COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State (18-7 overall, 6-6 Big Ten, tied for fifth) women's volleyball team is on the road this week with matches at Iowa (11-13, 3-9, tied for ninth) and Wisconsin (11-10, 6-6, tied for fifth). The Buckeyes face the Iowa Hawkeyes at 7 p.m. CT Friday in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and play the Wisconsin Badgers at 7 p.m. CT Saturday in the Wisconsin Field House. Last week, the Buckeyes lost at top-ranked Penn State, 3-0 (21-25, 11-25, 20-25) and defeated seventh-ranked Minnesota, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-15) at home.
TIME AND DATE ADJUSTMENTS FOR NEXT HOME STAND
After matches at Iowa and Wisconsin this weekend, the Buckeyes return home to face Northwestern and Illinois. The Northwestern match will start at 8 p.m. ET, Friday, Nov. 13 as part of a women's basketball/volleyball doubleheader in St. John Arena. The women's basketball team will open the season by hosting Eastern Illinois in a 5 p.m. ET preseason WNIT game. Friday seating is general admission but ticket prices for basketball ($11 for adults, $6 for students and $8 for seniors) will be charged until halftime then volleyball prices ($5 for adults and $3 for students) will be used. OSU students are free for both events with a valid BUCK ID.
The Illinois volleyball match has been moved to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15 because of the 3:30 p.m. start of the Ohio State-Iowa football game Saturday. The Illinois match will be delayed telecast by the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. that night.
BUCKEYES EARN THEIR FIRST VICTORY OVER A RANKED TEAM IN 26 MATCHES
Ohio State's 3-0 victory over seventh-ranked Minnesota was the first Buckeye victory over a ranked team in 26 matches dating back to Oct. 27, 2007 when OSU won 3-2 (24-30, 23-30, 30-27, 31-29, 15-10) at Minnesota. In the history of the program, Ohio State has 36 wins (five later forfeited) over higher ranked teams. Fourteen of the 35 wins (one later forfeited) came when Ohio State was not ranked.
BUCKEYES RECEIVE VOTES IN THE AVCA DIVISION I COACHES TOP 25 POLL
After the 3-0 victory over seventh-ranked Minnesota last Saturday, Ohio State received 14 votes in the weekly AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll released Nov. 2. This is the first time the Buckeyes have received votes in the poll since Sept. 24, 2007 when OSU received 46 votes. Ohio State was last ranked in the top 25 the week before, Sept. 17, when they were 23rd in the poll.
A LOOK AT OHIO STATE
Geoff Carlston is the head coach of the Buckeyes. Ohio State is 18-7 overall and is 6-6 in the Big Ten Conference (tied for fifth). Last week, the Buckeyes lost at top-ranked Penn State, 3-0 (21-25, 11-25, 20-25) and defeated seventh-ranked Minnesota, 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-15) at home. Katie Dull has a team-high 4.53 points and 3.91 kills per set average. Kristen Dozier ranks second in points (2.87) and kills (2.37) per set. Kelli Barhorst is hitting a team-high .308 with Emily Danks second at .293. At setter, Ashley Hughes is averaging 9.68 assists per set with Amanda Peterson at 8.90 and Betsy Hone at 8.13. Peterson has a team-high .49 aces per set with 25. Danks ranks second at .39 with 34. Defensively, Chelsea Noble leads the squad with a 3.75 digs per set average. Dull ranks second at 2.49. At the net, Dozier has a .71 blocks per set average to lead the team. She has 13 solos and 58 assists. Dull is second at .58 with 14 solos and 38 assists. Barhorst is third at .50 with two solos and 48 assist blocks. Ohio State is hitting .268 and is averaging 16.75 points, 13.26 kills and 12.19 assists per set. The Buckeyes average 1.55 aces, 13.23 digs and 1.93 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .186 and average 14.23 points, 11.23 kills and 10.26 assists per set. Buckeye opponents average 1.21 aces, 11.78 digs and 1.79 blocks per set.
A LOOK AT IOWA
Sharon Dingman is the head coach for the Hawkeyes. Iowa has an 11-13 overall record and is 3-9 in the Big Ten Conference (tied for ninth). Last week in road matches, the Hawkeyes lost 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-20) at Michigan State and 3-1 (16-25, 25-12, 25-20, 25-13) at 13th-ranked Michigan. Megan Schipper is the team leader in points per set with a 3.70 average. Becky Walters ranks second at 2.86. Schipper has a team-high 3.13 kills per set average with Aimee Huffman second at 2.61. Huffman leads the team in attack percentage at .267. Katie Kennedy ranks second at .248. At setter, Mara Hilgenberg has a 9.72 assists per set average. Schipper has a team-high .30 aces per set average with 25. Walters ranks second at .22 with 14. Defensively, Christina Meister leads the team with a 4.42 digs per set average. Schipper ranks second at 3.10. At the net, Walters is the team leader in blocks per set at 1.02. She has 16 solos and 50 assists. Huffman, at .70, ranks second with seven solos and 50 assists. Iowa is hitting .191 and averages 15.58 points, 12.35 kills and 11.46 assists per set. The Hawkeyes average 1.12 aces, 15.48 digs and 2.11 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .193 and average 15.72 points, 12.58 kills and 11.78 assists per set. Iowa opponents average 1.30 aces, 15.36 digs and 1.84 blocks per set.
IOWA-OHIO STATE SERIES
The Buckeyes have a 49-9 lead in the series with Iowa. The Buckeyes are 21-4 in Iowa City and 25-5 in Columbus. OSU is 3-0 in neutral-site matches. The Buckeyes have won 16 of the last 17 matches against the Hawkeyes. Earlier this season in Columbus, Ohio State defeated Iowa, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-22). Last season, Iowa won, 3-1 (25-23, 19-25, 25-15, 25-22) in Columbus with Ohio State winning, 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-22) in Iowa City.
A LOOK AT WISCONSIN
Pete Waite is the head coach for the Badgers. Wisconsin is 11-10 overall and has a 6-6 record in the Big Ten Conference (tied for fifth). In road matches last week, Wisconsin defeated 13th-ranked Michigan, 3-1 (26-24, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20) and lost to Michigan State, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-22). Prior to Friday's home match against Penn State, Brittney Dolgner is the team leader in points per set with a 3.87 average. Kirby Toon ranks second at 2.80. Dolgner has a team-high 3.45 kills per set average with Toon second at 2.28. Elle Ohlander leads the squad in attack percentage at .272. Janelle Gabrielsen ranks second at .219. At setter, Gabrielsen has a 9.67 assists per set average. Caity DuPont leads the team in aces per set with a .24 average (14 aces). Toon ranks second at .22 (16 aces). Defensively, Kim Kuzma has a team-high 3.58 digs per set average. Dolgner ranks second at 2.86. At the net, Kelsey Maloney has a team-high .79 blocks per set average with one solo and 25 assist blocks. Ranking second at .69 per set is Alexis Mitchell with six solo and 35 assist blocks. Wisconsin is hitting .197 and averages 16.40 points, 13.32 kills and 12.44 assists per set. The Badgers average 1.13 aces, 13.24 digs and 1.96 blocks per set. Opponents are hitting .229 and average 16.92 points, 12.84 kills and 12.10 assists per set. Wisconsin opponents average 1.14 aces, 12.99 digs and 2.94 blocks per set.
WISCONSIN-OHIO STATE SERIES
Wisconsin has a 31-28 lead in the series with Ohio State. The Badgers are 16-12 in Madison while the Buckeyes are 14-13 in Columbus. The squads are 2-2 in neutral site matches. Wisconsin has won the last six matches against Ohio State. Earlier this season in Columbus, Wisconsin defeated Ohio State, 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-19, 25-21). Last season, the Badgers won, 3-0 (28-26, 25-16, 25-17) in Madison and 3-1 (25-23, 13-25, 25-19, 26-24) in Columbus.
DULL NEARS 1,000 CAREER KILLS
Katie Dull, with 11 kills at Penn State and 10 against Minnesota, has 996 career kills and needs four to reach 1,000 and become the 17th Buckeye to reach that mark. She added six digs and two assist blocks, totaling 12 points against the Nittany Lions. Dull recorded her ninth double-double (kills-digs) of the season against Minnesota with 10 kills and 13 digs. She added two ace serves and one assist block against the Gophers. Dull has recorded double-figure kills in her last 23 matches for the Buckeyes. A starter in all 25 matches, she is the team leader in points (4.53) and kills (3.91) per set. Dull is averaging .26 aces, 2.49 digs and .58 blocks per set.
BARHORST POSTS THIRD CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE-FIGURE POINTS MATCH
Kelli Barhorst had double-figure points in both matches last week. She has posted double-figure points in the last three matches and has seven on the season. Barhorst had 10 points at Penn State with nine kills (.529) and two assist blocks. She added one dig and an assist against the Nittany Lions. In the Minnesota match, Barhorst recorded 11 points with nine kills (.250), two assist blocks and one ace serve. She added three digs and an assist against the Gophers. A starter in the 23 matches she has played, Barhorst is averaging 2.35 points, 1.86 kills, .15 aces, .56 digs and .64 blocks per set.
SZERSZEN RECORDS DOUBLE-FIGURE POINTS AGAINST MINNESOTA
Anna Szerszen, with 10 points against Minnesota, was one of four Buckeyes to record double-figure points against the Golden Gophers. She had eight kills (.462), one ace serve and two assist blocks against Minnesota. Earlier in the week, Szerszen had four kills and a solo block at Penn State. She has played in every match this season and has five starts. Szerszen is averaging 2.24 points, 1.89 kills, .18 aces, .57 digs and .26 blocks per set.
DANKS RANKS THIRD ON THE SQUAD IN POINTS AND KILLS
Emily Danks ranks third for the Buckeyes in points (2.82) and kills (2.14) per set. She has a team-high 34 aces (.39 per set) and averages .64 digs and .56 blocks per set. Last week she had three kills, three digs and one assist block at Penn State. Danks recorded nine kills (.381), one ace serve, one assist block and one dig in the upset victory over Minnesota. A starter in 20 matches this season, she has played in all 25 matches.
DOZIER, THE BUCKEYE LEADER IN BLOCKS
Kristen Dozier is averaging a team-high .79 blocks per set this season. She has 13 solos and a team-high 58 assist blocks. Last week Dozier had three kills, a solo block and one assist block in the Penn State match. She recorded five kills (.444) and two assist blocks against Minnesota. Dozier has started all 25 matches this season and is averaging 2.87 points, 2.37 kills and .79 blocks per set.
HUGHES KEY TO UPSET VICTORY OVER MINNESOTA
Ashley Hughes, at setter, directed the Buckeye offense to the upset victory over seventh-ranked Minnesota. Hughes assisted on 37 of 45 kills against the Gophers, adding five kills and two assist blocks. The Buckeyes posted a team attack percentage of .294 in the match, well above the Minnesota opponent average of .150. Hughes had 22 assists against top-ranked Penn State, adding five digs and one kill. She directed the Buckeyes to a .196 attack percentage as opposed to Penn State's opponent average of .091. Hughes has started the last nine matches for Ohio State and has 10 starts on the season while playing in 14 matches. She is averaging 9.68 assists per set on the season and averages 1.95 digs, .32 blocks, .77 kills and 1.05 points per set.
NOBLE LEADS THE DEFENSE WITH A TEAM-HIGH DIGS PER SET AVERAGE
Chelsea Noble is averaging a team-high 3.75 digs per set this season. She has 341 digs on the year. Last week, Noble had nine digs at Penn State, adding an assist and one ace serve. She handled 20 of 24 Nittany Lion serves for an .833 serve reception percentage. Noble had nine digs against Minnesota and handled 24 of 25 reception attempts for a .960 percentage. She has started all 25 matches this season at libero and has a .953 serve reception percentage handling 751 of 788 serve receptions.
MIGNIN COLLECTS NINE DIGS AGAINST MINNESOTA
Sarah Mignin had nine digs against Minnesota for her second best total of the season. Her season high was 10 at Michigan. Mignin added two assists in the match and handled 10 serve receptions without an error. At Penn State, she had two digs and handled 12 of 13 serve reception attempts. Mignin has played in 22 matches this season and has started five times as a defensive specialist. She is averaging 1.51 digs per set and has a .952 serve reception percentage handling 238 of 250 serve attempts.
HALVERSON HAS STARTS AGAINST PENN STATE AND MINNESOTA
Susan Halverson, as a defensive specialist, started the matches against Penn State and Minnesota last week. She recorded eight digs and two assists against Penn State and handled 13 of 16 serve reception attempts. Against Minnesota, Halverson posted four digs and two assists while handling nine serve reception attempts without an error. She has played in all 25 matches this season and has 20 starts. Halverson is averaging 1.54 digs per set and has a .941 serve reception percentage handling 272 of 289 serve attempts.
OHIO STATE IN THE BIG TEN STATISTICS
In Big Ten Conference only statistics, Katie Dull ranks third at 4.45 points per set. She ranks second in kills per set at 3.95. At setter, Ashley Hughes ranks fifth in assists per set at 10.16. Emily Danks is second in aces per set at .34. Kelli Barhorst, with a .312 attack percentage, ranks ninth in the conference. Chelsea Noble, with a 3.77 digs per set average, ranks fifth.
In conference only team statistics, the Buckeyes rank third in attack percentage at .235 and are fourth in aces per set at 1.14. OSU ranks sixth in kills (13.25), assists (12.18) and digs (13.25) per set and ranks 10th in blocking at 1.68. The Buckeyes are eighth in opponent attack percentage at .240.
In Big Ten statistics for all matches, Katie Dull ranks fourth in points per set at 4.53 and in kills at 3.91. Amanda Peterson, in aces per set, ranks second at .49 and is 10th in assists at 8.90 per set. Emily Danks ranks fifth in aces per set at .39 and Dull is ninth at .26. Chelsea Noble is eighth in digs per set at 3.75.
In all matches, Ohio State ranks second in attack percentage at .268 and is third in aces per set at 1.55. The Buckeyes are sixth in kills at 13.26 and eighth in assists at 12.19. OSU ranks eighth in digs per set at 13.23 and is 10th in blocks at 1.93 per set. Ohio State ranks sixth in opponent attack percentage at .186.
OHIO STATE IN THE NCAA STATISTICS
In the current (Nov. 1) NCAA statistics release, Katie Dull ranks 45th in points (4.53) and 57th in kills (3.91) per set. Emily Danks is 67th in aces per set at .39. In digs per set, Chelsea Noble ranks 203rd at 3.75. Kelly Barhorst ranks 166th in attack percentage at .308 with Danks 221st at .293 and Kristen Dozier, 239th at .290.
In team statistics, Ohio State ranks 19th nationally in attack percentage at .268. The Buckeyes are 52nd in aces per set at 1.55. OSU ranks 73rd in kills (13.26), 83rd in assists (12.19), 160th in blocks (1.93) and 252nd in digs (13.23) per set.
ASHLEY HUGHES NAMED THE BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Oct. 26)
Setter Ashley Hughes was named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week by the conference office. She shared the honor with Minnesota's Tabitha Love. Hughes directed the Buckeyes to 3-1 victories over Purdue (25-19, 23-25, 26-24, 25-18) and Indiana (25-19, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23). Against Purdue, Hughes posted 48 assists against the Boilermakers, adding seven digs, five kills (.667) and a solo block. In the Indiana match, she posted career-highs of 53 assists and 19 digs against the Hoosiers. Hughes added three kills (.429), one ace serve and three assist blocks in the match. Hughes has started at setter in the last seven matches for the Buckeyes and has eight starts overall, playing in 12 matches. For the season, she is averaging 9.65 assists and 2.03 digs per set.
EMILY DANKS NAMED BIG TEN CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK (Sept. 21)
Ohio State's outside hitter Emily Danks has been named the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week (with Purdue's Ariel Turner). Danks was named to the all-tournament team at the Sports Imports Classic, hitting .592 and averaging 3.1 kills per set as the Buckeyes went 3-0 over the weekend with wins against Bowling Green (25-19, 25-20, 25-13), Cleveland State (24-26, 25-20, 25-11, 25-15) and Xavier (27-25, 25-18, 25-6). The freshman opened the tournament by hitting a career high .714 against Bowling Green with 10 kills in 14 attempts. She also added an ace serve, an assist block and a dig. The following day against Cleveland State, she tallied 14 kills on .565 hitting with another ace and a pair of blocks (one solo, one assist) before adding on seven kills on .500 hitting with four digs and two assist blocks in the tournament finale vs. Xavier.
OHIO STATE HAS THREE MATCHES ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK
Ohio State will have three Big Ten matches telecast live on the Big Ten Network this season. Both Penn State matches and OSU's home match with Illinois will be broadcast. The Buckeyes hosted Penn State Oct. 7 and return the trip to Penn State Oct. 28. Ohio State will host Illinois at 2 p.m., ET Sunday, Nov. 15 in St. John Arena in a match that will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET that night.
HEAD COACH GEOFF CARLSTON
Geoff Carlston is in his second season at Ohio State. He came to Ohio State after spending five years as head coach of Ohio University where he built an outstanding program. His squads played in five NCAA tournaments, reaching regional play in 2005. At Ohio, Carlston guided the Bobcats to five-consecutive Mid American Conference championships with an overall record of 144-22. He had a MAC conference record of 78-2 and was 14-1 in the conference tournament, winning four of five.
Carlston was named the MAC Coach of the Year four times and was twice named the Mideast Region Coach of the Year.
He began collegiate coaching with three years at Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) where he posted a 49-42 record. His career record is 222-90.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Ohio State returns home to host Northwestern (13-11, 4-8, tied for ninth in the Big Ten) Friday and Illinois (18-3, 10-2, second) Sunday. The Friday, Nov. 13 match with the Northwestern Wildcats is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET as part of the women's basketball/volleyball doubleheader in St. John Arena. At 5 p.m. ET, the women's basketball team will open the season by hosting Eastern Illinois in the preseason WNIT. Sunday's, Nov. 15 match against the Illinois Fighting Illini is a 2 p.m. start and will be delayed telecast by the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. ET, that night.
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