No. 1-Ranked Volleyball Hosts Oregon State, Oregon
September 25, 2000 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 25, 2000
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The Facts
No. 1/4 USC women's volleyball (9-0, 4-0 Pac-10) kept its win streak alive with two 3-0 wins last week over then-ranked No. 11 Stanford (Sept. 22) and Cal (Sept. 23). This week the Women of Troy host Oregon State on Friday (Sept. 29) and Oregon on Saturday (Sept. 30). Both matches will be played at North Gym and are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Jennifer Pahl Named Pac-10 Player of the Week
Junior Jennifer Pahl was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 19-24. She led the Trojans to two road victories in the Bay Area, while hitting .615 with 16 kills (2.7 kpg) and no errors in 26 attempts, and adding ten blocks (1.66 bpg) and eight digs (1.33 dpg). This is the first Player of the Week honor for Pahl, and USC's 23rd of all time.
Climbing The Ranks
USC is No. 1 according to Volleyball magazine's Division I poll. The Women of Troy also moved up one spot this week in the AVCA/USA Today Coaches Poll -- at No. 4, the Trojans are the highest ranked team in the Pac-10 and received two first place vote. Volleyball also ranked the freshman class as the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, and among Pac-10 coaches, USC is picked to finish 3rd in the conference.
Squeaky Clean Record
As of Sept. 25, the Trojans are among five Division I women's volleyball teams that remain undefeated. Of the five - Nebraska (11-0), Hawai'i (10-0), Minnesota (13-0), Ohio State (12-0) and USC (9-0) - USC is the only remaining team that has yet to lose a game.
The Last Outing
In front of 2,261 at Stanford's Maples Pavilion on Friday (Sept. 22), the Trojans swept the Cardinal 3-0, ending Stanford's 45-match home win streak. The last time USC defeated Stanford in Palo Alto was in 1977, the same year the single-game win streak record was set. The Trojans held the Cardinal to .000 hitting and only four points (the lowest for a USC opponent in game one this season) in the first game, and 14 points in the match. With 25 kills and 25 errors, Stanford never got past the .000 hitting mark in the match. Outside hitter Janae Henry led the squad with 11 kills off of 19 attacks (.337) and 11 digs.
The Women of Troy kept their win streak alive by defeating Cal 3-0 (15-9, 15-7, 15-7) on Saturday, Sept. 23, in Berkeley. With the 27th consecutive game victory to start the season, USC tied the all-time program record. The Trojans hit .336 and tallied 11.0 team blocks thanks to the efforts of freshman middle blocker Katie Olsovsky who added a season-high seven stops.
Keeping The Streak Alive
The Trojans have swept each of their opponents this season, recording 27 consecutive wins to start the season for the first time since 1977 (the overall record is 28 in a row, set over the 1976 and 1977 seasons). Under head coach Chuck Erbe, the '77 Trojans won their first 27 consecutive games in route to the AIAW National Championship. The 2000 Women of Troy could surpass this mark on Friday (Sept. 29) against Oregon State at North Gym.
Did You Know?
* USC broke Stanford's 45-match home win streak with the win on Sept. 22, and put an end to a 23-year USC drought at Maples Pavilion. The Trojans had not won at Stanford since 1977.
* MB Jennifer Pahl set a career-high against the Cardinal by recording a .750 attack percentage (6-0-8)... she did not make an error against Stanford or Cal. MB Katie Olsovsky also posted a personal season-best with seven blocks against the Golden Bears.
* The Women of Troy held Stanford to only 14 points in the match, the second-lowest point total for a USC opponent this season (Temple scored 13 points, Texas-San Antonio also had 14).
* USC's longest match of the season was a one-hour, 30 minute bout against Washington State (Sept. 14)... the shortest lasted one-hour, three minutes against Texas-San Antonio (Sept. 7).
* USC has held seven of its nine opponents to a less than .150 attack percentage in the match.
Splitting Sets
Uncommon for most teams, the 2000 squad has found great success by splitting sets. Setters Toni Anderson (Fr.) and Tracy Lindquist (So.) have seen equal time on the court in every match and head coach Jerritt Elliott keeps them in constant rotation. The duo has combined for 13.1 assists per game while each averaging 6.59 and 6.52, respectively.
Keeping The Numbers Low
The only down side to sweeping nine consecutive opponents is that the USC statistics remain low. Though the Trojans have dominated their opponents, the team has yet to collect more than 60 kills or digs in a match... last season the Trojans averaged 60 kills and 61.4 digs per outing. There have only been 10 double digit kill performances, and only twice has a player collected double digits in kills and digs (Janae Henry did so against Stanford and Texas).
Surviving the Close Calls
Maintaining their perfect record, the Women of Troy have survived three close calls. Against Texas, Rhode Island and Washington State, USC held the opponents at game point and climbed its way back to win the game. Most recently, the Trojans trailed Washington State (Sept. 14) by three when the Cougars reached game point. The Women of Troy forced six sideouts and halted the Cougars while posting the final five consecutive points for the game victory.
Reaching for the Millennium Mark
Senior Antoinette Polk needs just 38 kills and 86 digs to become the 35th player in Pac-10 history to reach 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. So far this season she has collected 60 kills and 63 digs.
Freshmen Bring Reminders of the Past
The nation's No. 1 (according to Volleyball magazine) freshman class has made a definite impact on USC women's volleyball this season. Not only are three of the six (April Ross, Katie Olsovsky and Toni Anderson) currently starting for the Women of Troy, but their contributions have been significant. Ross leads the team in kills per game (3.11), Anderson is splitting time and assists at setter, and Olsovsky is averaging 1.33 blocks per game. As a group (which also includes Kelli Lantz, Nicole Davis and Jamie Carroll), the freshmen have been compared to the class of newcomers that joined USC in 1976 under head coach Chuck Erbe. With Terry Place, Paula Dittmer-Goodwin, Debbie Green and Debbie Landreth, the '76 Trojans went on to win the AIAW National Championship.
A Complete Lineup
USC also has depth on its side this season. With an array of talent, Head Coach Jerritt Elliott takes advantage of his ability to consistently rotate players... making his reserves as important and as effective as the starters. Among them, opposite hitter Lauren Killian has led the team throughout the season with a .466 attack percentage (48 kills).
Against Ranked Opponents
Then-ranked No. 11 Stanford was USC's second ranked opponent of the season. Prior to sweeping the Cardinal, the Trojans also defeated then-ranked No. 18 Texas, 3-0, to open the 2000 season. Texas has since fallen out of the Top-25 and Stanford dropped to No. 15.
Opponent Notes
Oregon State -- Oregon State will enter Friday's match with a 10-3 overall record and 2-1 mark in the Pac-10... The Beavers defeated Cal, 3-2, and in-state rival Oregon, 3-2, but fell to Stanford, 2-3 to open the conference schedule... OSU defeated Brown, 3-0, and UConn, 3-1, and lost to Fairfield, 2-3, at the VICE Script Connecticut Invitational last week... Four of Oregon State's last six matches have lasted five-games... OH Gina Schmidt and setter Brandi Bonnarens were both named to the all-tournament team... Schmidt collected a career-high 27 kills against UConn, while Bonnarens became the second Beaver to reach 3,000 career assists... Schmidt currently leads the team with a 4.31 kills per game average and Bonnarens is averaging 12.82 assists per game... Head coach Nancy Somera is in her second season at the helm of the Oregon State program... Somera was a former assistant coach for the Women of Troy (1991-98).
Oregon -- The Ducks enter Saturday's match with a 7-4 overall record and 0-3 mark in the Pac-10... Oregon has been narrowly defeated by 2-3 scores in each conference loss against Stanford, Cal and Oregon State... With a nonconference win over Portland last week, the Ducks equaled last year's total of seven season victories... In 1999, Oregon finished with a 7-20 record and 1-17 mark in the Pac-10 (10th place)... This season the team is led by first year head coach Carl Ferreira... Junior outside hitter Monique Tobbagi has tallied double digits in kills in seven consecutive matches, and eight of the nine she's played in... Tobbagi leads the team and ranks sixth in the Pac-10 with a 3.85 kills per game average.
Series Records
USC owns a 21-7 all-time record against the Beavers, and has won the last six consecutive meetings. Last season, the Trojans defeated Oregon State 3-1 in Corvallis, and 3-0 at home. Against Oregon, USC owns a 19-match win streak which dates back to 1990. The Trojans are 25-6 against the Ducks and defeated them twice in 1999, both by 3-0 scores.
Past, Present and Future Coaches
Jerritt Elliott enters his second season as USC's interim head coach after serving as the Trojans' assistant for four seasons under former head coach Lisa Love. Following the 2000 Olympics, U.S.A. Women's National Team head coach Mick Haley will join the USC program.
Interim Head Coach Jerritt Elliott
USC interim head coach Jerritt Elliott was tabbed the 1999 Pac-10 Coach of the Year in his rookie season. Elliott, serving as the Trojans' head coach while Mick Haley leads the national team in the 2000 Olympic Games, became just the second coach in Pac-10 history to post 13 league wins in their first season. Troy's 13-5 (.722) conference mark was the best win percentage ever recorded by a rookie coach in the conference. In 1999 Elliott led the Women of Troy to a third-place Pac-10 finish, a 20-8 overall record, and a No. 17 final ranking in the USA Today/AVCA Top-25 poll. Thanks to his efforts, USC's incoming class of 2000 was named the nation's No. 1 recruiting class according to Volleyball magazine.
Head Coach Mick Haley
U.S.A. Women's National Volleyball Team head coach Mick Haley, who won two national championships in the 1980s while guiding the Texas women's team, will join the USC women's volleyball program following the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Due to the fact that he will not join the team until the middle of the collegiate season, Haley does not expect to take an active coaching role until 2001. Haley accepted the USC coaching position in June of 1999. In his fourth season as head coach of the U.S.A. National Volleyball Team, his squad earned a berth to the 2000 Olympics by defeating Canada to win the Nike Americas' Volleyball Challenge. Before taking over the national team, he spent 17 successful seasons (1980-96) at Texas, where he earned a 522-137-1 overall record, won two national championships and 13 Southwest Conference titles, and captured 15 NCAA tournament berths.
Olympic Update
Under the leadership of head coach Mick Haley, the U.S.A. women's volleyball team has surprised many with a strong start at the 2000 Olympic Games by defeating China (3-1), Kenya (3-0), Croatia (3-0) and Australia (3-0). The team lost its first match, 25-17, 20-25, 25-15, 25-15 to Brazil on Sunday (Sept. 24). Brazil finished atop Group A with a 5-0 record, while the United States exceeded everyone's expectations by finishing second with a 4-1 record. The U.S. team advanced to the quarterfinals and will face South Korea (2-3) on Tuesday (Sept. 26).
Player Profiles
#1 Tracy Lindquist
Setter * Sophomore
A returning starter... named to the 1999 Pac-10 All-Freshman first team... averaged 7.86 assists and 1.95 digs per game while sharing the setter's role... finished the season tenth in the Pac-10 in assists... an extremely versatile player and a great competitor for the Women of Troy.
Did You Know?... A true beach buff, Lindquist played in the 2000 Pro Seal Beach Open and represented the United States in 2-man beach volleyball in Israel this summer with her partner, sister Katie Lindquist.
This Season... Has played in 27 games and started 2 matches... Averaged 6.67 assists and 2.5 digs against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2) while splitting time at setter and DS... Averaged 6.6 assists per game at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8) and recorded a career-high five service aces against Temple.
#2 Julie Mariani
Defensive Specialist * Sophomore
A returning letterwinner who made several starts in the backrow... collected 243 digs (2.27 dpg) and led the team with 50 service aces in 1999... led the Pac-10 averaging 0.47 aces per game... an aggressive player on the court.
Did You Know?... Mariani currently holds the USC career and single season record for ace average after posting 0.47 aces per game as a freshman.
This Season... Has played in 9 games.
#3 Antoinette Polk
Outside Hitter * Senior
A returning starter... named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 honorable mention team... led the team in kills (407) and kills per game (3.82), finishing sixth in the conference... Ranked second on the team and fifth in the Pac-10 with 338 digs and 3.19 dpg... a premier ball control player whose offensive power makes her an All-American candidate.
Did You Know?... Polk was also a member of the USC women's basketball team during the 1996-97 season. She spent her freshman year as a redshirt on the volleyball team, and played nine games at guard with the basketball team.
This Season... Has played in 27 games and started 9 matches... Averaged 2.33 kills against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Added five blocks against Rhode Island (Sept. 6)... Averaged a career-high .647 attack percentage against Washington State (Sept. 14) with 12 kills, one error and 17 attacks... Against Washington (Sept. 15) she added 13 digs.
#4 Nicole Davis
Defensive Specialist * Freshman
Considered one of the nation's best defensive specialist of the incoming class... played on the Junior National Team as the libero this summer... a two-time all-league selection at Lincoln High in Stockton, Calif.
Did You Know?... Davis owns a black belt in karate.
This Season... Has played in 11 games... Made her collegiate debut against Texas (Sept. 1) and added one dig... Saw playing time in four of six games against Stanford (Sept. 22) and Cal (Sept. 23).
#6 Jaime Carroll
Defensive Specialist * Freshman
A three-time all-league honoree at Medfield (Mass.) High... played outside hitter and setter as a prep.
Did You Know?... Carroll is the daughter of former NFL head coach Pete Carroll.
This Season... Has played in 1 game... Made her collegiate debut against Washington (Sept. 15) and recorded an ace on her first serve.
#8 Sara Peterson
Outside Hitter * Senior
A three-year letterwinner... made several appearances in 1999, including a .556 hitting performance at Washington State to lead the Trojans in a 3-0 sweep of the Cougars.
Did You Know?... Peterson's uncle, Tom Peterson, is the current women's volleyball head coach at Utah State and was named the 1994 National Coach of the Year after leading the Penn State men's volleyball program to a national championship.
#12 Kelli Lantz
Middle Blocker * Freshman
A Volleyball Fab 50 selection and member of USC's No.1-ranked recruiting class... helped lead Centennial High (Bakersfield, Calif.) to the Division I state and national championship as a prep.
This Season... Has played in 6 games... Made her collegiate debut against Arkansas (Sept. 2) and added one kill and one block... Added three kills off of five attacks (.400) against UTSA (Sept. 7)... Played one game against Washington (Sept. 15) and added one kill (1.000) and a block... Entered the match for one game against Cal (Sept. 23) and added one kill off of one attack.
#14 April Ross
Outside Hitter * Freshman
The 1999 Gatorade National Player of the Year and a Paul Mitchell prep All-American... enters as one of the nation's top freshmen and a member of USC's No. 1-ranked recruiting class... she guided Newport Harbor High (Newport Beach, Calif.) to the state and league championship in 1999.
This Season... Has played in 27 games and started 9 matches... Made her collegiate debut in the starting lineup against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Averaged a .409 hitting percentage at the Texas Invitational, while collecting five blocks and 10 digs, including 13 kills (.417) against the Razorbacks... Honored as MVP of the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8) after adding nine kills (.333) and 10 digs against Temple, and averaging 8.7 kills and a .365 attack percentage in the three tournament matches... Posted a season-high .562 attack percentage against the Huskies (Sept. 15), committed no hitting errors and also tied two season bests with 10 digs and four blocks... Led the team with 15 digs against Cal (Sept. 23).
#15 Lauren Killian
Opposite Hitter * Sophomore
A returning starter... named to the 1999 Pac-10 All-Freshman honorable mention team... played in the middle and on the outside last season... averaged 0.94 blocks per game to finish second on the team... also added 1.67 kills per game... will pose problems for opponents playing her more natural right side position.
Did You Know?... Killian's Trojan roots span nearly four generations amounting to 10-plus USC alumni, including her father, Don, who played for USC's 1977 NCAA champion men's volleyball team.
This Season... Has played in 27 games... Led the team with a .450 attack percentage (11-2-20) against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2) and added seven blocks... Was flawless at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8), adding 15 kills off of 27 attacks with no errors for a .556 attack percentage... After a five-kill, error-free performance against Washington State (Sept. 14), she made her first hitting mistake in 14 games against Washington, despite another .545 hitting display.
#22 Janae Henry
Outside Hitter * Senior
A returning starter... named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 honorable mention team... led the team and ranked second in the Pac-10 with an average of 3.5 digs per game last season... with a 2.88 career dig mark, she is currently fifth on USC's all-time list... one of the strongest and most consistent players this season who should be considered an All-American candidate.
This Season... Has played in 27 games and started 9 matches... Led USC in win over Texas (Sept. 1) with 10 kills (.400) and 14 digs... At the Texas Invitational she averaged a team-leading 4.33 digs per game and finished with 19 total kills... Named to the Met-Rx Invitational all-tournament team after hitting .538 and posting nine digs against Temple (Sept. 8)... She averaged 3.3 digs and a .405 attack percentage in the tournament... Led the team with 15 kills against Washington State (Sept. 14)... Posted her second double-double of the season with a team-leading 11 kills (.474) and 11 digs against Stanford (Sept. 22).
#26 Jennifer Pahl
Middle Blocker * Junior
A returning starter... named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 first team... led the team with a .293 attack percentage and 0.93 blocks per game... also averaged 3.38 kills and 2.27 digs per game... one of the premier middle blockers in the country due to her speed and quickness... an All-American candidate.
Did You Know?... Pahl spent the summer traveling throughout India with Athletes In Action.
This Season... Has played in 27 games and started 9 matches... Averaged 1.5 blocks to lead the Trojans against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Also posted 2.5 digs and 2.5 kills per game... Averaged 1.7 blocks and a .396 attack percentage at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8), including a season-high seven stops against Rhode Island... Tied a career-best with three aces against Washington (Sept. 15) and added nine kills (.500) and five blocks... Named Pac-10 Player of the Week (Sept. 25) after posting six blocks and a career-high .750 attack percentage (6 kills, no errors, 8 attacks) against Stanford (Sept. 22), then following with 10 kills (.556) and three blocks against Cal (Sept. 23).
#30/5 Toni Anderson
Setter * Freshman
A Volleyball Fab 50 selection, Paul Mitchell prep All-American and member of USC's No.1-ranked recruiting class... played with the Junior National Team after graduating from Esperanza High in Anaheim, Calif.
This Season... Has played in 27 games and started 7 matches... Made her collegiate debut against Texas (Sept. 1) and her first start against Arkansas (Sept. 2)... Split time at setter at the Texas Invitational and averaged 7.17 assists per game... Made her first start against Rhode Island (Sept. 6) and averaged 5.4 assists and 2.0 digs at the Met-Rx Invitational... Aside from 22 assists, she added six kills (.353) against Washington State (Sept. 14)... Added 31 assists while splitting time against Cal (Sept. 23).
#33 Katie Olsovsky
Outside Hitter * Freshman
A Volleyball Fab 50 selection and four-time Paul Mitchell prep All-American... a member of USC's No.1-ranked recruiting class who was also named the CIF Division I Player of the Year in 1999... led Bishop Montgomery High (Torrance, Calif.) to the league and CIF championships.
This Season... Has played in 27 games and started 9 matches... Made her collegiate debut as a starter against Texas (Sept. 1) and Arkansas (Sept. 2), averaging 2.17 kills, 0.67 blocks and a .423 attack percentage... Averaged 1.2 blocks and a .333 attack percentage at the Met-Rx Invitational (Sept. 6-8)... Hit .538 against the Huskies (Sept. 15), with eight kills and a team-leading five blocks... In a season-high performance, she added 11 kills (.500) and seven blocks to lead the squad against Cal (Sept. 23).
