Marquette University Athletics
Volleyball Set to Kick-off BIG EAST Play
9/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
MILWAUKEE - The Marquette volleyball team (6-5) will open up BIG EAST play this weekend in the Al McGuire Center against South Florida on Friday, September 23 at 7 p.m. Marquette will host its second conference match of the year when Georgetown makes a visit to ?the Al? on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 1 p.m.
?I?m thrilled to be back at home this weekend and finally start BIG EAST play,? said head coach Pati Rolf. ?USF has great athletes, especially Kristina Fabris and they are always extremely athletic. Clarie (Lessinger) does a great job down there, so I think it will be a good match for us to kick-off conference play.?
The Bulls earned their first win on September 16 defeating UCF, 3-1 and enter BIG EAST play with a 1-7 overall record. Before USF?s victory over UCF, the Bulls had lost seven straight to Bosie State (3-2), Michigan State (3-0), Wichita State (3-0), Florida Atlantic (3-0), Appalachian State (3-0), Eastern Washington (3-0) and Florida State (3-1).
The Bulls are led by Kristina Fabris who leads USF in kills with 4.82 per game. Defensively, Fabris has put up impressive numbers with 25 blocks and she averages 2.71 digs per game.
USF is a familiar foe of the Golden Eagles as the two teams have met 12 times before this in Conference USA play. The Bulls lead the series, 4-8, but Marquette has won the last two matches, including a 3-1 win last season in Tampa Bay, Fla.
The Hoyas, (4-8), enter the weekend riding one loss in their last three contests. Georgetown lost to American University in five games Tuesday night, 3-2. Before the loss, the Hoyas had won two straight, defeating Moorhead State (3-0) and South Dakota State (3-1). The other two victories Georgetown has earned were against Mason (3-2) and Howard (3-0). The Hoyas are led by Rachel Nelson and Jenny Weed whom have posted 3.49 and 3.29 kills per game, respectively.
This will be the first meeting between the Hoyas and the Golden Eagles since head coach Pati Rolf took over coaching reigns in 2002. Georgetown defeated Marquette in its only meeting in 1996, 3-1.
The Golden Eagles earned a split last weekend defeating UNC-Greensboro, 3-0, but losing to Eastern Kentucky, 1-3. Senior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin and sophomore middle blocker Tiffany Helmbrecht both earned spots on the all-tournament team for their performance at the Eastern Kentucky/Nike Invitational. Coughlin continues to lead the Golden Eagles with 4.42 kills per game, 2.0 digs per game and .53 blocks per game.
This weekend the Golden Eagles welcome their alumni and former letterwinners to ?The Al,? as Marquette?s match against Georgetown is Alumni Day. The Golden Eagles will pay tribute to its former players in a short pre-game ceremony.
Other events throughout the weekend including the annual Marquette vs. Alumni scrimmage on Saturday, September 24 at 12:30 p.m. in the Al McGuire Center. There will also be a Marquette volleyball booster tailgate party/luncheon on Sunday, September 25, at 11:00am. The tailgate party will be held on Schroeder Field (the lawn to the west of the Al McGuire Center). Parents, alums and friends of the volleyball program will all be in attendance.
?I?m so fired up for alumni weekend,? said Rolf. Most of our players will be back from 2001-04 teams and I look forward to seeing them and them seeing Marquette volleyball in the BIG EAST!?
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