Indiana University Athletics
12-9 HOOSIERS TIED FOR FIFTH IN LEAGUE STANDINGS
11/2/1998 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
12-9 HOOSIERS TIED FOR FIFTH IN LEAGUE STANDINGS
UP NEXT -- The Hoosiers look to revenge two previous road losses this weekend, hosting No. 15 Illinois and Purdue at University Gym. Indiana faces the Fighting Illini Friday, Nov. 6, and the Boilermakers Saturday, Nov. 7. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $1 for children. IU students are admitted free of charge with a valid student ID.
ABOUT THE HOOSIERS -- Indiana (12-9 overall, 5-7 Big Ten) picked up its first Big Ten road win this past weekend as the Hoosiers swept Michigan in three-straight games. Ryann Connors and Amanda Welter led the squad with 11 kills apiece. As a team, IU posted a Big Ten season best .417 attack percentage after committing just seven hitting errors in the match. On Saturday, IU took No. 18 Michigan State to four games before losing 7-15, 15-5, 15-7, 15-12. Connors again led the Hoosiers with 22 kills while Welter added 17 kills and Jen Magelssen tallied 13 kills and 13 digs. Indiana enters this weekend's play in a three-way tie with Minnesota and Purdue for fifth place in the Big Ten Conference standings.
BALANCED ATTACK -- Indiana's offense is powered by a balanced attack as five Hoosier hitters have amassed 130 plus kills, including a team-high 301 by junior outside hitter Ryann Connors. Senior Jen Magelssen follows, averaging 2.99 kills per game while Amanda Welter and Laura Mettes average 2.96 and 2.42 kills per game, respectively. In Big Ten play, three players are averaging better than three kills per game. Connors leads with 3.88 kills per game while Magelssen and Mettes follow with 3.28 and 3.25 kills per game, respectively.
RECEIVING VOTES -- The Hoosiers received 1 vote this week in the latest USA TODAY/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. Previously, Indiana has been ranked as high as 24th in the national poll.
HOME SWEET HOME -- The Hoosiers are 8-2 when playing at home in University Gym this season compared to a 4-7 record on the road.
COACH KATIE WEISMILLER -- Katie Weismiller is in her sixth season as Indiana's head coach with an 85-94 (.479) school record and an eight-year career mark of 135-118 (.541). Prior to coming to Indiana, Weismiller spent two years as the assistant coach at Florida where she helped lead the Gators to the school's first Final four appearance in 1992. She began her coaching career at St. Louis University, where she was head coach from 1989-91. There, she guided the Billikens to a 50-24 record, and in 1989, the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Championship.
ON No. 17 ILLINOIS -- The Fighting Illini enter Friday's match in a two-way tie for third place in the league standings. Illinois' record currently stands at 16-6 overall and 9-3 in Big Ten play. Illinois split their matches last weekend, defeating Ohio State 3-1 before falling to Penn State 0-3. Outside hitter Tracey Marshall leads the Fighting Illini, averaging 4.80 kills and 3.83 digs per game. Like the Hoosiers, Illinois sports a balanced offensive attack with five players registering 200 or more kills this season. UI is coached by Don Hardin who in four years with the program has posted a 46-34 school record. The Series: Illinois leads the all-time series 37-10-1. Last month the Fighting Illini swept the Hoosiers in three games in Champaign.
ABOUT PURDUE -- Prior to the Boilermakers' Friday night match against Northwestern, Purdue is tied with IU and Minnesota for fifth place in the conference standings. Purdue's record stands at 11-10 overall, 5-7 in Big Ten play. The Boilers are led by Bev Krupa who averages 4.26 kills per game. Krupa has 18 double-figure kill matches in 21 contests. She has led the team in kills 16 times. Purdue is coached by Joey Vrazel who is in her fourth year at Purdue and carries a 42-70 record with the program. The Series: The Boilermakers lead the all-time series 38-24, including last month's five-game Monon Spike match victory in West Lafayette.
DIGGING IN -- As the conference race heats up, so has the Hoosiers back row defense. Currently IU is third in the league for digs, averaging 15.05 per game and lists three players in the top 10 for digs. Jen Magelssen ranks third in the conference, averaging 3.11 digs per game while Erin Heimann and Cydryce Carter rank seventh and eighth, respectively, averaging 2.81 and 2.73 digs per game respectively.
LEADERBOARD WATCH -- Senior Jen Magelssen already holds the school record for career service aces (187) and digs (1,220) and is presently in pursuit of the school record for kills. Currently she ranks second on the all-time list with 1,293 kills and needs just 89 more to become the program's career leader.
MORE ON MAGELSSEN -- On another record watch, Jen Magelssen could tie the school record for double-figure kill matches in a career this weekend. The current record, which is 73 matches, is held by former Hoosier Liz Ambrustmacher (1985-88). Magelssen, who is just two matches shy of the mark, already hold the school record for double-digit dig matches with 63.
STRONG PERFORMANCE -- Before having to leave the Michigan State match with an injured ankle this past Saturday, junior Cydryce Carter was well on her way to a season-best match with 12 kills, eight digs and six blocks. After rehabilitating her ankle all week, the middle blocker should be good to go for this weekend's matches.
CANNON CONNORS -- Indiana's cannon hitter, junior Ryann Connors, continues to lead the Hoosiers and ranks sixth in the Big Ten with her 4.18 kills per game average. This past weekend, Connors posted 33 kills, including 22 against Michigan State. The outside hitter has registered 20-plus kills in six matches and has tallied double-digit kills in 15 matches this season.
THE BIG HURT -- Swinging on the right side, sophomore Amanda Welter put on the "Big Hurt" in Michigan this past weekend, tallying 28 kills, 10 digs and eight blocks. In addition, the 6-3 starter committed just eight hitting errors through two matches for a .345 attack percentage.
BATTLE OF THE SETTERS -- Setter Kristina Sanderson ranks second in the league in conference games, averaging 14.42 assists per game. Only Friday's opponent, Illinois' Melissa Beitz's 15.53 assists per game average ranks better.
POWER RANKINGS -- The AVCA/Sagarin Division I Women's Volleyball
Power Ratings, which are updated weekly by Jeff Sagarin, can be found at:
http://www.kiva.net/~jsagarin/sports/voll1998.htm.
