Sept. 26, 2007
Miami/Bowling Green Game Notes (Sept. 28-29)
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ATHENS, Ohio - The No. 17 Ohio volleyball team returns home to the Convocation Center this weekend to take the court against Miami and Bowling Green. The Bobcats play Miami on Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. and face Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday's match against Bowling Green is being promoted as the Strive for 5k. Ohio is attempting to break the attendance record for a volleyball match in the state of Ohio, which stands at 5,402, set by Ohio State in 1991. The volleyball match will take place immediately following the Ohio football game against Kent State and fans are encouraged to come directly from Peden Stadium to the Convocation Center to take part in making history. All fans showing a football ticket stub will receive free admission. All other tickets are $2.
This Week at The Convocation Center
Ohio vs. Miami - Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.
Ohio vs. Bowling Green - Saturday, Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Scouting Miami
Miami enters the week with a record of 4-7 overall and 1-1 mark in the MAC. The Red Hawks are led by Head Coach Carolyn Condit, who is in her 24th season at the helm. Condit has compiled a 417-318 record at Miami. Junior outside hitter Emily Schroeder leads the Miami attack, averaging 3.21 kills per game on a .245 hitting percentage and 2.52 digs per game. The Red Hawks' roster includes four players that Ohio senior Stephanie Blackburn should be familiar with. Melissa Zenz, Catherine Wolfe, Jeanna Staun and Carli Reihman all played at powerhouse Ursuline Academy with Blackburn.
All-Time Series
Miami holds a 17-40 advantage over the Bobcats in the all-time series. Last year, Ohio defeated Miami 3-0 (30-22, 30-20, 30-26) in Oxford and 3-1 (30-20, 26-30, 30-22, 30-23) at the Convocation Center. In the first meeting, Stephanie Blackburn reached the 1,000 kills plateau, after connecting on a team-high 15 kills in the match to bring her career total to 1,012. Melissa Griffin had 13 kills on a team-best .385 hitting percentage. In the second meeting at the Convocation Center the Bobcats were tied 1-1 with the Red Hawks, but won the next two games in front of a crowd of 1,722. Amanda Andersen led the way with 17 kills, while Ellen Herman had 16 kills.
Scouting Bowling Green
Bowling Green enters this week's action with an overall record of 10-5 and a conference record of 2-0. The Falcons are led by Denise Van De Walle, who in her 25 season at the helm of the program has a 451-308 record. Bowling Green has all but one player returning from last year's 26-6 (13-3 MAC) team. Corey Domek leads the Falcon attack, averaging 3.41 kills per game on a .272 hitting percentage. Stephanie Swiger is another key player for Bowling Green. She enters this week with a .316 hitting percentage, the third best in the conference.
All-Time Series
Ohio is 19-40 all-time against Bowling Green. Last year Bowling Green was one of two MAC teams to push Ohio to five games, losing to the Bobcats 3-2 (30-26, 30-23, 26-30, 25-30, 15-10) in their first meeting in Bowling Green. Ohio's Melissa Griffin reached the 1,000 kill milestone in the match, recording 22 kills on a team-best .362 hitting percentage. Stephanie Swiger led the Falcons with 19 kills. The Bobcats swept Bowling Green in the next two meetings, winning 30-19, 30-26, 30-18 at the Convocation Center and 30-19, 30-25, 30-21 in the championship match of the MAC Tournament.
WEEKLY NOTES
Griffin Named National Player of the Week
Senior middle blocker Melissa Griffin was named AVCA National Player of the Week and MAC Player of the Week for her exceptional play the week of Sept. 24. Griffin is the second Ohio player to ever capture the national honor, joining former Bobcat Laura Hageman, who received the award on Oct. 6, 2003. This is the sixth time in her career she has received the conference's weekly award. The Whitehall, Mich. native had an outstanding first weekend in MAC play, leading the 19th-ranked Bobcats to two three-game sweeps against Buffalo (30-19, 30-18, 30-22) and Akron (30-11, 30-14, 30-23). Griffin opened the week with 14 kills on a .480 hitting percentage against Buffalo and then had an incredibly efficient match at Akron. Against the Zips, Griffin collected 18 kills on 22 attack attempts and committed just two attacking errors for a .727 hitting percentage. She landed seven of eight attack attempts in the first game of the match and all six of her attacks in the second game. For the week Griffin averaged 5.33 kills per game and a .596 hitting percentage.
Protect This House
The Bobcats enter the week with a 47-match home-winning streak, the second longest active winning streak in all of Division I, trailing only No. 1 Nebraska's 61-match streak. Ohio's streak at home is the 13th longest in Division I history. If the `Cats win both matches this weekend they will move into a tie for 12th all-time.
Return of the MAC
After defeating Buffalo and Akron in straight games, Ohio has won 52-straight regular season MAC matches, the fourth longest active winning streak in conference play in the nation. The streak includes three straight undefeated seasons in conference play. Their last loss to a MAC opponent was at Akron on Nov. 8, 2003. Over the last four seasons the Bobcats are 77-1 against conference foes, 65-1 in regular season play and 12-0 in the MAC Tournament. The NCAA Division I Notebook this week includes the segment "Rolling Along", which discusses Ohio's continued success against the MAC.
Bobcats in MAC Stats
Melissa Griffin enters the weekend with the second best hitting percentage in the MAC. Griffin has a .317 hitting percentage this season, trailing only Kent State's Anne Zakelj's .402 hitting percentage. Ellen Herman is second in the conference and 26th in the nation in kills per game, entering the week averaging 4.76 per game. Michelle Jantsch and Jill DeArmond are ranked eighth and ninth in assists per game, with Jantsch averaging 10.23 and DeArmond averaging 9.25 a game.
Double Trouble
Senior Stephanie Blackburn collected two more double-doubles over the weekend and has now recorded a double-double in six of the last seven Bobcat matches. She has seven double-doubles on the season.
