49ers Prepare for Michigan, Ohio State
LBSU on the Road for Three Straight Weeks
August 29, 2005 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE 2-0, 0-0 Big West
Home: 2-0 • Away: 0-0 • Neutral: 0-0
AVCA Rank: 24 Quickly:
The 24th-ranked Long Beach State women's volleyball team collected two wins last weekend at The Mizuno Invitational and now prepare for three straight tournaments on the road over the next three weeks. The 49ers (2-0) travel to Ohio State for the Sports Imports Classic, Sept. 2-3. LBSU faces Michigan (0-1) at 2:00 pm on Friday, and Ohio State (1-0) on Saturday at 4:30 pm. There will be no Internet Broadcast of either match this week.
Opponent 411:
Michigan Wolverines (0-1 • Big 10 Ten Conference): Lost its season opener at Notre Dame, 3-0 on Aug. 27...Katie Bruzdzinski led UM with 19 kills in the losing effort...The Wolverines hit just .153 vs. the Irish...Ohio State (1-0 • Big Ten Conference): Ranked No. 12...Defeated Toledo, 3-1 on Aug. 27...Danielle Meyer led the way for the Buckeyes with 22 kills...LBSU last faced Ohio State in 1994 and lost, 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament)...The 49ers are 2-0 vs. Michigan all-time (last meeting was in 1976).
High Crimes:
Alexis Crimes (So.)...2004 AVCA Third Team All-American...AVCA West Region Freshman of the Year...Big West Conference Freshman of the Year...Averaging 3.50 kills and 2.62 blocks per game in ‘05...Recorded match-high 15 kills with eight blocks vs. Long Island (8/26)...Notched 13 kills and a career-high 13 blocks vs. Sac. State on Aug. 27...Her 12 BA vs. Sac. State tied the second most BA for a single match in program history.
Daley Grind:
Ali Daley (Fr.)...Averaging 3.12 kills and 3.62 digs per game in ‘05...Recorded 13 kills for a .393 attack percentage in her 49er debut vs. Long Island (8/26)...Posted her first career double-double with 12 kills and 23 digs vs. Sacramento State on Aug. 27.
Setting the Offense:
Nicole Vargas (Fr.)...Averaging 11.43 assists and 2.43 digs per game in ‘05...Tallied 24 assists and three kills in her 49er debut vs. Long Island on Aug. 26...Recorded 56 assists, 12 digs, and five blocks for her first career double-double vs. Sacramento State (8/27)...Also, Dyanne Lawlor will be used at the setter position...Lawlor had 11 assists and two digs in the season opener vs. Long Island.
Beach Patrol:
Heather Laudato (Sr.)...Averaging 4.50 digs per game in ‘05...Has 1,273 career digs at LBSU, fourth all-time...Laudato is seven digs away from passing Misty May for third all-time on the digs chart...Recorded a match-high 14 digs in the season opener vs. Long Island (8/26)...Turned in 22 digs in the five game win over Sac. State on Aug. 27.
Clutch Quincy:
Quincy Verdin (Fr.)...Averaging 4.00 kills per game in ‘05...Recorded a match-high 15 kills in the 3-2 win over Sac. State on Aug. 27.
Crumping Around:
Mariko Crum (Jr.)...Averaging 2.62 kills and 1.62 blocks per game in ‘05...Had seven kills and five blocks in the season opener vs. Long Island...Posted 14 kills and eight blocks vs. Sacramento State on Aug. 27.
Notable 49er Performances:
Rosie Lewis had seven kills each vs. Long Island and Sacramento State...Iris Murray tallied a career-best 10 digs vs. Long Island (8/26)...Natalie Uhart has nine blocks on the season...Sara Kroneberger turned in 13 digs vs. Sacramento State on Aug. 26. Don't Forget about the Time Changes:
As instituted last season, all Friday volleyball matches will be played at 7:30 pm and Saturday matches at 7:00 pm in the Walter Pyramid.
A Glance at the Schedule Shows:
A total of 15 (11 non-conference) opponents on the 2005 LBSU schedule advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season, including Ohio State, who reached the all the way to a Regional Final. The Buckeyes, along with Louisville, UCSB, San Diego, St. Mary's, and Pepperdine are all ranked in the Top-25 this season.
The Big West Poll Shows:
The Long Beach State women's volleyball team was picked to finish in second place behind UC Santa Barbara according to the annual Big West Conference women's volleyball pre-season coaches poll released Aug. 10. The 49ers finished the 2004 season with a 24-7 overall record, and a second place Big West finish at 13-5.
The Beach at a Glance:
LEFT-SIDE HITTERS: ROSIE LEWIS returns this year after sitting out last year due to injuries. An outstanding jumper and attacker, Rosie is healthy now and should provide significant terminating power on the left side... ALI DALEY, a much-heralded freshman, is a very skilled left-side hitter, passer and defender who is expected to make an immediate impact for The Beach. Ali is also a strong back-row hitter... HEATHER HETZER, who started several matches last year, has been playing well in practice and provides depth on the left side... Two very athletic freshman could also contribute this year on the left side--QUINCY VERDIN and NAOMI WASHINGTON are both very physical, with Quincy hitting the ball especially hard in practice. Both are also capable of playing the MB position if needed.
MIDDLE BLOCKERS: ALEXIS CRIMES, one of only three freshman in the country to earn All-American honors last year, has only begun to tap into her incredible potential. Alexis was the top attacker this summer for the U.S. in the FIVB Under 20 World Championships... ERIKA CHIDESTER, a fifth-year senior, returns after playing only one match last year. She qualified for medical redshirt status. Erika is recovering from knee surgery, but should return to the lineup in early October. Erika has experience at both the middle and left-side positions, and was the top hitter for LB in 2003... NATALIE UHART, an athletic and skilled middle who has had injury problems of her own, could contribute in the middle this year... STEPHANIE TOKARZ, a tall and very agile MB from Kansas, is also available and could help this year if needed. Stephanie is a skilled player with good back-row skills as well.
RIGHT SIDE HITTERS: MARIKO CRUM, an excellent hitter and blocker who has played both middle and opposite (right side) for The Beach, and ROBIN MIRAMONTES, an honorable mention All-Big West player last year, give the Beach two strong options on the right side.
SETTERS: DYANNE LAWLOR is in her third year at the Beach after serving as an understudy to Jillian Mazzarella the last two years (Dyanne redshirted her first year and was needed as a left-side hitter last year). Freshman NICOLE VARGAS gives the Beach another option at the setter position.
BACK ROW: The five-player back-row unit is, collectively, probably the strongest defensive unit in the country. HEATHER LAUDATO is an amazing digger and one of the very best liberos in the country... SARA KRONEBERGER is a superior passer and server, and TAYLOR PEYTON is another solid defensive specialist. Add to the mix two outstanding defenders in IRIS MURRAY and ELISE DUGGINS, and the result is precision passing and strong digging. |
