Marquette University Athletics
Marquette Volleyball Squad To Face No. 14 Minnesota
9/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 4, 2001
Wednesday, Sept. 5 Marquettte at Minnesota 7:00 p.m.
DID YOU KNOW
That Marquette Head Coach Laura Farina played for current Minnesota Head Mike Hebert at Illinois (1987-90). While with the Fighting Illini, Farina and Hebert helped the program to four straight NCAA appearances, including back-to-back appearances to the national semifinals (1987 & 1988.
GAME INFO - After winning two of its three matches to open the season last weekend, the Marquette volleyball team faces a formidable task on Wednesday (Sept. 5) when it plays at No. 14-ranked Minnesota. The Sports Pavilion (5,700) on the Minnesota campus will be the site of the fourth meeting between the schools and the match will start at 7:00 p.m.
THE COACHES - Marquette is directed by third-year head coach Laura Farina (Illinois, '92) who owns a school and career record of 29-37. This is the first time that Farina has faced Minnesota as a head coach. Minnesota is coached by the venerable Mike Hebert (UC Santa Barbara, '66) who is in his sixth year at the helm of the Golden Gopher program. Entering Wednesday evening's match, Hebert has a school record of 123-49 and a 26-year career mark of 695-306.
THE RECORDS -- Marquette ventures to Minneapolis with a 2-1 record following last weekend's performance at the Pocatello Hotel Labor Day Classic. The Golden Eagles dropped their opening match to Cal State Northridge in five games, 31-29, 30-21, 25-30, 26-30, 9-15, before bouncing back to post three-game wins over Portland (30-21, 30-27, 30-24) and Idaho State (30-21, 32-30, 30-27). Minnesota hosts Marquette with a 2-1 mark. The Golden Gophers participated at the Jefferson Cup Invitational in Charlottesville, VA, where they lost to No. 10 Stanford before defeating Radford and Virginia.
SERIES NOTES - Minnesota holds a 3-0 all-time mark against Marquette. Wednesday's contest will mark the first meeting between the schools since 1980.
DEVINE & GRBAVAC EARN ALL-TOURNEY HONORS -- Seniors Mehgan Devine (Harris, Minn.) and Vesna Grbavac (Palatine, Ill.) both captured all-tournament honors at the Pocatello Hotel Labor Day Volleyball Classic. Devine, 6-foot-3, totaled 43 kills over the three matches and finished with a fine 35.2 attack percentage. In addition, she recorded team highs in both digs (31) and total blocks (10). Her 36.4 attack percentage (14-2-33) in the Cal State Northridge match paced all Golden Eagles while her kill totals of 16 and 13 vs. Portland and Idaho State, respectively, were second high on the squad.
Grbavac, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, made a successful return to the lineup and finished with a team-best 54 kills over the weekend while ranking a close second to Devine in digs with 30. She led Marquette in kills in all three matches including a 17-kill performance against Portland where she finished with a 47.1 attack percentage (17-1-34). Her kill total enabled her to move into 10th place on the school's all-time list with 743. Devine stands ninth on that list with 777 kills.
GOLDEN EAGLES HOST MARQUETTE CHALLENGE THIS WEEKEND -- Following the Minnesota match, the Golden Eagles will host the Marquette Challenge this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 7-8). Joining MU in this year's field will be Chicago State, Eastern Kentucky and Central Michigan. Marquette will play Eastern Kentucky on Friday at 7:00 p.m. before taking on Chicago State (Noon) and Central Michigan (7:00 p.m.) on Saturday. All games will be play at the Helfaer Rec Center on the MU campus.
