Marquette University Athletics
Volleyball to Open Conference USA Season
9/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Cincinnati, nationally-ranked Louisville set to visit
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Marquette begins its 13-match Conference USA slate with a pair of big contests at the Al McGuire Center. The Golden Eagles welcome the two teams that shared the 2003 Conference USA regular season title, Cincinnati and Louisville.
Both teams were selected to finish in first and second place in the preseason by the league?s coaches. Louisville was picked to win the league, and so far, has lived up to the hype. The Cardinals are 9-2 and own a national ranking of 21. Marquette owns a three-match win streak into the weekend?s action.
Scouting Cincinnati
Marquette is looking to end a six-match losing streak to Cincinnati, a streak that dates back to 1999. The Golden Eagles are in as good of a position to pick up a win in this series as any. The Bearcats own a 6-6 record and have lost six of the last seven. After racing out to a 5-0 record, the Bearcats have struggled, playing a difficult schedule. Among the losses are Loyola Marymount, Miami (Fla.), Wisconsin and Minnesota. Senior outside hitter Julie DuPont has posted some amazing numbers this season. In a four-game loss to Butler, DuPont had 33 kills. She posted 21 in a five-game loss to Wisconsin. She averages 4.81 kills per game.
Scouting Louisville
The defending league tournament champion, Louisville is off to a 9-2 start and is ranked 21st in the USA Today/AVCA top 25 coaches? poll. The Cardinals own a 1-2 record against the top 25, but that one win came against then no. 9 Pepperdine. Its only losses on the season are to top 25 teams. Outside of the top 25 matches, Louisville has lost just three games on the season. Junior Lena Ustymenko had 28 kills in a four-game loss to 24th ranked Tennessee. She averages 3.92 kills per game. The Cardinals also have another big threat in senior Bing Sun. Sun averages 3.72 kills per game and is hitting 34.3 percent on the season. As a team, Louisville is as accurate as just about any team in the nation. The Cardinals are hitting 29.6 percent as a team.
Heisser Named Tourney MVP
With 29 kills over the Connecticut and Md.-Eastern Shore matches, senior middle blocker Erica Heisser was named Most Valuable Player of the Toyota Husky Classic. Marquette went 2-0 in the three-team classic to claim the tourney title, and Heisser was a big reason. She extended her streak of matches with 10 or more kills to eight with the two in the tournament. Freshman outside hitter Kimberley Todd and senior Libero Erin Freer were also named all-tournament. It was the second time for Freer, and it was Todd?s third all-tournament selection of the season.
Marquette Second in Midwest in RichKern.com Rankings
Marquette is second among teams in the midwest according to the recent rankings from RichKern.com, an RPI-based rating system. Marquette meets the highest ranked team from the midwest, Louisville, in this week?s action. Marquette is also the second highest ranked team in Conference USA according to the ranking system, only trailing Louisville.
Golden Eagles on a Roll
With a 9-3 start, Marquette is off to its best start since a 10-1 start in 1997. The Golden Eagles have won three in a row and six out of the last seven. Dating back to last season, Marquette owns a 19-4 record over its last 23 matches.
Rolf Passes .500 at Marquette
Thanks to the hot start and torrid finish last season, head coach Pati Rolf has increased her record at Marquette to be above .500. Rolf is currently 36-35 in her third year at MU. Her career mark remains an impressive 142 matches over .500.
Golden Eagles Become Balanced
In the last three matches, Marquette has had three players with 10 or more kills. Against Connecticut and Md.-Eastern Shore, Marquette had four players top the 10-kill mark, including a career best 10 kills from freshman middle blocker Jenn Brown against Md.-Eastern Shore. Currently, Marquette has six players averaging 1.50 kills per game or more.
Coughlin, Vernon Reach 1,000 Marks
Junior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin started the season needing 133 kills to have 1,000 in her career, becoming the seventh Marquette player to reach that mark. Senior setter Sarah Vernon needed 361 assists at season?s beginning to become the eighth player in school history to pass the 1,000 assist mark. Both reached the mark on the same play in game three, up 15-12, against Wis.-Milwaukee on Sept. 21.
Todd, Freer Named All-Tournament
Freshman Kimberley Todd and senior Libero Erin Freer were each named to the all-tournament team at the Marquette-hosted Jesuit Joust. Todd set career bests with 14 kills against Boston College and Loyola (Ill.). She had 38 for the tournament, a 4.22 per game average. It was her second all-tournament team of the season. Freer averaged 4.11 digs per game to be named to the team.
Welcome to the BIG EAST
Marquette defeated Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., on Friday, Sept. 24, 3-1. That match marked the second time the Golden Eagles met a future BIG EAST foe this season. Marquette lost to Rutgers, 3-1, on Sept. 11. The Golden Eagles defeated Boston College, 3-0, on Sept. 18, but BC will be in the Atlantic Coast Conference next season.
Todd Comes on Strong Off the Bench
Freshman outside hitter Kimberley Todd did not start during the three matches of the Jesuit Joust, but had her best run of the year. She averaged 4.22 kills per game and had a career best 14 kills twice. She had her first career double-double, having 10 kills and 10 digs against South Dakota State.
Vernon Named Setter-of-the-Week
Senior setter Sarah Vernon was named Conference USA setter-of-the-week, the league office announced. She was potent during a three-match tournament in Kalamazoo, Mich., leading Marquette to a 2-1 record. She had 138 assists, averaging 12.55 per game during the tournament, and had 27 kills in the three matches.
Vernon had her third and fourth double-doubles of the season. In the first match of the tournament, she set a career high with 15 kills against Maine to go with her 34 assists. She finished the tournament against Western Michigan with a season-best 56 digs to go with 13 digs.
Coughlin, Heisser Named All-Tournament
Junior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin and senior middle blocker Erica Heisser were named to the Radisson Invitational all-tournament team. For Coughlin, it was her second all-tournament team selection of the season. During the three-match tournament, Coughlin led the way for Marquette with a 4.18 kills per game average. She also tallied 2.00 digs per game. Heisser had 20 kills during the tournament and hit 31.2 percent for the event.
Heisser Sets Career Mark for Kills
Senior middle blocker Erica Heisser set a collegiate best mark with 20 kills in a 3-1 loss to Rutgers. She was accurate during the contest, missing just four of her 37 attacks for a 43.2 attack percentage.
Net Defense Strong
Marquette set a season best with 15 blocks in a 3-1 win against Western Michigan. That total was just one block shy of last year?s high total. Freshman middle blocker Jenn Brown had six blocks (four solo, two assisted) to set the pace.
Freer Reaches 1,000 Dig Mark
Senior Libero Erin Freer became the third person in Marquette volleyball history to pass the 1,000 dig mark. She needed six digs heading into the first match of the season, and she totalled eight in the contest against North Dakota State. With 101 digs on the season, Freer has 1,150 and is second all-time on the school?s list. Freer started the season 241 digs away from becoming the school record holder in that category and currently needs 84.
Trio Named All-Tournament at Marquette Challenge
Three Marquette players were named to the All-Tournament team at the Holiday Inn City Center Milwaukee Marquette Challenge. Junior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin was named to the team after leading Marquette with 34 kills during the tournament. Senior setter Sarah Vernon was named to the team after averaging 9.20 assists. Freshman outside hitter Kimberley Todd was also named to the team after leading Marquette with 10 kills against Drake.
Record Watch
Marquette volleyball players are on the verge of setting or breaking milestones or school records.
Junior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin has moved up to seventh on Marquette?s all-time kill mark. She began the season needing 414 kills to pass Chris Curtin for the school record. Currently, Coughlin has 161 kills. Senior setter Sarah Vernon has moved up from ninth to eighth on the all-time assists list. She is 103 assists from passing Chris Halbur for seventh place. Senior Libero Erin Freer started the year in fourth on the all-time digs list. She has moved up to second and currently trails Keelyn Krill by 84 digs for the all-time school record.
Coughlin Named Preseason All C-USA
Junior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin was named Preseason All-Conference USA by the league?s coaches, the league office announced.
Coughlin brings impressive credentials to the 2004 season. She was a second-team All C-USA selection last season and was named AVCA All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention. Coughlin had 488 kills and hit 25.8 percent last year. With 867 career kills, she is 133 kills away from being the seventh player to reach the 1,000-kill mark in Marquette history. She is 413 kills away from setting Marquette?s career kills mark.
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