edge at 23-21 after a misfire by the Wildcats. The Seminoles earned set point at 24-22, but UK’s offensive onslaught confused the defensive effort and Florida State committed a ball handling error to allow the Wildcats to pull to within 24-23. Florida State then opted to use its first timeout of the set with UK on the brink of tying the score. Mendoza came up with the kill to tie the score at 24 and force the set into extra points.

Florida State earned the first point on a kill and then the Seminoles were able to capture the second stanza on a final ace at 26-24. Kentucky hit just .275 in the second set while Florida State did not hit any better with a .216 average. Kentucky posted 17 kills and Florida State had only 14. The difference in the second set was UK’s four service errors.

The Seminoles opened the scoring in the third set with the first three points going to the home team. Pavan scored the first point for UK to make the score 3-1 in favor of Florida State. Giesler’s kill made the score six a piece for the set’s first tie. Pavan’s kill on an over pass gave the Wildcats their first lead of the stanza at 8-7. Florida State used a 4-0 run to take a 12-9 lead and force UK into an early timeout. Out of the break the Seminoles took the next three points to stretch the lead to 15-9.

Florida State continued to maintain its comfortable advantage, but back-to-back FSU miscues enabled the Wildcats to pull back to within 22-15 and force the Seminoles into a timeout. Kentucky benefited from another FSU error out of the break to inch closer at 22-16, however the Seminoles fired back with consecutive points to earn set point at 24-16. Hiler’s kill saved one set point, but Florida State scored the next point on a kill to earn a 25-17 set three victory.

UK posted a match-low .191 hitting percentage and had just 11 kills. Florida State erupted for a .355 attacking percentage and 16 kills. Florida State was also able to come up with four blocks in the frame to help overcome the Wildcats.

For the most up-to-date information regarding the Kentucky volleyball team please visit UKathletics.com.

NCAA Volleyball Tournament 2009 playoffs Dec 11: Baylor Volleyball NCAA Run Comes To An End

Freshman Torri Campbell was the only Baylor player in double figures with 10 kills

 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Baylor volleyball’s run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament came to an end in a 3-0 loss (24-26, 20-25, 17-25) to ninth-seeded California on Friday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.
 
Cal controlled the match from the opening serve, not allowing Baylor to take any lead until BU scored the first point of the third set. Cal’s Hana Cutura led all players with 18 kills in the match. BU’s Torri Campbell led the team with 10 kills, while Katie Sanders had nine and Anna Breyfogle and Elizabeth Graham each had six. Taylor Barnes led the team with 34 assists and nine digs.
 
Cal racked up 9.0 blocks, compared to just 2.0 for BU, while hitting an efficient .330 (47-13-103) compared to just .192 (38-18-104).
 
In the first set, Cal jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Baylor responded with three consecutive points, including a Graham kill, to tie the score at 5-5. Kills by Breyfogle and Sanders kept BU within two points at 10-8, but Cal pushed the lead to six at 18-12. The Baylor offense then heated up Christenson, Breyfogle and Barnes amidst a 5-0 run to tie the score at 20-20. The teams traded points until a BU serving error gave Cal the first set-point of the match. A Baylor attack error ended the set 26-24.
 
The second set started the same way for each team with Cal getting out to a 4-1 lead. Sanders racked up back-to-back kills to get Baylor within 9-7, but Cal answered with a 9-2 run for an 18-11 lead. Campbell had two kills in a row for Baylor, followed by a Sanders kill to pull within 21-18. Then Cal took the set with back-to-back kills from Tarah Murrey and Correy Johnson for the set win at 25-20.
 
Baylor scored the first point of the third set on a Sanders kill, but as was the story of the match, Cal scored nine of the next 12 points to take a commanding lead. Torri Campbell had three kills in the set, while Sanders and Qian Zhang each had two, but Baylor didn’t get any closer than five the rest of the way in a 25-17 closing set.
 
The Bears end the season at 24-10 overall, marking the fourth-highest single-season win total in school history. The loss was Baylor’s first and only non-conference loss during the 2009 season.
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