Women's Volleyball To Face James Madison, UC Santa Barbara
November 23, 1999 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 23, 1999
THE FACTS -- No. 14 USC (19-7, 13-5 Pac-10) surrendered one of its toughest matches on Friday (Nov. 19) at the hands of Pac-10 co-champion UCLA. The Women of Troy were narrowly defeated by the Bruins, 3-1, in a three-hour match in front of a capacity crowd at North Gym. The following morning (Nov. 20), the Trojans swept the visiting Fairfield Stags, 3-0, in their last home match of the season. With the conference season completed, USC will play its two final regular season matches this weekend at the Long Beach State Tournament. On Friday, Nov. 26, the Trojans face James Madison at 5 p.m., then prepare to play UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Nov. 27, at 5 p.m.
DID YOU KNOW? -- The end of the conference season has rarely meant the end of regular season play for the Women of Troy. USC has always played a couple nonconference games in preparation for the postseason tournament. In the Pac-10's 14-year history, USC has posted a 11-9 record in these final nonconference matches. Following these matches, the Trojans have gone on to defeat their NCAA first-round opponent 8 of 10 times.
RANKINGS -- USC moved up one spot in this week's USA Today/AVCA coaches poll. The Trojans enter the week ranked 14th, while UCLA (No. 6), Stanford (No. 2) and Arizona (No. 19) are the only other Pac-10 teams currently ranked. UC Santa Barbara is ranked No. 8.
USC NEWS & NOTES -- Head Coach Jerritt Elliot led Troy to a 13-5 league record, the best record ever by a Pac-10 coach in their rookie season... Since the Pac-10's inception, this is the fifth time USC has finished in third place... The Trojans have finished among the Pac-10 top four in 13 of 14 seasons... With an 13-5 conference mark, USC has recorded its ninth-consecutive wining record in the Pac-10 (only Stanford has a longer streak at 14).
FINAL PAC-10 STANDINGS -- For the first time in Pac-10 history, two teams will share the conference championship title. Stanford and UCLA are the 1999 Pac-10 co-champions after they both posted a 17-1 conference record and 25-2 overall mark. Stanford will receive the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Third-place finisher USC is expected to receive a tournament bid.
OLIVER NAMED PAC-10 ALL-ACADEMIC -- Junior MB Amber Oliver, despite missing the majority of the conference season due to injury, was named to the Pac-10 all-academic honorable mention team, announced Commissioner Tom Hansen on Monday, November 22. Oliver, a redshirt junior, is a political science major with a 3.08 cumulative GPA.
LAST WEEK -- Led by career-best performances from MBs Jennifer Pahl and Amber Oliver, USC fell No. 6 UCLA, 3-1(16-14, 15-6, 15-11, 19-17) last Friday (Nov. 19). After jumping out to a 5-0 lead in game one, Troy maintained a five-point edge through much of the first game. With a 12-7 advantage, the Bruins began to threaten the Trojans' lead, eventually tieing the score, 14-14, following a kill by Kristee Porter. UCLA then forced an attack error and tallied an ace for the game victory, 16-14. The Bruins dominated much of game two en route to a 15-6 win, despite USC's 3-2 lead to start. Down by two games, the Trojans again jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third. This time, Troy maintained the edge with the help of DS Julie Mariani's three service aces, all for points in a 15-11 USC win. The fourth game was an evenly matched bout as the Trojans and Bruins tied the score eight times in the contest. With a service ace by setter Hiedi Munneke, USC tied the score 14-14 before a false fire alarm delayed the match 15 minutes. Upon returning to the court, USC and UCLA matched eachother point-for-point, reaching game point five times before a ball handling error by OH Antoinette Polk gave setter Erika Selsor a service ace and UCLA the match victory.
USC returned on Saturday morning (Nov. 20) to sweep Fairfield, 3-0 (15-6, 15-9, 15-10). Amber Oliver (11 kills, 5 blocks) posted a team-best .625 attack percentage, while OH Lauren Killian hit for .400 with five kills of off 10 attacks in one game played. Sophomore MB Jennifer Pahl added a career-high 18 digs in addition to 10 kills for a .318 attack percentage. Despite out-hitting the Stags, .320 to .121, Troy was matched block-for-block as each team accounted for 7.0 stops.
TOP PERFORMANCES -- Last week's top performance came from MB Amber Oliver who averaged a .528 attack percentage, 1.29 blocks and 3.29 kills per game in two matches. This is the second-consecutive weekend she has averaged an above .500 attack percentage. DS Julie Mariani recorded another seven aces (1.0 sapg) in two matches, improving her average to 0.44 aces per game.
TRIPLE-DOUBLES -- Lauren Killian vs. Washington State, 9/31/99 (10k, 10d, 10b)
DOUBLE-DOUBLES -- 41 to date
30+ KILL PERFORMANCES -- Antoinette Polk vs. Washington State, 9/31/99 (30k)
PAC-10 STATS -- Janae Henry (No. 2 - 3.53 dpg), Antoinette Polk (No. 5 - 3.27 dpg) and OH Kashi Cormier (No. 10 - 2.74 dpg) remain among Pac-10 defensive leaders this week. Polk also ranks sixth in kills (3.88 kpg). Other stat leaders include MB Jennifer Pahl who ranks tenth in attack percentage (.298), DS Julie Mariani who ranks fifth in service ace average (0.44 sapg), and setter Hiedi Munneke who ranks eighth in assists (10.03 apg). As a team, USC ranks among the top three teams in five of seven categories (No. 2 defense, No. 3 assists-hitting percentage-kills-win percentage), and ranks fourth in block average (2.70) and fifth in service ace average (1.53). ** records from week of Nov. 14 **
MARIANI ON RECORD PACE -- DS Julie Mariani added another seven aces last weekend, bringing her season total to 41 service aces and a 0.44 ace average. She currently ranks fourth among USC's all-time season record holders in total aces (Nancy Hillman holds the record with 59 aces in 1988). She ranks second among all-time single season record holders in ace average (Hillman also set this record with a 0.47 average in 1988).
OPPONENT NOTES -- James Madison enters Friday's (Nov. 26) match with a 25-4 overall record, and 13-1 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The Dukes only conference loss came against American University on the road in a 3-1 defeat. The team is led by OH Lindsay Collingwood who has posted 411 kills (4.19 kpg), 58 aces (0.59 sapg) and 312 digs (3.18 dpg). Setter Christina Gianino has collected 1222 assists and a 12.10 assist per game average. James Madison has not faced a ranked opponent this season. USC will be the first of three matches for the Dukes at the LBSU Tournament, and will be followed by matches against Oral Roberts and host Long Beach State.
No. 7-ranked UC Santa Barbara owns a 23-5 overall record, and 12-4 record in the Big West as the team enters Saturday's (Nov. 27) match. Four of its five losses this season have been against top-five squads, including two four-game losses against Long Beach State. Senior OH Roberta Gehlke leads the squad with 494 kills (5.43 kpg) and 367 digs (4.03 dpg). MB Jutta Weissenborn has averaged 1.02 blocks per game, while setter Brooke Rundle averages 13.46 assists per contest. USC will be the last of three matches for the Gauchos at the LBSU Tournament where they will also face Colgate and Oral Roberts.
SERIES RECORDS -- Friday's match (Nov. 26) between USC and James Madison will mark the first meeting in program history between these two squads.
The all-time series record between USC and UC Santa Barbara stands at 23-8 (.742) in the Trojans' favor, as the two teams enter their 32nd contest. In their last meeting, the Troy defeated the Gauchos 3-2 (13-15, 11-15, 16-14, 15-12, 15-10) at the Santa Clara Tournament on September 14, 1996. The last three meetings between these two squads have been five-game battles, each held at a neutral site.
NCAA SELECTIONS -- The 1999 Division I Women's Volleyball 64-team bracket will be announced on Sunday, November 28 at 7 p.m. (PT). The 30-minute selection show can be viewed live on television with the use of a DSS dish (DirecTV). If you are unable to view the show, you may dial in to listen to the bracket announcements. Please call approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the show by dialing (913) 981-5507 (confirmation # 776257). ***This phone number may only be used by coaches and members of the media.***
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE COACHES -- Jerritt Elliott is serving as interim head coach this season after being a Trojan assistant during the past four seasons under Lisa Love. Love, the Women of Troy's head coach the past 10 seasons, resigned in March of 1999 to concentrate on her associate athletic duties at USC. Following the 2000 Olympics, U.S. Women's National Team head coach Mick Haley will come aboard. Haley led Texas to two national titles during his tenure as head coach of the Longhorns in the mid-1980s.
COACH JERRITT ELLIOTT -- Interim head coach Jerritt Elliott, who has coaching experience at the high school, club, international and collegiate levels, is in his fifth year as a member of the USC staff. He joined the program in August of 1995 as a volunteer assistant and was promoted to assistant coach in 1996. Each season, the Women of Troy advanced to the NCAA regional semifinals and finished ranked in the national top 15. Elliott was an assistant coach on the 1998 U.S. Junior National team which won the NORCECA gold medal and qualified for the World Championships. He also served as director of the Westside Volleyball Club from 1992-95 (he led them to a fourth-place finish at the Nike Volleyball Festival in 1994) and as an assistant coach for the 1993 Cal State Northridge team that lost to UCLA in the NCAA championship match. His high school coaching stints included three years at Marymount High in Westwood, Calif. and one year at Palisades High in Pacific Palisades, Calif. As a player, he earned All-City second- team honors as an outside hitter at Palisades High where he played alongside former USC standout Kevin Shepard and Olympic gold-medalist Kent Steffes. In his first season as a collegiate head coach, Elliott owns a 19-7 overall record and 13-5 Pac-10 mark.
#1 Tracy Lindquist (S, 5-7, Fr)
A graduate of Ocean View High in Fountain Valley, Calif., Tracy Lindquist was a Fab-50 selectee and a two-time high school All-American. She and partner Chrissie Zartman are the two youngest players ever to receive an AAA beach rating.
1999 Season Stats: 619 assists, 6.96 apg, .337
? Had her best match against Long Beach State (Sept. 15), during which she collected 58 assists.
? In the first three weeks of the season, she has started in six of seven matches.
? Saw playing time against Arizona State and Arizona in the backrow.
? Lindquist assumed the backup setter role at the start of the conference season.
? Made Pac-10 debut at starting setter against Oregon State (Oct. 17) and Oregon (Oct. 18), and averaged 13.43 assists per game.
? Started against both Arizona (Oct. 21) and Arizona State (Oct. 22) and averaged 10.55 apg, while averaging a .333 attack.
? Starting against Cal and Stanford (Nov. 5, 6) she collected 62 total assists (10.22 apg) and averaged a .556 attack percentage (6 k, 9 att).
? Started against both Oregon (Nov. 12) and Oregon State (Nov. 13), but had her best match against the Beavers with a 14.67 assists per game average.
? Split time against UCLA (Nov. 19) and Fairfield (Nov. 20) collecting 55 totals assists.
#2 Julie Mariani (DS, 5-5, Fr)
Julie Mariani is a defensive specialist from St. Francis High in Los Altos, Calif. As a prep, she earned all-league honors and helped lead her team to two CIF championships.
1999 Season Stats: 2.19 dpg, 0.44 sapg
? Tied a career-high three service aces against California (Oct. 9).
? Again, posted a career-best three service aces against Arizona State (Oct. 22)
? Surpassed her career-high mark with four service aces against Cal (Nov. 5).
? Recorded three aces against both Oregon (Nov. 12) and Oregon State (Nov. 13).
? Surpasses her career-high again with five aces against UCLA (Nov. 19), and averaged 1.0 sapg in the two matches (UCLA & Fairfield, Nov. 20).
#3 Antoinette Polk (OH, 5-10, Jr)
A 1999 junior, starting outside hitter Antoinette Polk is looking to build on two strong seasons with USC. She is the team's most athletic player and its best leaper (at 5-10, she can dunk on a regulation basketball hoop).
1999 Season Stats: 3.88 kpg (.217), 0.14 sapg, 3.27 dpg, 0.45 bpg
? Tied her career-high with 24 kills against Long Beach State (Sept. 4).
? Named USC Athlete of the Week twice this season (Sept. 7 and Sept. 13).
? Earned all-tournament honors at the Wahine Volleyball Challenge after notching 57 kills (4.75 kpg) and 3.9 digs per game in three matches.
? Led the team with 18 digs against Arizona (Sept. 25).
? Set a career record with 30 kills against Washington State (Sept. 31).
? Posted her eighth double-double of the season against Cal (Oct. 9) with 11 kills and 13 digs.
? Led the team with 18 kills against Oregon State (Oct. 17) and 12 kills against Oregon (Oct. 18).
? Despite a struggling attack percentage, posted 17 digs against Arizona (Oct. 21) and 20 kills against Arizona State (Oct. 22).
? Added 17 kills and 13 digs against Washington (Oct. 29).
? Averaged 4.33 kills and 2.17 digs against Oregon (Nov. 12) and Oregon State (Nov. 13). Led with 15 kills against the Beavers.
? Posted a double-double against UCLA (Nov. 19) with 21 kills and 14 digs.
#7 Heidi Munneke (S, 5-10, Jr)
As a 1999 junior, Heidi Munneke has rotated as USC's starting setter after serving two years as a reserve with the Trojans.
1999 Season Stats: 662 assists, 10.03 apg, .298, 1.76 dpg
? In the first three tournaments of the season, she has appeared in six of seven matches, with one start versus Tennessee (Sept. 11).
? Had three top performances against Hawai'i (48 assists), Nevada (46 assists) and Oral Roberts (42 assists).
? Made her first consecutive start of the season against Arizona State (Sept. 24) and Arizona (Sept. 25).
? Posted a career-high 80 assists against Washington State (Sept. 31), a mark which ranks fifth among USC match records.
? Added five kills without an error against Washington (Oct. 1) for a perfect attack percentage.
? Did not start, but rotated in against Washington (Oct. 29) and Washington State (Oct. 30) and averaged 13.8 apg. Collected five kills off of six attacks (.833) against the Cougars.
? Saw playing time against the Beavers (Nov. 13) and added two kills (.667) and 13 assists.
? Split time against UCLA (Nov. 19) and Fairfield (Nov. 20) with 57 total assists.
#8 Sara Peterson (MB, 6-1, Jr)
As a 1999 walk-on junior, Sara Peterson will is a reserve middle blocker for the Women of Troy.
1999 Season Stats: 0.75 kpg (.500), 0.50 dpg, 0.38 bpg
? Made her 1999 debut against Washington State (Oct. 1) and led the team with a .556 attack percentage and three blocks.
? Saw playing time against Oregon (Nov. 12), adding one dig.
#15 Lauren Killian (OH, 6-1, Fr)
Lauren Killian prepped at Marlborough High School in Los Angeles, Calif., where she earned 1999 Volleyball Magazine Fab-50 honors. Her father, Don, was a member of the 1977 USC national championship volleyball team.
Season Stats: 1.65 kpg (.275), 0.71 dpg, 0.95 bpg
? Made her first start with the Trojans against Arizona State (Sept. 24) and led the team with a .500 attack percentage.
? Posted a team-high nine blocks against Arizona (Sept. 25).
? Recorded an unprecedented triple-double against Washington State (Sept. 31) with 10 kills, 10 blocks and 10 digs.
? Led the team with 7.0 total blocks against Cal (Oct. 8).
? Provided a spark for the team in the fourth and fifth game against ASU (Oct. 22) by serving the game-winning point in the fourth, and recording seven kills and two blocks on the night, including two of the final fifth-game points.
? Led the match with six blocks against Washington (Oct. 29).
? Against Stanford (Nov. 6), posted a team-high .400 attack percentage (3k, 5att).
? Broke two career-highs against Oregon (Nov. 12) with 12 kills and a .647 attack percentage.
? Played one game against Fairfield (Nov. 20) but added five kills off of 10 attacks (.400).
#16 Amber Oliver (MB, 6-5, Jr)
Senior Amber Oliver, a starting 6-5 middle blocker, continues to provide solid performances for USC after recovering from two shoulder surgeries.
1999 Season Stats: 2.12 kpg (.331), 1.16 bpg
? Helped the team to the UNLV Invitational Championship with top performances against both Oral Roberts and UNLV. Led the team in total blocks (12) and attack percentage (.524) throughout the tournament.
? Collected a career-high 13 kills (.458) and six blocks assists against the Rebels. Tied a career mark with six total blocks in each tournament match.
? Suffered a sprained ankle on Sept. 22 during practice and is listed as day-to-day.
? Made her first appearance since injury in three games against Arizona (Oct. 21) and added four kills (.333). Made first start against ASU (Oct. 22) and led the match with six blocks.
? Made her first consecutive starts since returning from an ankle injury, averaged a .611 attack percentage against Oregon (Nov. 12) and OSU (Nov. 13).
? Averaged an above .500 attack for the second-consecutive week. Averaged .528, 1.29 blocks and 3.29 kills per game against UCLA (Nov. 19) and Fairfield (Nov. 20).
? Named to the Pac-10 All-Academic honorable mention team on November 22.
#21 Kashi Cormier (OH, 6-0, Jr)
A talented and versatile athlete, 1999 junior Kashi Cormier starts at the outside or opposite hitters position.
1999 Season Stats: 2.91 kpg (.227), 2.74 dpg, 0.71 bpg
? Collected a career-high 20 kills against Hawai'i (Sept. 10), while adding 14 digs.
? Honored as an all-tournament selection at the Wahine Volleyball Challenge.
? After struggling in the first three conference matches, had an excellent showing against Washington (Oct. 1) with 10 kills, six digs and a .444 attack percentage.
? Had her best performance of the season against Stanford with a career-high .625 attack percentage and no errors off of 10 kills.
? Topped her previous career-best performance with an .380 average and 3.7 kills and 2.4 digs per game average against UCLA (Oct. 13), Oregon State (Oct. 15) and Oregon (Oct. 16). Posted a personal-best .786 attack percentage against Oregon with 11 kills and no errors.
? Had a career-high 23 kills (.474) against Washington (Oct. 29) and added 12 digs.
#22 Janae Henry (OH, 6-0, Jr)
Junior Janae Henry is a starting outside hitter for the 1999 Trojans. A talented player with a solid all-around game, she continues to be a major contributor to the USC offense.
1999 Season Stats: 3.45 kpg (.214), 0.29 sapg, 3.53 dpg, 0.41 bpg
? Recorded a career-high 24 digs against Nevada (Sept. 9).
? Played one of her best matches against Tennessee (Sept. 11), collecting 14 kills and 15 digs, while hitting .433.
? Topped her previous performance with a 21-kill effort (.436) against Oral Roberts (Sept. 17). She also added 15 digs and two aces in the match.
? Named UNLV Invitational MVP after averaging 4.3 kills and 4.0 digs per game.
? Posted a career-best three aces against Arizona State (Sept. 24), and a team-leading 18 kills against Arizona (Sept. 25).
? Added 20 kills and 16 digs against Washington State (Sept. 31).
? Led the team with 13 kills and 10 digs against Washington (Oct. 1).
? Posted her ninth double-double of the season against Cal (Oct. 9) with 12 kills and 12 digs.
? Led the team against the Bruins (Oct. 13) with 11 kills and 16 digs.
? Posted a match-high 16 digs against UCLA (Oct. 13).
? Named USC Athlete of the Week after recording a top performance against Arizona (Oct. 21) with 13 kills off of 30 attacks (.400) and 15 digs. Tallied 20 digs against Arizona State (Oct. 22).
? Had 16 digs against Washington (Oct. 29), then followed the performance with 18 kills against Washington State (Oct. 30).
? Accumulated 22 digs against UCLA (Nov. 19).
#26 Jennifer Pahl (MB, 6-1, So)
An explosive and dynamic player, sophomore Jennifer Pahl is a starting middle blocker for the Women of Troy.
1999 Season Stats: 3.42 kpg (.298), 0.32 sapg, 2.19 dpg, 1.00 bpg
? Honored as a UNLV Invitational all-tournament selection after leading the team in blocks (12 TB/1.7 bpg) and service aces (4).
? Set four personal career records in the tournament including, a personal best three blocks solos versus Oral Roberts (Sept. 17), and six block assists, seven total blocks and three aces against UNLV (Sept. 18).
? Tied two career records with 10 kills and seven digs against UNLV.
? Named USC Athlete of the Week after accounting for a career-high 18 kills and six blocks against Arizona State (Sept. 24), and leading the team with a .469 attack percentage against Arizona (Sept. 25).
? Had a personal record-breaking performance against Washington State (Sept. 31) 19 kills and 15 total blocks. The block record ranks sixth among USC all-time records.
? Led the team with 10 kills against Stanford (Oct. 8), and a .353 attack percentage against Cal (Oct. 9).
? Averaged 1.2 blocks per game against UCLA (Oct.13), Oregon State (Oct. 15) and Oregon (Oct. 16), including a team-high 7.0 stops against the Beavers.
? USC's most consistent performer, she averaged a .365 attack percentage and 2.56 kills per game against Arizona (Oct. 21) and Arizona State (Oct. 22).
? A reliable athlete, she averaged a .346 attack percentage against Washington (Oct. 29) and Washington State (Oct. 30) with 27 total kills.
? Led the squad with 21 kills and 21 digs against Cal and Stanford (Nov. 5, 6).
? Broke three career-high marks against UCLA (Nov. 19) and Fairfield (Nov. 20), including three aces and 23 kills against the Bruins, and 18 digs against the Stags.
