Nov. 28, 2007

Ohio vs. Purdue First Round Game Notes (Nov. 30)

2007 NCAA Volleyball Tournament Bracket

ATHENS, Ohio - For the first time in program history the Ohio volleyball team is hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Volleyball Championship. Ohio begins the tournament against Purdue in the opening round of the Stanford, California Regional Friday at the Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m.

Before the Bobcats and the Boilermakers take the court, Cal Poly and Xavier will kickoff the first round action at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The winner of the two first round matches will meet Saturday in the second round at 5:30 p.m.

NCAA VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
ATHENS, OHIO (CONVOCATION CENTER)

Friday, Nov. 30
Match 1: Cal Poly vs. Xavier - 5:30 p.m.
Match 2: Purdue vs. Ohio - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 1
Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 - 5:30 p.m.

Live stats for all matches can be viewed at ohiobobcats.com under the "Tournament Central" link at the top left of the homepage or by clicking here.

Ticket Information
Fans can purchase tournament booklets for the First and Second Round matches in advance by calling the Ohio Athletics ticket office at 1-800-575-CATS. Booklets gain entrance to both First Round matches on Friday and the Second Round match on Saturday. Booklets are $12 for adults, and $6 apiece for youth (3 yrs. - 12 yrs.) and senior citizens (55 and older).

The gates will open at 4 p.m. and the first 100 Ohio students will receive free admission to the Friday's matches, complimentary of Ohio Athletics. Ohio students must show valid identification at the ticket office.

Tickets will also be available for purchase the day of the matches at the Ohio Athletics Ticket Office located at the Convocation Center. Walk-up/Game Day ticket prices for each day are $8 for adults and $5 for youth and senior citizens.

More Ticket Information

2007 NCAA Volleyball Tournament Bracket

Scouting the Schools in Athens

Purdue
Purdue finished the regular season 18-13 overall record and a third place finish in the Big Ten Conference (11-9), its best conference finish since 1990. Purdue played a tough schedule this season, facing eight teams ranked in the CSTV/AVCA Top 25. The Boilermakers did not fair well against ranked opponents however, going 1-7 in those matches. The last two seasons the Boilermakers have advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 and this is their fourth straight tournament appearance (11th overall). All-Big Ten selection Stephanie Lynch heads Purdue's attack, averaging 3.60 kills (.321) and 1.36 blocks per game. Head Coach Dave Shondell is in his fifth season with the team where he has compiled a record of 97-65.

All-Time Series
Ohio is 0-2 all-time against Purdue, with the teams' last meeting coming on Sept. 16, 2005, when the Bobcats traveled to West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue defeated Ohio in straight games, 19-30, 23-30, 20-30, as the Bobcats were out-hit .312 to .136. Former Bobcat Julia Winkfield led Ohio with 13 kills (.321) and Stephanie Blackburn and Melissa Griffin chipped in eight kills apiece. The loss was one of only three during the 2005 season for Ohio, as the Bobcats advanced to their first ever NCAA Sweet 16 and finished with a 33-3 record.

Cal Poly
Cal Poly enters the tournament on a 12-match winning streak and with a 21-7 record. The Mustangs won the Big West Conference with a 15-1 record. Cal Poly is currently ranked No. 17 in the CSTV/AVCA Preseason Top 25. This is the second consecutive season that the Mustangs have made the NCAA Tournament, marking the first time since the 1989 that they have made the tournament in back-to-back years. Cal Poly had six players named to All-Big West teams and junior Kylie Atherstone earned Big West Player of the Year for a second straight season. Atherstone comes into the tournament averaging 4.75 kills per game on a .266 hitting percentage. Cal Poly Head Coach Jon Stevenson is in his third season where he has a 61-19 record.

All-Time Series
Ohio and Cal Poly have never played.

Xavier
Xavier enters the tournament after posting a 24-10 record and a second place finish in the Atlantic-10 Conference (11-2). The Musketeers are making their second trip to the NCAA Tournament and their first appearance as an at-large team. Xavier's other appearance came in 2001 when they won the Atlantic-10 championship. Xavier lost to Cincinnati in the opening round in 2001. Atlantic-10 Player of the Year Jill Quayle leads the Musketeers' attack, averaging 3.74 kills (.388) and 1.31 blocks per game. Xavier Head Coach Floyd Deaton was named Atlantic-10 Coach of the Year for a fourth time this season. Deaton has been at the helm of the program for 18 seasons and has amassed a 375-218 record.

All-Time Series
Ohio is 8-9 all-time against Xavier. The schools last met on Sept. 17, 2005 in West Lafayette, Ind., a day after the Bobcats lost to Purdue. Ohio defeated Xavier 3-0 (30-24, 30-17, 30-27) behind the play of former Bobcats Julia Winkfield and Holly Schetzsle. Winkfield totaled 15 kills and hit .351 and Schetzsle had 15 kills and hit .323. Stephanie Blackburn finished with 13 kills (.200) and eight digs and Amanda Andersen had nine kills on a .500 hitting percentage in the victory. For the match Ohio out-hit Xavier .304 to .182.

WEEKLY NOTES

`Cats Return to Tourney
Ohio's 2007 trip to the NCAA Tournament is its fifth straight appearance and first at-large selection. In 2006 the Bobcats lost a nail-biter to Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, as they won two of the first three games, but then proceeded to drop the final two games to fall to the Wildcats in five. Ohio made its first ever trip to the NCAA in Head Coach Geoff Carlston's first season in 2003. In 2004 they advanced to the second round, but were ousted by rival Ohio State and in 2005 Ohio made their best run ever, reaching the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in program history. Arizona narrowly defeated Ohio in five games, ending the Bobcats magical run. Ohio is 3-4 all-time in the NCAA Tourney. Ohio received the automatic bid from winning the MAC Tournament the four seasons prior to this year.

Ohio vs. Ranked Teams
Ohio's 3-2 win against No. 23 Louisville in the regular season finale improved the Bobcats' record against top-25 teams to 7-9 under Head Coach Geoff Carlston over the past five seasons. This year Ohio is 3-1 against ranked opponents, having also beaten No. 9 Minnesota (8/31) and No. 12 San Diego (9/1) on consecutive days in the Diet Coke Classic in Minneapolis, Minn. Ohio's only loss to a ranked opponent this season was in the championship match of the Diet Coke Classic to then-No. 2 Stanford (9/2). The victories against Minnesota and San Diego were the highest ranked opponents an Ohio team has ever defeated.

Ohio in the Rankings
The Bobcats remained No. 19 in the most recent CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll (Nov. 26), after defeating then-No. 23 Louisville 3-2 last week. With the ranking, the Bobcats increased their consecutive ranked streak to 42 weeks. The streak began over two years ago, when Ohio entered the rankings at No. 24 on Oct. 3, 2005. Earlier this season Ohio was ranked No. 13 (Sept. 3 poll), the program's highest ever ranking. Ohio's previous high in the poll was No. 14 in the final poll of 2005. Ohio's first ever ranking in the national poll came on Nov. 29, 2004. Ohio began 2007 ranked No. 25 in the preseason poll.

Griffin Kills
Senior Melissa Griffin is having one of the best seasons in Ohio history. The MAC Player of the Year is hitting .371 this season which is tied for the second-best in school history and she has 461 kills this year, the seventh most in a single season at Ohio. Earlier this season she became the all-time kills leader and her kill total currently stand at 1,669, which is 130 kills ahead of second place. The senior co-captain also enters the tournament with the best career hitting percentage ever at Ohio, hitting .353, significantly better than second place Julia Winkfield's .314 career hitting percentage.

Seeing Double...Double
Senior Stephanie Blackburn recorded her team-leading 16th double-double of the season and the 62nd of her career with 11 kills and a season-high 25 digs against Louisville last Saturday. For the season the do-everything outside hitter leads the Bobcats in digs (417) and service aces (35) and is third on the team in kills (320), points (374) and assists (61). Blackburn is the only player in Ohio history to record over 1,400 kills and 1,600 digs.