Women's Volleyball Opens Home Season
June 21, 1999 | Women's Volleyball
September 22, 1998
THIS WEEK The No. 8 USC women's volleyball team (5-3 overall, 1-1 in the Pac-10) will play its first home match of the season against Oregon State (9-2, 0-1) on Friday (Sept. 25) at 6 p.m. The Women of Troy will continue at home on Sunday (Sept. 27) against Oregon (5-5, 1-0) at 11 a.m. Both matches will be played in the North Gym.
SERIES NOTES The Women of Troy are 17-7 in the series with Oregon State and have a two-match winning streak over the Beavers. USC is 21-6 in the series with Oregon, not losing to the Ducks since September of 1990.
LAST WEEK The Women of Troy returned from the Bay Area after splitting two matches. USC fell to defending national champion Stanford, 15-10, 3-15, 9-15, 12-15, on Friday (Sept. 18). USC's kill leaders for the match were seniors Jasmina Marinkovic (24) and Jennifer Kessy (14) and sophomore Janae Henry (15). The Women of Troy faced California on Sunday (Sept. 20), defeating the Bears, 10-15, 15-10, 15-12, 15-12. Senior setter Janice Mounts had 59 assists, 14 digs and four blocks, while Kessy had 16 kills and 13 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Antoinette Polk had a career high 21 kills with nine digs and Marinkovic had 16 kills and seven blocks.
RANKINGS USC is No. 8 in the latest USA Today/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. USC took the No. 8 spot in the September 14 Volleyball Magazine Poll. Oregon State and Oregon are not ranked.
NOTES The Women of Troy have suffered all three losses on the road to top 10 teams (No. 2 Long Beach State, No. 7 Wisconsin and No. 9 Stanford). Senior middle blocker Alaina Kipps suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and will not be able to return to play. Kipps was the team's lead blocker in 1997. Sophomore Amber Oliver and freshman Jennifer Pahl will vie for the vacated middle blocker position. Senior middle blocker Jasmina Marinkovic is third on USC's career total blocks, solo blocks and block assist charts. She is also eighth on the USC career kill and attack charts. Senior outside hitter Jennifer Kessy holds seventh place on the USC career kills chart, the number sixth placeon the career attack chart and the fifth place on the career digs chart.
COACH LISA LOVE Her players have known her as one of the nations best volleyball coaches for more than 16 years. Colleagues know her as one of the top athletic administrators in the country. Equally determined and successful on both fronts, Lisa Love, the 1997 Pac-10 Co-Coach of the Year, has perpetuated the tradition of USC women's volleyball while also handling the duties of her position as associate athletic director. She has been USC's women's volleyball head coach since 1989 and was named to her administrative post in June of 1991. She will also complete a two-year stint as the President of the American Volleyball Coaches Association when her term concludes in December. Love has posted an outstanding 186-90 (.674) record with the Women of Troy and an impressive 385-168 (.696) mark in 17 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Loves teams have been nationally ranked in the final Top 20 in 10 of those years and have made nine NCAA regional appearances and 12 NCAA trips overall. Love came to USC in 1989 from Texas-Arlington, where she built the volleyball program into a national contender. She was awarded the highest collegiate volleyball coaching honor when she was named the 1988 AVCA National Coach of the Year for leading UTA to its fifth Southland Conference championship and a Top 10 national ranking.
JASMINA MARINKOVIC One of the most exciting players in the country, senior All-American middle blocker Jasmina Marinkovic (pronounced Yaz-MEE-nah Ma-RINK-o-VITCH) is a major player in the Women of Troys 1998 campaign. Known to her friends as Jasna, Marinkovic is an excellent leaper and one of the most athletic middle blockers in the country. She is looking to become USC's first player to earn back-to-back All-American first team honors since Tracy Clark and Kim Ruddins did it in 1984-85. Marinkovic had 40 kills and 14 blocks in the two matches against Stanford and California, including 24 kills and seven blocks against Stanford. She is third on USC's solo block, block assists and total block career charts and eighth on the career kill chart and attack chart. She has earned All-Tournament honors at all three tournaments the Women of Troy have played in this season (NACWAA, San Francisco/Saint Mary's College and Wisconsin). Marinkovic had 22 kills and 11 blocks at the NACWAA Tournament and 14 kills in six games at the San Francisco/Saint Mary's Tournament. Marinkovic had 41 kills, 16 digs and nine blocks in two matches (nine games) at the Wisconsin Tournament in Madison, Wisc.
JENNIFER KESSY An All-American candidate as a 1998 senior, Jennifer Kessy is one of the top outside hitters in the country and one of the most feared attackers in the Pac-10. At Stanford and California last weekend, Kessy had 30 kills and 28 digs, with 16 kills and 13 digs at the Cal match. She has 41 double-doubles in her career. Kessy has taken the fifth-place spot on the USC career dig chart. Kessy is currently the team leader in kills (157) and digs (93). She has been named to the All-Tournament team at all three tournaments the team has played in this season (NACWAA, San Francisco/Saint Mary's College and Wisconsin). She had 61 kills and 32 digs at the Wisconsin Tournament, with 36 kills and 24 digs during the Wisconsin match. As a standout junior in 1997, Kessy was named to the KAEPA/AVCA All-District VIII and All-Pac-10 first teams.
JANICE MOUNTS Janice Mounts, a 1998 senior All-American candidate, is in her third year as USC's starting setter. A savvy veteran with loads of court experience, Mounts, a Women of Troy co-captain, is one of the top floor leaders in the nation. Mounts 3,177 assists place her third on the USC career assist list, 514 short of Christine Brigmans record of 3,691. Her assist per game average (12.56) is second-best all-time, behind Brigmans career mark (12.60). Mounts collected 128 assists during the Stanford/California weekend, including 69 assists, eight digs and two blocks against Stanford. At the Wisconsin Tournament, Mounts collected 128 assists and 25 digs, including 70 assists and 11 digs during the Wisconsin match. She has earned All-Tournament honors at all three tournaments the squad has competed in this season (NACWAA, San Francisco/Saint Mary's College and Wisconsin). In the NACWAA Tournament Mounts collected 111 assists, 10 digs and six blocks. As a 1997 junior, Mounts earned All-Pac-10 honorable mention for the second consecutive season.
ALAINA KIPPS Alaina Kipps, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during the fourth game of the Indiana match, will not be returning to play. Kipps was the team block leader in 1997 and is currently a Women of Troy co-captain. Kipps earned 1997 GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America second team and District Vlll and Pac-10 All-Academic first team honors.
ANTOINETTE POLK A 1998 sophomore, outside hitter Antoinette Polk is looking to build on a promising freshman season in which she established herself as one of the top up-and-comers in the Pac-10. She is possibly the most athletic player and best leaper on the team (at 5-10, she can dunk on a regulation basketball hoop). Polk had a career-high 21 kills and added nine digs during the match against California last weekend. She started in both matches of the Wisconsin Tournament collecting 23 kills, 23 digs and three block assists. Starting as a redshirt freshman in 1997, Polk was named 1997 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (USC's second such honor. The first was Jasmina Marinkovic in 1995).
SARA STEPHEN One of the quickest members of the Women of Troy and perhaps its hardest hitter, 1998 senior Sara Stephen is a multi-dimensional player who will vie for time at outside hitter. A quick player with great leaping abilities, her versatility gives Coach Lisa Love many options. Stephen started in the Stanford and California matches, collecting 11 digs. She played in both matches at the Wisconsin Tournament, collecting 14 digs and three aces. In 1997, Stephen finished tied for third on the team with 19 aces and fourth in digs with 163.
KASHI CORMIER Sophomore outside hitter Kashi Cormier has taken over one of the starting outside hitter positions for the 1998 season. In the two matches at Stanford and California, Cormier collected 11 digs, three blocks and one service ace. Cormier had a career-best 20 digs against Wisconsin in the Wisconsin Tournament and had four block assists. She has had two double-doubles this season (11 kills and 16 digs vs. Wisconsin on 8/28 and 11 kills and 12 digs vs. Long Beach State) at the NACWAA Tournament. In 1997, Cormier was named a Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention selection.
JANAE HENRY Sophomore outside hitter Janae Henry has earned a starting position on this year's squad after playing in 19 matches last season. Henry looks to be recovered from a knee injury that kept her out of play for the Wisconsin Tournament. She came back strong with 15 kills, nine digs and two blocks in USC's effort against Stanford. She had her first career start against Wisconsin at the NACWAA Tournament to start off the 1998 season. Henry was the 1996 Volleyball Magazine "Player of the Year."
AMBER OLIVER Sophomore middle blocker Amber Oliver has returned to play after redshirting last season while rehabilitating a shoulder injury. Oliver is a welcome returner at middle blocker and is looking to return to the form that made her a force at the net as a blocker and a quick attacker in 1996. At the Wisconsin Tournament, Oliver played in seven games, collecting 11 kills and six block assists.
HEIDI MUNNEKE An instinctive setter with an exceptional touch, sophomore setter Heidi Munneke will compete for time behind starter Janice Mounts. At the San Francisco/Saint Mary's Tournament, Munneke had 23 assists and four aces in three games.
JENNIFER PAHL One of two freshmen on the roster, middle blocker Jennifer Pahl will contribute depth and speed to the middle and challenge for playing time at the net. Adding to the USC win over California, Pahl contributed nine kills and three blocks. She had a career high 10 kills in the match against Stanford. As a prep senior in 1997, Pahl was named to Volleyball Magazine's "Fab 50" and was the CIF Division V-AA Co-Player of the year.
WALK-ONS The Women of Troy feature a talented cast of six walk-ons that provide Coach Love with key depth. Sophomore outside hitter Shannon Redfern contributed 10 kills and 13 digs in the two matches against Stanford and California. Cynthia Corpuz, a sophomore defensive specialist, adds speed and quickness in the back row. She collected a career-high 15 digs against Wisconsin at the Wisconsin Tournament. Corpuz had her first career starts at the San Francisco/Saint Mary's Tournament, playing in all six games. Christine Bohle, a sophomore outside hitter, serves the Women of Troy mainly as a back-row specialist and situational server as she did in the 1997 season. Bohle saw time in two games at the San Francisco/Saint Mary's College Tournament, collecting five kills. A competitive player who can provide a spark off the bench will be sophomore defensive specialist and a reserve setter Ashlyn Dyer, a first-year player. Sophomore middle blocker Sara Peterson is again a solid contributor, adding depth to the blocking ranks. Freshman Emily Dalbeck is a valuable back-up at outside hitter and as a defensive specialist. Dalbeck earned CIF Division 3-A first team honors in her senior year at La Canada (Calif.) High.
OREGON STATE Oregon State (9-2, 0-1) is led by junior Sarah Bjeldanes, who has 125 kills and 117 digs for the Beavers. The Beavers are coached by Jeff Mozzochi, who is in his sixth season with Oregon State.
OREGON The Ducks (5-5, 1-0), under fourth-year head coach Cathy Nelson, are led by Madeline Ernst, who leads the team in kills (198) and digs (106). Senior middle blocker Alli White leads the team in blocks with 61.
VOLLEYBALL HALL OF FAME Assistant volleyball coach and former USC All-American Paula Weishoff will be inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame on Oct. 19. Weishoff, a three-time Olympian ( won a silver medal in 1984 and a bronze in 1992 and also played on the 1996 team in Atlanta). In 1980, she played under Coach Chuck Erbe, leading the Women of Troy to a 46-4 record and the AIAW national championship.
TOUGH SCHEDULE As usual, USC faces one of the toughest schedules in the nation. Including possible tournament match-ups, the Women of Troy could face up to 10 schools ranked in the USA Today/AVCA Coaches Preseason Top 25: Stanford, Long Beach State, Washington State, Washington, UCLA, Pepperdine, Wisconsin, Pacific, Arkansas and Notre Dame. USC will also face three teams that received votes in the preseason poll: Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State and possibly Houston in the Banker's Classic.
PAC-10 PRESEASON POLL USC was ranked No. 1 in the Pac-10 Preseason Coaches Poll. The Women of Troy earned nine of the 10 first-place votes with defending national champion Stanford picking up the remaining vote. USC becomes the first team other than Stanford or UCLA to hold the spot in the preseason poll. The coaches have chosen correctly in seven of nine previous polls. Following are the results: 1. USC, 2. Stanford, 3. UCLA, 4. Washington, 5. Washington State, 6. Arizona, 7. Oregon State 8. Arizona State, 9. Oregon, 10. California.
