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Oct. 25, 2006

Athens, Ohio -
BOBCAT UPDATE
Ohio (18-3, 10-0 MAC) and Bowling Green (21-2, 10-0 MAC) have shared the No. 1 spot in the MAC East Division since the beginning of the conference season. Both teams are undefeated in the MAC with 10-0 records and have the longest winning streaks in the conference. Bowling Green has 17 straight wins and Ohio has 11. On Friday, Oct. 27 the teams face off for sole possession of the top spot.

Ohio wraps up their road trip on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Miami.

Ohio (18-3, 10-0 MAC) enters the weekend ranked 22nd in the national CSTV/AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Bobcats also have three steaks in tact; including a current 11-match winning streak and a 44 conference win streak dating back to the 2003 season.

Last weekend Ohio concluded a four-match homestand with wins over Western Michigan, 3-1, and Northern Illinois, 3-1. Melissa Griffin (Whitehall, Mich.) tallied 36 kills putting her only one kill away from reaching 1,000 in her career. Griffin has played and started every match this season and is second on the team with 3.86 kills per game, she also totals a team best 63 blocks. Stephanie Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) is also on her way to 1,000 career kills, she's 15 away. The 5-10 outside hitter averages 3.86 kills and 4.59 digs per game. Michaele Blackburn (Cincinnati, Ohio) leads all defensive players with 4.83 digs per game. With 1,889 career digs, Blackburn is one dig away from placing Top 25 in NCAA history for career digs.

Ellen Herman (Toledo, Ohio) heads the Ohio attack with 4.24 kills per game. Amanda Andersen (Lino Lakes, Minn.) averages 3.15 kills per game.

Savanah Parra (Temecula, Calif.) gets 2.42 digs per game while setting the offense with 12.98 assists on average. Jill DeArmond (Fort Wayne, Ind.) averages 6.60 assists per game.

Scouting Bowling Green
Bowling Green expanded their winning streak to 17 matches with victories over Buffalo, 3-0, and Akron, 3-0, last weekend.

Kendra Halm and Stephanie Swiger are Bowling Green's offensive forces. Halm averages a team-high 3.47 kills per game while racking up 1.42 blocks per game. Swiger averages 3.16 kills per game and 1.25 blocks. Corey Domek chips in 3.27 kills per game and Madeline Means gets 2.71 kills per game and averages 3.35 digs.

Chrissy Gothke sets the offense with 12.47 assists per game and rallies 2.87 digs per game. Chelsey Meek averages a team-high 5.21 digs per game.

Scouting Miami Miami (11-12, 7-3 MAC) is third in the MAC East Division and is on a seven-match winning streak. Miami hosts Kent State on Friday before facing Ohio on Sunday.

Last weekend Miami swept Akron, 3-0, and Buffalo, 3-0, on the road.

Leading Miami is Carli Reihman with a .286 hitting percentage and 3.31 kills per game. Reihman also averages 2.20 digs and totals a team-best 31 ace serves. Emily Schroeder averages 4.19 kills per game and 2.20 digs. Jeanna Staun chips in 2.78 digs on average and Andrea Atteberry sets the offense with 10.68 assists per game, she also tallies 2.20 digs per game. Melissa Zenz leads all defensive players with 4.32 digs per game.

SERIES INFORMATION
Ohio vs. Bowling Green: Bowling Green leads series 40-16
Last meeting: Nov. 12, 2005
Ohio ended the 2005 regular season at Bowling Green with a 3-1 (30-22, 30-17, 28-30, 30-21) victory over the Falcons. Five players had double figures in kills for Ohio led by Stephanie Blackburn with 20 kills and Julia Winkfield with 19 kills. Savanah Parra totaled 66 assists and Michaele Blackburn had 23 digs. Jenna Gaughran recorded a double-double of 13 kills and 12 digs.

Stephanie Swiger had a team-high 12 kills for Bowling Green. Chrissy Gothke and Emily Manser each had 10 kills apiece.

Special Notes:
• Ohio has won the last six matches against Bowling Green

Ohio vs. Miami: Miami leads series 40-15
Last meeting: Nov. 11, 2005
Ohio and Miami's last meeting ended with a 3-1 Ohio win. Stephanie Blackburn posted 18 kills and Jenna Gaughran had 10 kills. Savanah Parra totaled 41 assists and Michaele Blackburn had 23 digs.

Megan Clark had 21 assists and Caitlin Watts had 11 assists. Alex Ratcliff had a team-high nine kills.

Special Notes:
• Ohio has won the last eight matches against Miami

An Ohio win on Friday would ...
- Move the Bobcats to 19-3 overall on the season
- Make the Bobcats 11-0 in the MAC this season
- Stretch the Bobcats' current season win-streak to 12
- Extend the Bobcats' win-streak against MAC opponents in the regular season to 45

Road Trip Anyone?
A bus is available for fans interested in attending the volleyball match at Miami. The bus will be leaving The Convo at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29 (the bus will be located along Shafer St. across from the Visitors Center) and returning at approximately 10:00 p.m. The cost is $10 and includes transportation to and from Miami University, admission to the match and light refreshments. To register, please call 740-597-1374 or email polgar@ohio.edu.