In this issue

Announcements

Point U!(betcha)

Upcoming Match Previews

Rankings

Coach’s Corner

From Coach Hebert:

At 8-4, the Gophers are beginning to resemble the team we all thought would emerge in the 2006 season. After a bumpy start, we welcomed Malama Peniata back to the fold and the team has responded with six straight wins. In the process, she was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Congratulations to Malama!

What a first weekend in the Big Ten! Lots of five game matches, upsets, and losses on home floors. If this keeps up, we are headed toward the wildest ride ever as the conference race unfolds. Believe me, every team is good. There will be no predictable blowouts. We will have to buckle up for every match.

Our trip to Illinois was productive. Not only did we come away with two road wins (never easy!), we also made progress on solidifying our team chemistry. The team battled with great composure and came from behind to win close games. We even won our first five-game match since December 2004 against Ohio State in the NCAA Regionals.

Our passing game is settling down, anchored by Peniata, Kelly Bowman, Meghan Cumpston, and Christine Tan. Our statistics in this area indicate that we are passing on a par with the teams that featured Paula Gentil, one of the greatest passers ever to play for the Gophers. Opponents keep trying to pick on Bowman, but she has held up extremely well and is passing with great confidence.

We are struggling with our offense right now. We need to develop consistency. We need every one of our hitters to be good every time we compete. Right now this isn’t happening. But when it all comes together … watch out! The Gophers are going to be difficult to beat.

Do not underestimate the Michigan teams this weekend. Both are much better than last year.

I hope I see every one of you at the Pavilion. Don’t forget, the Michigan State match has been moved to Sunday at 1:00 PM to avoid a conflict with Gopher football on Saturday night.

“Mitch” Cumpston is a take-off on Chevy Chase’s character’s brief reference to his childhood friend “Mitch Cumsteen” from the movie Caddyshack. Obscure reference. But to Caddyshack fans it will be familiar.

Head Coach

Minnesota Volleyball

From the Golddiggers’ President

From John Oravis:

Hello Golddiggers!

Congratulations to our Gophers for their convincing 2006 Diet Coke Classic tournament win, and their 2-0 start in Big Ten action on the road last weekend! And way to break out of that 5-game loss “funk” from last season with their 3-2 win over Northwestern!

As I’ve gotten older my eyesight has worsened, but I know that I spotted several Gopher volleyball alum in the Sports Pavilion stands at the Diet Coke Classic two weekends ago. Among those that I saw were Erin Lorenzen, Kelli Wicks, Lindsey Taatjes, Jill Holmstrom, Lisa Reinhart, Jessica Byrnes and Jen Bowman.

Be sure to make time on your schedules for the Volleyball for Dummies clinic in the Sports Pavilion this Wednesday evening, September 27th, from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Our Gopher volleyball coaches and players will host it, and it’s free!

A reminder that the Big Ten volleyball home opener vs. Michigan and Michigan State is this weekend, but on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, respectively. Be sure to attend both matches and support your Gophers!

Thanks again for your membership and your continued great support. We don’t take either for granted.

Point U!

John Oravis, President, Golddiggers

Meet the Gophers

Senior Kelly Bowman agreed to answer a few questions about her Gopher career (and a few other topics). We thank her for her responses.

Can you tell us a little about winning the Women's AA Open Championship in New Orleans this year? Why’d you decide to play, how was the team put together, what was New Orleans like?

I decided to play this year because my sister Jen asked me to play and [because] it was a team of all Minnesota players (TeaMN). I played with Steph Hagen, Nikki Higley, Carla Rosenquist, Kristina Wolle, Carrie Jacobson, and my sister. My sister plays with a lot of these girls throughout the year in various leagues, so she put the team together with Steph.

New Orleans was interesting. We actually stayed downtown across from the convention center, so we didn’t get to see very much of the damage of Katrina. Where we were was the most cleaned up area in New Orleans and, in my opinion, it was not at all clean.

It just got worse the farther from downtown you went. A lot of the restaurants in [the city] closed early on some nights so we had trouble finding food. And we were told not to drink the water in some places. But overall it was a fun experience and we played a lot of talented teams. We are definitely planning on playing again next year in the Women’s Open Division and we are hoping to have a team composed of all University of Minnesota girls.

You’ve spent a great deal of time (most of your life?) involved with volleyball -- a Minnesota ballgirl, Juniors (with M1), Osseo High School, the Gophers, USAV. What’s next -- will you still be involved with the game?

I definitely still would like to resume volleyball when I’m done. Where and what kind of volleyball I’m not sure of yet. But the plan is to keep playing.

As someone who is now an integral part of the Gophers serve receive (and someone who is excelling in that role) what do you think is the secret to passing well?

I wish there was a secret to passing but it really just takes a lot of focus, and reps. For me, once I get into a rhythm, that’s when I pass my best.

Which Gopher teammate makes you laugh the most and why?

I would have to say Kelly Fallon. As one of my new roommates, I’ve been able to hang around her more than ever before ... and let’s just say that she is probably the worst singer and dancer that I’ve ever seen and heard. I could listen to her sing all day long and be completely entertained.

What do you like most about volleyball?

What I like the most about volleyball is probably hitting the overpass and jousting with middles. Most middle blockers look at me and get overconfident, but I would have to say that I win most jousting battles with even the tallest middles. Just ask Ms. Jessica Jones.

What would be the ideal career for Kelly Bowman?

Ideally, I would love to be a regular on the AVP tour. If I had a second choice, I would have to go with a career in Sports Marketing of some kind.

What advice do you have for younger players who would like to continue to play the game in college?

I think being involved in JOs is probably the best advice I can give to younger players interested in playing in college.

I also think that players should start playing as young as possible. I started when I was 4, and I think that’s where I’ve gotten a lot of my natural skill for the game.

Although your career is obviously not over, what’s your favorite Gopher memory (so far)? What specific acomplishment makes you the most proud?

My favorite memory, so far, is beating Ohio State in 2004 to go back to the Final Four. Playing in the Pavilion in front of that crowd, going five games, playing [Stacey] Gordon in her senior year -- it was just my favorite match of all time. The accomplishment that makes me most proud would have to be making it back to the Final Four in 2004, getting revenge against USC, and then playing Stanford in the championship. Not many people can say they have done that.

Finally, just between you and the boosters, who’s the better volleyball player -- you or Jen?

Well this is easy ... obviously me. HA! I’m kidding.

It’s hard to compare us. We are so different. I think Jen is a very hard worker and VERY competitive. I’ve always been more of a natural and although I try I don’t think I’m as competitive as her. She is VERY stubborn.

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We also thank Junior Jessy Jones for fielding a few questions.

Your Gopher bio says you have worked as a chef in your parent’s restaurant. If you’re in the kitchen, what would you recommend a customer ordering?

I do work in the kitchen. We get there at 5:00 am and don’t leave until about 3:00 pm most days. I would suggest any of the tortellinis, lasagnas, and our famous Mustard Chicken Pasta Salad!

In relation to Gopher volleyball, what’s the biggest difference between the Jessy Jones of 2005 and the Jessy Jones of 2006?

One word. Controlled. I am not all there yet, but there is a significant change in my play, mentality, and interactions on the court.

What’s the secret, besides physical talent, to blocking well?

To have the passion and “WANT” to block every ball that comes near you. Most blockers just jump in the air with their arms over their head hoping to touch a ball, not me. I want that ball to stay on my opponent’s side of the net as much as possible!

Which Gopher teammate makes you laugh the most and why?

Kelly Schmidt! She is just all over the place and our personalities complement each other well, which also means we have a very similar sense of humor.

What do you like most about volleyball? How about the least?

Being on a team with an amazing set of girls that you grow so close to you become like sisters. Least: losing.

Kelly Bowman has gone on record claiming she wins most jousting battles, even with the tallest middles -- and said we could ask you to confirm. Any comment?

KELLY BOWMAN!!!!!!!!!! That is only because you JUMP SECOND!!!!! Whatever ...no comment. I dare you to try to hit that ball next time. HA!

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Sophomore transfer Krista Chin is our third contributor this issue, and we thank her for her time as well.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you ended up at Minnesota (by way of Arizona)? And did anyone question your sanity for transferring here in the late fall/winter?

Ending up in Minnesota had never crossed my mind. I had always wanted to go to a warmer climate where snow was nowhere to be found. When I decided to leave Arizona, I called a good friend and current teammate, Meghan Cumpston, asking for advice on how to deal with the situation of leaving a team and how I should go about beginning the recruiting process for the second time. Meghan provided me with some very good advice. The next thing I know, I received a phone call a few days later from Minnesota’s one and only Mike Hebert. I ended up having a wonderful time on my visit as I got a chance to see the Golden Gophers engage in a very exciting match against Wisconsin. Without a doubt, the girls on this team are unique and special, and I realized that the moment I met them. I knew right away I wanted to be a part of the Gopher family.

As far as questioning my sanity, I did get a few odd looks when I mentioned that I would be transferring from the warm, desert climate of Arizona to the cold, snowy weather of Minnesota. [But] I knew what I was getting into. Being from the Windy City, I’m used to the cold, brisk wind that freezes your face as you are walking to class. As far as I’m concerned, the only difference is the amount of snow that we get up here in Minnesota. It was also understood that I would get a spring season under my belt and get a chance to work with the team before the upcoming season.

What was it like to be thrust into the starting lineup and serve receive in the opening tournament in St. Louis?

Being put into the starting lineup at St. Louis came to me as a bit of a shock, but I was confident that I could get the job done. My main concern was wanting to help the team out as much as I could, especially to overcome the issues that had been placed in front of us. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of being out on the court with the girls, and I am [very] appreciative of the opportunity.

You have seen quite a bit of the world -- at least some of those travels thanks to volleyball. What’s your favorite locale so far (besides Rochester, Minnesota, of course) and why?

To be quite honest, I don’t have a favorite locale. My junior year of high school I had the opportunity to travel to China, and that was quite an experience, not only culturally but athletically as well. The game there was unbelievable, and they played it at a much different speed than I had been used to. I remember coming back to the hotel with bruises up and down my arms from the hits we took from their coaches and players. Senior year of high school I went to the Dominican Republic. This past summer, I had the opportunity to go to Europe with the Minnesota team. This was a very fun and exciting trip. We really focused on getting better as a team, but at the same time, we got a chance to learn about the European culture.

Doing the high ropes course and the alpine slide at the top of a mountain in Slovenia and walking the streets of Vienna and Venice are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. They were a lot of fun and created memories that will last forever.

What Gopher teammate makes you laugh the most and why?

Wow, this is a tough question. Each person on our team has a unique personality and sense of humor; however, we each get along so great. I suppose I would have to say that Kelly Fallon makes me laugh the most. She always has a smile on her face, and whenever I need a smile, she is one I know I can turn to.

What do you like most about volleyball? How about the least?

The thing I like most about volleyball is the idea that it is a team sport. It brings together a group that must work together and support each other in order to develop good team chemistry. This is something that the Gophers have and makes us a better team than others. There is nothing that I least like about volleyball. It is a great sport, and it gives you the opportunity to become a great athlete.

What makes a good defensive specialist a great defensive specialist?

A good defensive specialist can be made into a great defensive specialist in a variety of ways. Being a vocal communicator and giving effort after every ball always helps the energy on the court. Making great defensive plays also brings intensity and motivation to the team. Being a stabilizer and solid defensive specialist [also] makes a great defensive specialist.

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Note: Photos courtesy of the University of Minnesota (although we didn’t actually ask for permission).

Announcements

Merchandise

We’re taking orders for Golddigger and Minnesota Volleyball apparel again this year. We have a very small window of time here in order to get the orders filled and delivered to boosters before it’s too far into the season. Check out the options at the link below -- and then place your order right away if interested!

http://www.golddigger-boosters.org/2006/announcements/merchandise.html

Reception

Since there is no Saturday night match this weekend, the Golddiggers reception is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, after the Michigan State match (1:00 PM start). Remember, the receptions are for Golddigger boosters only. You can, however, bring guests -- with a $2 per guest charge paid at the reception.

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Another reminder to note the following changes to the original 2006 schedule:

The home match v. MSU is now scheduled for Sunday 10/1 at 1:00 PM
The road match v. OSU is now scheduled for Sunday 10/8 at 2:00 PM
The home match v. Northwestern scheduled for Saturday 11/11 has been moved from 7:00 to 8:00 PM

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The always popular Chalk Talks with Associate Head Coach Dave Boos (unofficially known as “Hearing the Boos”) are tentatively scheduled for the Williams Arena Club Room on the following dates:

Saturday, October 14th Prior to the Purdue match in Williams Arena, 5:30-6:15 PM

Saturday, October 28th Prior to the Penn State match, 5:30-6:15 PM

Saturday, November 11th Prior to the Northwestern match (8:00 PM start), 6:30-7:15 PM

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Also, we would very much like to hear from YOU! Former Gophers, out-of-town members, Hollywood celebrities -- whomever -- please email us at the address below, let us know what you are up to, pass on suggestions or questions for the Point U!(betcha), or hammer the coaching staff for their time-out usage -- it’s up to you. The coaching staff has also generously offered to answer questions submitted to them through this newsletter. We look forward to all your input.

Point U!(betcha)

Thank goodness there are still a few things in Life one can count on. Such as? Well, just for instance, you know it’s going to be cold in Minnesota in the winter, that ducks are going to quack and geese are going to honk -- if they’re talking at all -- and that Goldy Gopher is, of course, a gopher. What’s that? He’s a what?! Getouttahere!!

OK. There’s fewer and fewer things in Life one can count on, but one of them, at least, remains constant: Every year, if one just waits long enough, the Gophers will open their home Big10 schedule at the Pavilion and Life will seem just a little bit better for it. And, we’re happy to report -- breaking news here! -- that moment is upon us.

Since our last issue, the Gophers have run off six wins in a row, starting with the 3-1 (30-16, 30-22, 25-30, 21-30) win over Northern Iowa in Rochester; continuing through sweeps in the Diet Coke Classic over UConn (30-17, 30-19, 30-26), Tulane (30-24, 30-24, 30-22), and Dayton (30-18, 30-24, 30-20); and culminating in last weekend’s 3-2 (27-30, 30-28, 30-19, 29-31, 15-12) decision with Northwestern, and 3-0 (30-27, 30-18, 32-30) sweep of Illinois.

It’s also been a triumphant return for Malama (Marci) Peniata, who recorded 41 digs in the UNI match and was named tournament MVP for the Diet Coke Classic. She continued her excellent play against Northwestern and Illinois, averaging over 7 digs a game.

The win over Northwestern, besides a very welcome 5-game victory, may have been the only match the Gophers have ever won where they hit as low as .122 as a team. If we could look it up easily -- or if our Research Staff was ever to be found -- we would. The point is, it’s not an easy way to win, so kudos to the team for pulling that one out.

In other encouraging news, the Gophers outblocked the Wildcats and Illini 27-12 for the weekend, holding the two teams to .113 and .125 hitting percentages, respectively. And Meredith (not Marci) Nelson had a very nice weekend, with 28 total kills and a .429 hitting percentage.

All of which leads us back to the Big10 home opener and the better things in Life. How about a Big10 home opener when your team is already 2-0? How about one where your favorite team is just about to kick their game into high gear? Sounds good to us.

Go Gophers!

Upcoming Match Previews

Michigan FRIDAY, September 29th (7:00 PM)

The Wolverines started the season 13-0 and then lost two 5-gamers to open the Big10 schedule, at home, to Indiana and Purdue. These losses dropped them from #19 to #24 in the AVCA’s Top 25 Coaches Poll.

Michigan is now 13-2 on the year, 0-2 in the Big10. Their best wins are 3-0 over San Diego (9/1) and 3-1 over Iowa State (9/2), both on a neutral court. Katie Bruzdzinski (239 kills, .289) and Lyndsay Miller (193 kills) are leading the way offensively, while setter Stesha Selsky is averaging 12.94 assists per game, as well as leading the team in digs (4.44 per game).

Bruzdzinski had 25 kills and hit .345 against the Hoosiers, while Miller had 39 kills for the weekend. Beth Karpiak had a big match against the Boilermakers, hitting .448 with 17 kills; and Megan Bowman had ten blocks (five solo) against Indiana.

http://www.mgoblue.com/section_display.cfm?section_id=201&top=2&level=2 (website)

http://www.mgoblue.com/roster.cfm?section_id=340&top=2&level=3 (roster)

http://www.mgoblue.com/statistics.cfm?section_id=343&top=2&level=3 (statistics)

Michigan State SUNDAY, October 1st (1:00 PM)

The Spartans also lost a 5-gamer to Purdue last weekend, but they bounced back for a 3-1 win over Indiana Saturday night.

Michigan State is 10-2 overall, and 1-1 in Big10 play. They have played a relatively soft schedule and both losses -- 0-3 to Arizona State on a neutral court (9/8) and at home to the Boilermakers last Friday night -- were to the best two teams they have played, by far. Katie Johnson (198 kills, .304) and Ashley Schatzle (173 kills, .260) have 51% of the team’s kills and just over 50% of the team’s attacks. MSU is set by Allison Ianni, a transfer from the University of Pacific (13.77 assists per game). Libero Nicole Colaluca is chipping in with 5.15 digs per game.

Johnson had 35 kills against Purdue and 54 for the weekend, while Schatzle contributed 41 for the two matches. Of interest defensively, MSU was badly outblocked -- 15-3 by Purdue and 13-4 by Indiana -- but outdug the Boilermakers 72-50 and the Hoosiers 74-48.

http://msuspartans.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/msu-w-volley-body.html (website)

http://msuspartans.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/msu-w-volley-mtt.html (roster)

http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2006-2007/teamcume.html (statistics)

The Gophers are back on the road next week, travelling to State College to play Penn State and then on to Columbus to face Ohio State.

Rankings

The CSTV/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll #4 was released 9/25/2006. The link to the complete rankings follows, but the top 10 were: 1--Nebraska, 2--Penn State, 3--UCLA, 4--Washington, 5--USC, 6--Stanford, 7--California, 8--Texas, 9--Santa Clara, and 10--Florida. In addition, Purdue is #11, Ohio State is #13, Wisconsin is #14, and Michigan is #24. The Gophers are unranked in this poll, although they did receive the second most votes of the unranked teams.

http://www.avca.org/collegiate/dipoll/dipoll9-25-06.asp

The Gophers, continue to fare a little better in the RichKern.com Volleyball Poll, where they are ranked #22.

http://www.richkern.com/vb/rankings/rankw.asp?VBYear=2006&Div=DI&poll=d1wvb&week=4-Sep+25&sort=team&avg=all

The Gophers were at #13 in the 9/18 Pablo rankings. This week’s rankings were not available.

http://www.richkern.com/vb/rankings/rankw.asp?VBYear=2006&Div=DI&poll=Pablo&week=3-Sep+18&sort=team&avg=all

http://www.richkern.com/vb/rankings/PabloFAQ.asp FAQ

National Update

A quick look at the AVCA’s top ten ranked teams (excluding the Big10 schools):

The Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-0, 4-0 Big 12) are still ranked #1. Tracy Stalls, hitting well over .400, has stepped up her play considerably, joining Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson as formidable offensive threats. Rachel Holloway has taken over as their starting setter and has the Huskers hitting over .300 as a team. Does this team have the depth to win it all? Can they fend off Texas in the Big 12? The first of two matches against the Longhorns is October 18th.

The UCLA Bruins (15-0, 2-0 Pac 10) are off to their best start in years. They have a big match this Thursday night, at home, against the Washington Huskies. This one could tell us whether the Bruins are for real (and whether the Huskies are the class of the conference, as some suspect). Nana Meriwether is hitting a ridiculous .557 for the Bruins. This percentage is even more amazing when you note that no one else on the team is hitting over .289.

Speaking of the Washington Huskies (12-1, 2-0 Pac 10), they just defeated #XX California and #X Stanford this past week, at home. Not only that, but each match was a sweep. The defending national champions, in spite of the loss of several top seniors from 2005, look to be preparing for a run at repeating. The Huskies only loss this year was 3-2 to Texas in Madison. Alesha Deesing is another middle hitting over .500 and the fabulous Crystal Morrison is firing away at .351. Courtney Thompson has the team hitting .356 and the middles much more involved than in 2005. Watch out for the Huskies.

The USC Trojans (13-0, 2-0 Pac 10) have surprised many by opening the season with thirteen straight wins. Like UCLA, they host Washington this week (Friday night) in a real test of that unbeaten streak. The Trojans have benefitted greatly from junior transfer Asia Kaczor and her 208 kills (.337) -- and, so far at least, she appears to be eligible in the NCAA’s eyes. USC has not had the most difficult of schedules, however. The jury is still out on this team -- in more ways than one.

The Stanford Cardinal (10-2, 1-1 Pac 10) have also been struggling a bit. They were the pick of many to win it all this year -- and, of course, they still may. Cynthia Barboza has bounced back from her 2005 season-ending knee injury and is hitting .313 with 162 kills. Foluke Akinradewo is hitting .421, but the rest of the Cardinal are not playing to their potential, especially All-American Kristin Richards, who is struggling at .197. Their loss to Washington was more of the same: Barboza had 25 kills (.345), but there was just not much additional offense.

The California Golden Bears (12-1, 1-1 Pac 10) stumbled badly against Washington, dropping their first match of the year, and doing it in just over an hour. High-flying Angie Pressey -- all 5’8” of her -- has 204 kills (.397) and frosh Hana Cutera has added another 176. (It would appear that she, too, will remain eligible.) Pressey, by the way, had 22 kills and hit .500 in her last match, against Washington State.

The Texas Longhorns (8-3, 3-1 Big 12) have been the mystery team of 2006. They have looked great in defeating Washington, Santa Clara, and for two/fifths of their Penn State match. But they are coming off a shockingly bad 0-3 loss at Missouri. The big questions right now are: Is this team as good as they looked in Madison? Can they regain that form? Was it all a mirage? Maybe the ball control, which was exceptional in that opening tournament, has been less than stellar? They are also a surprisingly poor blocking team, especially considering the talent and height of the athletes on their roster.

The Santa Clara Broncos (10-2, 0-0 WCC) will open their West Coast Conference title defense this week. Their only losses have been 0-3 at Texas (9/7) and 0-3 at Stanford (9/14). On the other hand, their best wins are 3-1 wins against Missouri (9/7) and Sacramento State (9/19). Their top ten ranking may be a bit of a stretch, but what are the voters to do? Put another Pac 10 team in there? It will be interesting to see if Pepperdine (or San Diego?) can challenge the Broncos for the WCC championship.

The Florida Gators (10-2, 3-1 SEC) had another, extemely rare, SEC loss -- 3-1 at South Carolina (9/17) -- but are still everyone’s bet to win the conference. No doubt teams like Tennessee and LSU, however, have other plans -- the SEC has really become quite competitive. Middle-blocker Kristina Johnson, redshirt frosh, has been putting up some big numbers lately for the team, and she is hitting .481 on the year. Florida is one of those teams with a pretty high ceiling in terms of potential; look for improvement from the Gators as the season progresses and, with a Regional in Gainesville, a run at the Final Four.

The LSU Tigers (12-1, 4-0 SEC) have a 2-3 loss to Penn State (after being up 2-0) and wins over the Gophers (3-0), Texas A&M (3-1), Tennessee (3-2, after being down 0-2), Kentucky (3-1) and South Carolina (3-0). Their first match with Florida, in Gainesville, is October 15th. Although no single player has eye-popping statistics, this is a very balanced team, with four players having more than 130 kills already. Setter Daniela Romero is also receiving quite a bit of praise from those who have watched the Tigers play.

Other teams to watch, on the cusp of the top ten, are: Hawai’i (7-4, 1-0 WAC), Utah (11-2, 4-0 MWC), Tennessee (12-2, 3-1 SEC), and BYU (12-1, 4-0 MWC).

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Best links for results, websites, and rosters are:

http://www.richkern.com/vb/GameScores/indexsub.asp?Div=DI (scores)

http://www.richkern.com/vb/websites/SchoolByConf.asp?Div=DI (websites)

http://www.richkern.com/vb/rosters/indexsub.asp?Div=DI&VBYear=2006 (rosters)

The best site for statistics (national leaders) is at the NCAA website. Although this is not updated that quickly, eventually they do get around to it.

http://www.ncaasports.com/volleyball/womens/stats/stats

Big10 Update

The standings:

Team	Big10 record	Overall record	AVCA ranking	RichKern.com Ranking	Pablo rating*
Minnesota	2-0	8-4	NA	22	13
Penn State	2-0	13-0	2	1	1
Wisconsin	2-0	10-2	14	13	12
Purdue	2-0	12-1	11	11	11
Indiana	1-1	10-4	NA	NA	115
Michigan State	1-1	10-2	NA	NA	57
Ohio State	1-1	11-1	13	14	17
Illinois	0-2	9-3	NA	NA	26
Iowa	0-2	11-3	NA	NA	49
Michigan	0-2	13-2	24	28	27
Northwestern	0-2	6-5	NA	NA	62

*Pablo rankings are from 9/18/06. This week’s rankings were unavailable before our deadline.

2006 conference statistics for individuals are at:

http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2006-2007/confstat.html

Illinois

The Illini opened their Big10 season with a 0-3 losses to Wisconsin and the Gophers, with both matches in Champaign. They play at Northwestern this Wednesday and host Iowa on Saturday.

Vicki Brown remains the team’s offensive leader at .418, although she was held to .200 by the Gophers.

http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/ill-w-volley-body.html (website)

http://fightingillini.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/ill-w-volley-mtt.html (roster)

http://fightingillini.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/ill-w-volley-CumulativeStats.html (stats)

Indiana

The Hoosiers pulled off the big upset this past weekend, taking down the Wolverines in Ann Arbor 3-2. They lost 1-3 to the Spartans the following night, however. They entertain Penn State and Ohio State this weekend.

Emily Zulauf had 14 kills against Michigan and 12 against MSU, hitting over .300 both nights. The Hoosiers also had 23 blocks in their win over the Wolverines, led by Annie Modrell with 12 (and 18 for the weekend). For her efforts, Modrell is this week’s Big10 Defensive Player of the Week.

http://iuhoosiers.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/ind-w-volley-body.html (website)

http://iuhoosiers.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/ind-w-volley-mtt.html (roster)

http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2006-2007/teamcume.html (stats)

Iowa

The Hawkeyes lost both their matches, in Iowa City, last weekend. They were swept by PSU and then gave OSU a run for their money on Saturday, eventually losing 3-1 (25-30, 30-25, 30-24, 30-26). They travel to Northwestern and Illinois this weekend.

Last week’s Big10 Player of the Week, Melanie Meister, had another top-notch weekend. The junior middle-blocker had 10 kills (.348) and 8 blocks against the Nittany Lions, and 14 kills (.357) and 9 blocks against the Buckeyes.

http://hawkeyesports.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/iowa-w-volley-body.html (website)

http://hawkeyesports.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/iowa-w-volley-mtt.html (roster)

http://hawkeyesports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2006-2007/teamstat.html (stats)

Michigan

See Match Previews above.

Michigan State

See Match Previews above.

Northwestern

The Wildcats are 0-2 in the Big10 following their 2-3 loss to the Gophers and 0-3 loss to the Badgers. This is a huge weekend for them, as they host the Illini on Wednesday and the Hawkeyes on Friday, with a legitimate chance to climb back to .500 before their first Big10 road matches.

Chelsy Hyser was their offensive star last weekend, hitting .367 (14 kills) against Minnesota and .400 (14 kills) versus Wisconsin. Frosh libero Kate Nobilio had 51 digs for the two matches. What must have the coaching staff’s attention, however, is the team’s .113 and .127 hitting percentages against the Gophers and Badgers, respectively.

http://nusports.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/nw-w-volley-body.html (website)

http://nusports.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/nw-w-volley-mtt.html (roster)

http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2006-2007/teamstat.html (stats)

Ohio State

The Buckeyes undefeated season came to a quick end at State College last Wednesday. The Nittany Lions took them out 3-0 and held the Buckeyes to an anemic .008 hitting percentage. The Nuts did bounce back for their 3-1 win in Iowa City Saturday night. They travel to Purdue and Indiana this weekend.

Anna Szerszen, their 6’3” frosh from France, shook off a tough Big10 debut in Happy Valley to record 25 kills against the Hawkeyes. Danielle Meyer, however, had the team high with 30 kills. Danielle also managed 14 kills against PSU. Middle-blocking would appear to be the Buckeyes’ weakness at this point, as they have been playing two frosh and a 5’11” outside hitter (and 5’11” is very generous).

http://ohiostatebuckeyes.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/osu-w-volley-body.html (website)

http://ohiostatebuckeyes.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/osu-w-volley-mtt.html (roster)

http://ohiostatebuckeyes.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/stats/2006-2007/teamstat.html (stats)

Penn State

The ‘Eyes have had it. The Nittany Lions opened with sweeps over the Buckeyes (at home) and the Hawkeyes (on the road). They play Indiana and Purdue this weekend.

If there’s any ray of hope shining on the rest of the Big10, it would be the fact PSU does not have their middle attack going yet this year. However, Nicole Fawcett (.358) and Megan Hodge (.302) are absolutely BOMBING away from the outside, making life miserable for defenses everywhere. Hodge is this week’s Big10 Player of the Week. How’s that for a change of pace? It goes to a Penn State player!

http://www.gopsusports.com/VolleyballW/home.cfm (website)

http://www.gopsusports.com/VolleyballW/People/players/rosterbody.cfm (roster)

http://www.gopsusports.com/docs/wvb06/stats/teamstat.htm (stats)

Purdue

The Boilermakers took themselves to the brink in Michigan, but still managed two 5-game wins to open the season. Their only loss on the year was 3-1 to USC (9/15). They play Ohio State and Penn State this weekend, with the Buckeye match one they really need to win.

Purdue had huge offensive numbers in the Michigan State match, hitting .333 as a team, led by Danita Merlau’s 22 kills (.373). The Michigan match, however, saw that team average slide to .171, with Carrie Gurnell (.542, 14 kills) far and away their offensive leader.

http://purduesports.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/pur-w-volley-body.html (website)

http://purduesports.collegesports.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/pur-w-volley-mtt.html (roster)

http://purduesports.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/spec-rel/pur-w-volley-CumulativeStats.html (stats)

Wisconsin

The Badgers took a bad 2-3 loss to UCSB (9/15) at San Diego, but -- aside from Penn State -- had the most impressive Big10 opening weekend, sweeping Illinois and Northwestern. Like the Gophers, they host Michigan State and Michigan this coming weekend.

Wisconsin had a different outside hitter take charge in each of last weekend’s wins. Maria Carlini was the hero Friday night against Illinois, hitting .448 (16 kills), while Brittney Dolgner topped those numbers on Saturday versus Northwestern, with 22 kills (.429).

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/vb/headlines/headlines.html?sportid=133 (website)

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/vb/bios/roster.html?sportid=133 (roster)

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/vb/stat_poll/?sportid=133 (stats)

Inside the Game

We’re going to take a break from talking about rotations this issue and move on to another topic no one’s been asking about: First Ball Sideout Efficiency -- or, as we like to call it, “Frisbee.” Or, since close friends and family have strongly recommended that this is just asking for trouble from the Wham-O legal team, “FBSE.” Don’t mess with Wham-O or Texas -- that’s always been our motto.

Anyhow. What is FBSE and why is it taking up space in your newsletter? Well, first of all, we’re not sure we like that attitude. Watch it! Second, FBSE is the percentage of time a team receives serve and sides out immediately, before the other team can do anything other than attempt to block (or commit a service error). Obviously, the higher your percentage, the more effective your team will be in keeping its opponent from scoring service points (“real” points) and going on to score a run of points.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “You cannot win, if you do not play.” Well, a high FBSE proves the adage. Your opponent cannot win if they do not get a chance to play.

Let’s use the UNI match, won 3-1 by our Gophers, as our example (FBSo = First Ball Sideout):

Game	UNI Serves	Gopher FBSo	FBSE %	Gopher Serves	UNI FBSo	FBSE %
1	16	8	.500	30	6	.200
2	23	6	.261	29	4	.138
3	29	10	.345	26	12	.462
4	21	8	.381	30	10	.333
Match total	89	32	.360	115	32	.278

Guess which games the Gophers won? That’s right -- games 1, 2 and 4. It should also be noted that UNI’s FBSE was helped by ten Gopher service errors, while the Panthers only committed three themselves. But remember: the object, defensively, is to make it difficult for the opponent to take that serve (first ball) and sideout immediately. It really helps the cause to serve tough. It’s a fine line.

This -- the higher FBSE -- is obviously not the only way to win a volleyball match, but it’s certainly one of the more efficient ways to do so.

Now, the stat for which all this begs is FBSE by rotation, but we’ll spare you that. For now.

[Remember, emails to newsletter@golddigger-boosters.org or we’ll just keep picking the topic.]

Travels with JT

Point U!(betcha) is proud to present the first installment of (what we hope to be) many reports from our very own travelling booster, John “JT” Thompson.

On The Road (Again)

For the Gophers, and for travelling Gopher fans, the Big Ten season starts on the road in Illinois. Friday is a stop in Evanston to play Northwestern, and Saturday sees the Gophers down in Champaign to play the University of Illinois. As conference road trips go, this one is fairly easy. If you fly, it’s a quick hop down to Chicago, and then some driving up to the northern suburbs, and a longer (two hour) trip down I-57 to Champaign. The trouble comes when you decide to fly out of Chicago at 6:30 in the morning, in order to be home for most all of Sunday.

Sleep is for the weak.

I have all my maps ready, and I have printouts of my flight confirmation, my hotel confirmation, my rental car confirmation, and a summary page with all those numbers written down again, just in case there are problems. There aren’t. I check in at the airport, get on the plane, get off at Midway, pick up my car, and get to the hotel with plenty of time to relax before driving 30 miles through Chicago rush hour. Yahoo says it’ll take an hour, but I give myself two hours, so I can watch some of the warmups.

Nearly two hours later, I am still about ten miles from the arena, stuck in traffic. The express lane that I took -- I hope it wasn’t restricted to carpools ... it didn’t say it was -- moved slower than the “normal” interstate lanes that are next to it, but both went at a crawl. The sky had turned an interesting grayish yellow, rain came pouring down, and the radio guys said there was a tornado warning for northern Chicago, Skokie, and Evanston. Oh well, the warning only lasted until 6:45, and the car was never swept up into a swirling vortex of doom. I'm not sure what I’d have done if a twister had come near. There was no way to get the car anywhere, and there were about five lanes of traffic on either side of me.

At roughly 7:30, I finally make it into Welsh Ryan Arena, to see the Gophers facing game point, at 27-29. They fail to stop Northwestern from taking the first game, and I take my seat near mid-court with the other Gopher faithful.

Games two and three go better for us, and in game four I move to the end court so I can take a few pictures from that angle. Bad move on my part -- we lose game four. I come back to mid-court, and accept the blame for the loss. It isn’t superstition. Rather, it’s analytical paranoia. And whether it’s right or not, we win game five and take the first match of the Big Ten season.

The route to Champaign is four times as long, but takes half an hour less. I make it down to the Illinois campus in plenty of time, so stop by Subway for an early supper. The gal gives me white chocolate macadamia-nut cookies instead of oatmeal-raisin, but she seems to be having a rough day. I don’t complain. There’s an older gentleman there who notices my volleyball shirt, and wonders if we’re playing tonight. He remembers Dr. Mike from when he coached the Illini team, and compliments us on having a good team and a great coach.

Huff Hall is nearly empty when I arrive, but it starts to fill with a sea of orange. The student section in particular looks like a construction zone with too many workers. When I go to buy a Powerade, they tell me that they have orange and blue flavors. It isn’t until I get back to my seat that I “get” the significance. Luckily, the Gophers are more alert than I am, and bolstered by my presence at mid-court, they win the first two games. My work here is nearly done.

Game three ends up being closer than I want, but we sweep the Illini in their own house. Kelly Schmidt’s mom has invited everyone over for dinner at her house, but I’ve got that two hour drive to the hotel, and an early flight back to Minneapolis. I regretfully pass on the offer.

A pair of wins on the road. It’s gonna be a good time in the Big Ten.

Gopher Chatter

In the interest of equal time in the Thompson household, we had a few questions for DuAnn Thompson, wife of JT (see 9/11/06 Gopher Chatter) and organizer of the Golddigger Post-Match Receptions (or “Frisbees,” as we like to call them).

When did you first become a fan of Gopher volleyball and why?

The year Dr. Hebert started coaching [at Minnesota (1996)]. Actually, I had always liked volleyball from elementary school (we got to learn all the basic rules -- spiking was always a challenge, digging was “easy”). Peggy Kvam sold us tickets when JT was working at their former place of employment. We needed weekend fun distractions that were affordable, as we had purchased a house a few years before. Besides, look at all the WONDERFUL friends we’ve met and made over the last 10 years!

Do you have a favorite Gopher volleyball memory?

In 2001, Women’s Athletics held an auction and JT bid on a package to travel with the team. Nao and the staff chose Ohio State and Indiana for 2002. Everything was included -- air, ground, meals with the team and tickets to the games, and we’d see them practice. We also got to travel with AD Joel Maturi. The Gophers won both games and I got to see the fascination of being a fan on the road (from JT's perspective). It was a wicked cool experience!

As the woman behind the post-match receptions, we all owe you our thanks. When did you take on this responsibility? What made you volunteer and what keeps you motivated to keep doing it? How do you balance the work and the spectating (or do you?)?

Oh, you are all so very welcome for the wonderful treats, food and fellowship all my “Volleyball ‘Family’ ” provides. About five years ago, the two previous coordinators’ time was getting more crunched and their time on the board was near an end. Some of the people on the board saw we were continuing fans and the Golddiggers asked us to come on board to serve a term.

I LOVE big gatherings -- the food, friendship and family. Fans are a pretty tight knit group and I get a kick out of seeing all the little ones enjoying such a cool sport with their families. I knew the biggest issue would be logistics (we had a Honda CRX at that time --2-door, hatchback and 2-seater -- so the “trunk” was right behind our seats) and we provided everything -- drinks, all the treats, paper goods and coolers, ice and anything else that was needed for the night. That car was so loaded down, the back was almost dragging on the tar.

Now we have a bigger car with a back seat and I have TONS of angels who help me with baking, cooking, setting up, tearing down and cleaning up. So, I keep remembering how things were at the beginning when it was six of us providing EVERYTHING from help to food and, truly, I can say with all my heart, these are the most wonderful friends and “family.”

Friday nights, I get to watch the whole match. Saturday nights we get to the Sports Pavilion Club Room about an hour before the game starts and there’s four or five people to help set up and get things chilling or warming, as the case may be. Usually when the break for the teams starts, I head up to the Club Room to start setting up. Usually after the third game, angels will come up to help me with setup (it’s the only air-conditioned room in the place, so when it’s really warm in the Pavilion, it’s a blessing to be up there). We can tell what’s happening in the game by the cries, groans and cheers, and by peeking through the slats once in awhile.

What’s the most popular item at these receptions?

Ooh, that’s a tough question. When I took over, they were serving cookies and pop only. Now we have a HUGE variety of desserts and food. Carolyn’s chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal are ALWAYS gone, as well as Peggy’s chocolate snack cake, Pat’s barbeque meatballs with her sauce, Patty’s homemade salsa and those Gedney baby dill pickles. (Go figure on the pickles.)

What’s the strangest item ever offered?

Inside-out HoHos. Erin Martin’s mom, Monica. used to make them once a year and man were they popular with the players -- even though they weren’t supposed to eat them. I'd ask her to bring them senior night so it wouldn’t be too detrimental to their Zone diet.

Have you ever caught flak for not being Zone-friendly?

Since I’m the coordinator, the coaches and staff have never waved their “no-no” finger in front of me -- yet.

How many years did it take you to convince JT to take all those trips following the team (and that you missed him when he did)? Just between you, me and the Boosters. We won't tell JT, honest.

I kept telling JT to get a hobby that would let him travel, like possibly hunting or fishing. He needed some distraction from work and work at home so he finally decided to start following Gopher volleyball. I knew he needed to spend time away from me once in awhile (I can drive him batty sometimes). Besides, we appreciate each other’s time more when we have projects to do at home and when the momentum really takes a spin and family emergencies arise.

+ + +

Alumna News

Lisa Axel is currently the Assistant Coach at Metropolitan State College of Denver.

http://gometrostate.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/axel_lisa00.html

Lindsey Taatjes is the Graduate Assistant Coach at Augustana College.

http://www.collegesportingnews.net/Sites/Aug/view_article.asp?articleid=72260