Nov. 2, 2011
- 2011 Media Guide
- Iowa Volleyball Promotional Events
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
FIRST SERVE
The University of Iowa volleyball team hosts Michigan State and Michigan this weekend on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Spartans visit Iowa City on Friday, while the Wolverines are in town Saturday. Both matches start at 7 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children 18 and younger and UI students with a valid ID.
LIVE AUDIO – HAWKEYE ALL-ACCESS
Both the matches will be streamed live from Carver-Hawkeye Arena via Hawkeye All-Access, a subscription service committed to providing quality coverage of Hawkeye athletic events. Friday’s contest will be audio only. Saturday’s match will be accompanied by a live video feed courtesy of HawkVision.
LIVE VIDEO – HAWKEYE ALL-ACCESS via BTDN
Friday’s contest vs. Michigan State will be streamed live on hawkeyesports.com via the BTN Digital Network. Hawkeye All-Access subscribers can watch live video streams of UI events on the BTN Digital Network at no extra charge. Kyle Hughes and Adam Hairston will have the call live from Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
HAWKEYE SERVICE CENTER
Live stats and live blogging are available this weekend at the Hawkeye Service Center at hawkeyesports.com. The Hawkeye Service Center is a one-stop webpage that features live stats, Gametracker, and inside information and interactive content via the Official Iowa Volleyball Blog. Former Hawkeye Katie Kennedy and manager Melissa Brockway are the official hosts of the 2011 blog.
MICHIGAN STATE (Nov. 4)
Head Coach: Cathy George (7th season, 101-83)
2011 Record/Conference: 17-7, 6-6 (tied 5th)
Top Performers: Alexis Mathews, So., MB, ranks fifth in the Big Ten in hitting percentage (.367) and ranks sixth in blocks per set (1.22); Jenilee Rathje, Sr., OH, averages 4.51 kills per set, the third highest total in the conference.
Series Record/Last Meeting: MSU leads 37-24/@MSU, 3-0
Streak: Michigan State, 4
Iowa’s last win: Oct. 10, 2009; Iowa 3-0 (Iowa City)
No. 23 MICHIGAN (Nov. 5)
Head Coach: Mark Rosen (13th season, 254-160)
2011 Record/Conference: 16-8, 4-8 (tied 9th)
Top Performers: Lexi Dannemiller, Fr., S, ranks second in the Big Ten averaging 11.56 assist per set, is the only player in the conference with over 1,000 assists; Alex Hunt, Sr., OH, lead UM in service aces (35) and ranks third in the conference averaging 0.43 aces per set.
Series Record/Last Meeting: UM leads 32-24/@UM, 3-0 (2011)
Streak: Michigan, 1
Iowa’s last win: Nov. 13, 2010; Iowa 3-0 (Iowa City)
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Through 25 matches, the Hawkeyes’ freshmen and sophomores have combined for 63-percent of Iowa’s starts. Sophomores Bethany Yeager and Nikki Dailey have started every match this season. Chante’ Thompson (8), Rachael Bedell (5) and Grace Burns have also cracked the starting seven. Iowa’s freshmen starters include Alex Lovell (20), Emily Yanny (12), Erin Leppek (9) and Kari Mueller (5).
HAVEN’T I BEEN THERE BEFORE
Freshmen Erin Leppek and Alex Lovell will welcome their Big Ten state schools to Iowa City this weekend. Both Hawkeyes excelled while playing their prep and club careers in the state of Michigan. Lovell was named 2010-11 Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year while competing for Marian High School in Leonard, Mich. Leppek was named a 2010-11 Under Armour Honorable Mention All-American while competing for Rochester High School in Rochester Hills, Mich.
LOOKING FOR THE FIRST K.O. OF GOLIATH
The Hawkeyes will have another shot at a ranked opponent Saturday night vs. No. 23 Michigan. The Hawkeyes have defeated at least one top 25 team in each of Sharon Dingman’s three seasons. Iowa’s top 25 victories since 2008 include: vs. No. 18 Wisconsin (3-0, 2008); vs. No. 18 Michigan State (3-0, 2009); vs. No. 16 Michigan (3-1, 2010). The Hawkeyes are 0-4 vs. ranked opponents so far this year (No. 19 Iowa State, No. 24 Ohio State, No. 5 Penn State, No. 17 Michigan).
BETTER WITH AGE
Sophomore middle blocker Chante’ Thompson has totaled 25 kills since being inserted into the starting lineup five games ago. She was inserted into the starting lineup against Wisconsin (10/16) and recorded four kills, before recording five and six kills, respectively, in starts vs. Nebraska (10/19) and Northwestern (10/22). She totaled just two kills at Penn State (10/28), but responded with a Big Ten career-high eight kills vs. Ohio State two days later (10/30).
I LOVELL THIS PLACE
Freshman Alex Lovell has made a home in Iowa City and on top of Iowa’s box scores. Lovell leads the Hawkeyes with 222 kills, averaging a team-high 2.64 kills per set. Her 19 kills vs. Ohio State (9/23) were the most by a Hawkeye freshman vs. a Big Ten opponent since Catherine Smale totaled 21 kills vs. Michigan State in 2005. Lovell has recorded double-digit kills in nine matches, the second highest total on the team (Eskew, 10).
FIVE ALIVE
Iowa improved to 3-1 in five set matches following a 3-2 over Indiana on Oct. 7. All four five-set matches have been at home. They include wins over Central Michigan (8/26), Oakland (9/10) and Indiana (10/7), and a loss vs. Saint Louis (8/27).
YEAGER DIGS THE D
Sophomore Bethany Yeager ranks third in the Big Ten with 398 total digs. Her 4.37 average leads the Hawkeyes and ranks No. 5 in the conference. Yeager picked up 4.36 digs per set last season, the fourth highest total in the Big Ten.
LEADING THE DAILEY-DOUBLE
Sophomore Nikki Dailey was one of four Hawkeyes to record a double-double at Penn State last Friday. Dailey, Megan Eskew, Alex Lovell and Tiffany Nilges all performed the feat. Dailey now has 10 double-doubles this season, three more than senior Megan Eskew. Eskew’s double-doubles come in the form of kills-digs, while Dailey uses the assist-dig combination to accomplish the feat. Eskew’s most impressive effort came in Iowa’s five-set win over Oakland when she recorded a career high 19 kills and a career best 18 digs. Dailey had a career-high 60 assists in the same match. Mallory Husz (1), Alex Lovell (3) and Tiffany Nilges (4) have also recorded double-doubles this season.
HAWKEYE IRONWOMEN
Three Hawkeyes have started all 25 of Iowa’s matches. They include Megan Eskew, Bethany Yeager and Nikki Dailey. Eskew and Yeager started all 29 matches last season, extending their streak of consecutive starts to 54. Yeager has not missed a start in her collegiate career.
BIG TEN GOES BIG IN AVCA POLL
The Big Ten has seven teams in the Oct. 17 AVCA top 25 poll, more than any other conference. Illinois is the nation’s top-ranked team, while Nebraska (4) and Penn State (9) also occupy a spot among the top 10. Purdue (12), Minnesota (14), Michigan (21) and Ohio State (23) round out the top 25.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS
Seven Hawkeyes earned all-tournament honors following Iowa’s four preseason tournaments. They include Bethany Yeager (Hawkeye Challenge, Iowa State Challenge, Iowa Invitational); Nikki Dailey (Hawkeye Challenge, Iowa Invitational); Alex Lovell (Iowa Invitational, Columbia Invitational); Megan Eskew (Iowa State Invitational); Mallory Husz (MVP Columbia Invitational); Tiffany Nilges (MVP Iowa Invitational); Chante’ Thompson (Columbia Invitational).
TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Megan Eskew and Mallory Husz have been voted team captains for the 2011 season. Husz leads the Hawkeyes in total blocks (64) and Eskew ranks second in both kills (189) and digs (228).