CCU

Volleyball to Compete in Western New York Tournament This Weekend

       

Volleyball to Compete in Western New York Tournament This Weekend

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August 29, 2006

Overall: 0-3

Big South: 0-0

Volleyball Heads to Buffalo...

Coastal Carolina volleyball is on the road again this weekend to compete in the Western New York Tournament in Buffalo, N.Y. to take on hosts Niagara University, the University at Buffalo and Fordham University.

UPCOMING MATCHES: Western New York Tournament...

Friday, September 1 vs. Niagara at 7 p.m.

Saturday, September 2 vs. Fordham at Noon.

Saturday, September 2 vs. Buffalo at 7 p.m.

Scouting Niagara...

After losing six of Niagara’s all-time best players after last season, the 2006 team looks to maintain its defensive mentality. The Purple Eagles were picked to finish seventh in the MAAC in the conference pre-season polls under eighth year Head Coach Rocco Lucci. Three of Lucci’s seniors lead the way this season for the Purple Eagles; Erin Graham, Michelle LeSouder and Micole Daluisio. LeSouder had 336 kills in 93 games, Graham had 245 kills and 314 digs in 95 games and Dalusio had 504 digs in 96 games last season.

Scouting Fordham...

Fordham is coming off a 1-2 record after this weekend’s appearance in the NAU Invitational in Flagstaff, Ariz. Three Lady Rams seniors had a career-best in their final match against the University of Central Arizona. Jamme Stimson had 23 kills and 16 digs, Tasha Johnston had 21 kills and Marija Markovic had 20 kills.

Scouting Buffalo...

Buffalo started the 2006 season with a 2-2 record, notching wins against North Carolina A&T and Big South Rival High Point. Senior Nikki Morzenti led the way for the Lady Bulls with 51 kills and 45 digs on the weekend. Morzenti was helped by Junior Lizaiha Garcia, who had 71 digs and senior Jenna Mape with 38 kills and 31 digs.

 

Georgia on My Mind...

Morehead State...

The Lady Chanticleers opened their 2006 season with a 0-3 record at the Georgia Invite. The team fell to Morehead State in three games on Friday, August 25, in Athens, Ga. Despite a late third game comeback, the Lady Chants dropped the three games 30-24, 30-20 and 30-28. Coastal rallied back in the third game, matching Morehead State point-for-point, recording 14 kills and a .200 hitting percentage to Morehead’s 13 kills and .194 percentage, but couldn’t get the lead.

Junior Nakia Thompson (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) had six kills and seven digs and freshman Jill Nyhof (Alpharetta, Ga./Northview) had seven kills in the loss.

For the game, the Lady Chants hit .092 on 33 kills with 24 errors. The Lady Chants and the Lady Eagles each recorded six blocks.

UAB...

In match two, the Lady Chants dropped three to UAB, 30-19, 30-16, and 30-27. Coastal again had a late third-game rally but couldn’t catch the Blazers. The Lady Chants were led by Thompson who had 13 kills, Nyhof, who had 10 kills and freshman Megan Pollard, who had 9 digs.

Coastal had 37 kills with a .158 hitting percentage, 20 errors, three service aces, 30 digs and three team blocks. UAB came out firing having 51 kills with a .398 hitting percentage, 12 errors, 10 service aces, 43 digs and six team blocks.

Georgia...

In the final game of the Georgia Invite the Lady Chants fell to hosting Georgia, 30-15, 30-23, and 30-22. The Lady Chants were led again by Thompson, Nyhof and Pollard. Thompson had seven kills with seven digs, Nyhof had nine kills and Pollard had eight digs.

For the game, Coastal hit .061 on 28 kills with 21 errors, seven service aces, 33 digs and one team block. The Bulldogs hit .472 on 58 kills with eight errors on six service aces, 52 digs and three team blocks.

Rookies on the Court...

Three of the four freshmen saw action this ast weekend in the Georgia Invite. Jill Nyhof came up big for the Lady Chants starting all three matches with 26 kills on a .258 hitting percetange, five service aces, five digs and one block. Megan Pollard started all three matches having two service aces and 23 digs at the libero position and Meagan Tracey had one kill,16 assists, one service ace and seven digs.

Experience Matters...

Seniors Laura Obert, Kristin Rinne and Ashley Scheible had a combined 27 kills, 14 digs and seven service aces. Sophomore Kristin Wolf had an impressive first apperance after seeing minimal action last season. Wolf had 12 kills with a .100 hitting percentage and 12 digs in the three matches for the Lady Chants.

Brett Starbuck, the sophmore setter also made her presence known on the court this past weekend for the Lady Chanticleers. Starbuck had four kills, 52 assists, four service aces and 13 digs.

Did You Know?

The four freshman, Rachel Bonertz, Meagan Tracey, Megan Pollard and Jill Nyhof are a combined 6,253 miles away from home. The seniors, Obert, Rinne and Scheible come in second with 3,456 miles from home. The two juniors, Thompson and Devon West are just 1,727 miles from home despite West being from Ontario and the sophomores, Wolf and Starbuck are 1,650 miles from home. Bonertz wins for being 2,735 miles between Spokane Wash. and Conway, S.C. with Rinne not far behind with her 2,209 mile trip from Fountain Hills, Ariz.

Bauer Heads Home...

A 1993 graduate of The Ohio State University, Bauer received her Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and hearing science. The Buffalo, New York, native coached the varsity volleyball program at Nardin Academy Catholic High School from 1993 to 1995. During this same time, Bauer completed her Masters work in Audiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Bauer was also selected as the head coach of the Western New York Senior All-Stars in 1994 and coached the Cheetah Volleyball Club’s 16 and under and 18 and under USVBA teams for two years.

A special Thanks...

Assistant Coach Erin Price’s family welcomed the Lady Chanticleers to their home for a pre-Georgia Invite meal. The girls enjoyed excellent home cooking and celebrated Price’s birthday. Senior Laura Obert’s mom also brought the team cookies after the matches. Thank you!!!

Big South Conference…

The Lady Chanticleers will open home Big South play when they host two-time defending champion Winthrop, September 29 in Kimbel Arena, followed by High Point at home the following night. Coastal then goes on the road for its next four league matches before closing the regular season with five out of seven Big South matches in the friendly confines of Kimbel Arena. The season culminates with the NCAA automatic bid on the line at the Big South Tournament, November 14, 17 and 18, with the semifinals and finals at High Point.

Up Next…

The Lady Chanticleers travel to Washington D.C. to participate in the Georgetown Classic. The Lady Chants will meet Howard, Campbell and Georgetown.