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Direct link to Penn State women's
volleyball match notes:
http://www.gopsusports.com/docs/wvb06/LSUClassic8_25_26.pdf
For Immediate Release:
Jen Armson, Women's Volleyball Contact
Penn State Athletic Communications
Ph: 814-865-1757, Fax: 814-863-3165
Email: jma19@...
Jen Armson, Women's Volleyball Contact
Penn State Athletic Communications
Ph: 814-865-1757, Fax: 814-863-3165
Email: jma19@...
No. 2 Penn State Women's
Volleyball Opens Season On The Road
Nittany Lions head to LSU Classic this weekend
University Park, Pa., Aug. 22, 2006 - The second-ranked Penn State women's volleyball team opens up the 2006 campaign on the road this weekend at the LSU Classic in Baton Rouge, La. The Nittany Lions will take on Nicholls State on Friday, Aug. 25 at 4:30 p.m. CT at the Maravich Center. Penn State then will take on Rice on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 1:30 p.m. CT before closing out tournament action against the host Tigers at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Previewing Penn State
The Nittany Lions return all but three players from last season's 31-3 Big Ten Champion squad that posted an unblemished 20-0 record in conference action to capture its third consecutive league title. Penn State will be looking to replace three-time All-America setter Sam Tortorello, 2006 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year libero Kaleena Walters and middle and right side hitter Kim Holm. However, the Nittany Lions return 2006 AVCA National Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-America outside hitter Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio), AVCA Second Team All-America middle hitter Melissa Walbridge (Yardley, Pa.), First Team All-Big Ten middle hitter Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.), 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cassy Salyer (Aurora, Colo.) and 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Kate Price (Fraser, Mich.). In addition, Penn State adds Gatorade National Player of the Year Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.), Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year Jessica Yanz (Bolingbrook, Ill.).
Scouting Nicholls State
The Colonels open the season with five new players on the roster. Nicholls State, who last season held a 1-17 overall record, was displaced out of their home gym by damage from Hurricane Katrina and played their entire home schedule at local high schools. The lone senior on the 2006 squad, middle hitter Atina Porter played in 63 games for the Colonels last year, leading the team for the second consecutive year in kills (211), attacks (579) and blocks (55), also recording 72 digs and picking up Honorable Mention All-SLC honors. The squad also carries four juniors and two sophomores.
The Series
This will be the first meeting between the two teams in the sport of women's volleyball.
Scouting Rice
The Owls come into the weekend with five new faces on the roster in addition to three sophomores, four juniors and one senior. Rice finished last season with a 17-12 overall record and a sixth-place 8-7 mark in Conference USA action. Senior middle hitter Tessa Kuykendall, last season an AVCA Honorable Mention All-Midwest Region selection, led the Owls with 137 blocks and was second overall with 364 kills, more than doubling her career total in the process. The All-Conference USA Third Team selection begins the 2006 season ranked third all-time at Rice in block assists (321), fourth in total blocks (399) and fifth in solo blocks (78).
The Series
Penn State leads Rice, 2-0, in a series that began in 1985. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion victory (30-27, 30-26, 30-14) on Sept. 12, 2003 at the BYU Classic in Provo, Utah.
Scouting LSU
The Tigers begin the tournament with seven new players, but return five starters from last season's 21-8 squad that reached the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Picked to repeat as SEC West Champions, LSU returns four seniors, including its starting setter Daniela Romero and libero Kassi Mikulik, while also bringing back two juniors and three sophomores. Senior middle hitter Melody Clark ranked sixth in the SEC in blocks per game in conference games last season, also ranking second on the team in blocks and blocks per game. Junior opposite Vanessa Freeman ranked sixth on the team in kills and kills per game, fifth in blocks per game and sixth in blocks.
Nittany Lions head to LSU Classic this weekend
University Park, Pa., Aug. 22, 2006 - The second-ranked Penn State women's volleyball team opens up the 2006 campaign on the road this weekend at the LSU Classic in Baton Rouge, La. The Nittany Lions will take on Nicholls State on Friday, Aug. 25 at 4:30 p.m. CT at the Maravich Center. Penn State then will take on Rice on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 1:30 p.m. CT before closing out tournament action against the host Tigers at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Previewing Penn State
The Nittany Lions return all but three players from last season's 31-3 Big Ten Champion squad that posted an unblemished 20-0 record in conference action to capture its third consecutive league title. Penn State will be looking to replace three-time All-America setter Sam Tortorello, 2006 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year libero Kaleena Walters and middle and right side hitter Kim Holm. However, the Nittany Lions return 2006 AVCA National Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-America outside hitter Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio), AVCA Second Team All-America middle hitter Melissa Walbridge (Yardley, Pa.), First Team All-Big Ten middle hitter Christa Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa.), 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cassy Salyer (Aurora, Colo.) and 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Kate Price (Fraser, Mich.). In addition, Penn State adds Gatorade National Player of the Year Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.), Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year Jessica Yanz (Bolingbrook, Ill.).
Scouting Nicholls State
The Colonels open the season with five new players on the roster. Nicholls State, who last season held a 1-17 overall record, was displaced out of their home gym by damage from Hurricane Katrina and played their entire home schedule at local high schools. The lone senior on the 2006 squad, middle hitter Atina Porter played in 63 games for the Colonels last year, leading the team for the second consecutive year in kills (211), attacks (579) and blocks (55), also recording 72 digs and picking up Honorable Mention All-SLC honors. The squad also carries four juniors and two sophomores.
The Series
This will be the first meeting between the two teams in the sport of women's volleyball.
Scouting Rice
The Owls come into the weekend with five new faces on the roster in addition to three sophomores, four juniors and one senior. Rice finished last season with a 17-12 overall record and a sixth-place 8-7 mark in Conference USA action. Senior middle hitter Tessa Kuykendall, last season an AVCA Honorable Mention All-Midwest Region selection, led the Owls with 137 blocks and was second overall with 364 kills, more than doubling her career total in the process. The All-Conference USA Third Team selection begins the 2006 season ranked third all-time at Rice in block assists (321), fourth in total blocks (399) and fifth in solo blocks (78).
The Series
Penn State leads Rice, 2-0, in a series that began in 1985. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion victory (30-27, 30-26, 30-14) on Sept. 12, 2003 at the BYU Classic in Provo, Utah.
Scouting LSU
The Tigers begin the tournament with seven new players, but return five starters from last season's 21-8 squad that reached the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Picked to repeat as SEC West Champions, LSU returns four seniors, including its starting setter Daniela Romero and libero Kassi Mikulik, while also bringing back two juniors and three sophomores. Senior middle hitter Melody Clark ranked sixth in the SEC in blocks per game in conference games last season, also ranking second on the team in blocks and blocks per game. Junior opposite Vanessa Freeman ranked sixth on the team in kills and kills per game, fifth in blocks per game and sixth in blocks.
The Series
Penn State leads LSU, 8-2, in a series that began in 1982. The last meeting was a three-game Nittany Lion victory (15-3, 15-7, 15-6) on Sept. 1, 1996 in Baton Rouge, La.
Next Up
The Nittany Lions will host the Penn State Invitational with Eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and Duke on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 1 and 2. Because of the football pep rally on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Beaver Stadium, the home opener for the volleyball team has been moved to 9:00 p.m. at Rec Hall against Eastern Kentucky. The tournament kickoff match between West Virginia and Duke will take place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's action opens with Penn State versus West Virginia at 10:00 a.m., followed by Duke-Eastern Kentucky at 1:00 p.m., West Virginia-Eastern Kentucky at 4:00 p.m. and Penn State-Duke at 8:00 p.m.
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com.
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Jen Armson
Assistant Athletic Communications
Director
Penn State University
101D Bryce Jordan Center
University Park, PA
16802
Phone: 814/865-1757 ~ Fax:
814/863-3165
jma19@...
jma19@...
www.GoPSUsports.com
"It's amazing what can be accomplished
when no one cares who gets the credit."
-- Dean Smith
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