Oct. 16, 2012
Hawkeyes Host Huskers in Pink Match
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPad/iPhone app!
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
FIRST SERVE
The University of Iowa volleyball team continues Big Ten action this week, hosting No. 4 Nebraska on Wednesday and traveling to Northwestern on Sunday. The Hawkeyes (10-9, 2-4) and Huskers (15-2, 7-1) will meet at 7 p.m. on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The contest is Iowa’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness Match. It can be seen live on Mediacom (MC22) or BTN.com. Admission is $5 for adults, and free for youth and UI students. The Hawkeyes and the Wildcats (13-6, 2-6) will square off Sunday at 2 p.m. (CT). The match can be seen live on BTN. Both matches this week can be heard live on AM-800 KXIC.
ATTACKING BREAST CANCER NIGHT
The Nebraska match on Wednesday will serve as Iowa’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness Match – Attacking Breast Cancer Night. All fans are encouraged to wear pink. Free pink rally towels will be given to the first 250 fans and breast cancer survivors will be recognized during the match. Wednesday will also serve as Girl Scout Night and $1 Hot Dog Night.
LIVE ACTION
Iowa’s match against Nebraska can be seen live on Mediacom (MC22) and on BTN.com. Rob Brooks and former Hawkeye Christina Meister will call the action. Sunday’s match at Northwestern can be seen live on BTN. Mike Wolf and Liz Tortorello-Nelson will call Sunday’s contest. The Hawkeyes’ match against Penn State on Oct. 24 will also be shown on BTN, while three remaining contests will be streamed on BTN.com.
Remaining Live Coverage Schedule:
Oct. 17 – vs. Nebraska (BTN.com, MC22)
Oct. 21 – at Northwestern (BTN)
Oct. 24 – vs. Penn State (BTN)
Nov. 3 – at Michigan (BTN.com)
Nov. 8 – vs. Purdue (BTN.com)
Nov. 17 – at Minnesota (BTN.com)
HAWKEYE VOLLEYBALL – ON THE AIR
Fans can follow Hawkeye volleyball at AM-800 KXIC or at hawkeyesports.com, where play-by-play voice of the Hawkeyes Ian Martin will call the action throughout the season. Hawkeye All-Access, a subscription service committed to providing quality coverage of Hawkeye athletic events, will stream every Big Ten contest this season. Both matches this week will be available on AM-800 KXIC and at hawkeyesports.com.
OFFICIAL IOWA VOLLEYBALL BLOG/LIVE STATS
Live blogging and live stats (Gametracker) will be available for both matches this weekend. Hawkeye manager Libbie Hillmer hosts the live blog, providing scoring updates and interactive content from the Official Iowa Volleyball Blog. Visit the Iowa volleyball page at hawkeyesports.com for links to Gametracker and the live blog.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hawkeyes dropped two matches at home last weekend, falling to No. 10 Minnesota on Friday, 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 15-25, 17-25), and Wisconsin on Saturday in five sets (21-25, 25-14, 18-25, 25-21, 10-15).
#4 NEBRASKA (Oct. 17)
Head Coach: John Cook (376-36, 13th season)
2012 Record/Away/Conference: 15-2 overall; 4-2; 7-1
Series Record/Last Meeting: Neb. leads 16-0/2011, Northwestern, 3-0
Take Note: Huskers are 5-2 against ranked opponents
NORTHWESTERN (Oct. 21)
Head Coach: Keylor Chan (187-204, 13th season)
2012 Record/Home/Conference: 13-6 overall; 3-4; 2-6
Series Record/Last Meeting: NW leads 36-26-1/2011, Neb. (3-0, 3-0)
Take Note: Only meeting between two schools this season
A BIG WEEKEND
The Hawkeyes won at Indiana on Oct. 5, 3-1, and at 12th-ranked Purdue on Oct. 6, 3-0, to earn their first conference wins of the season. The victory in West Lafayette, Ind., marked Iowa’s first win at Purdue and first sweep of the Boilermakers since Nov. 10, 2000. It also marked the fourth win over a ranked foe for head coach Sharon Dingman, and her first victory over a ranked team on the road. No. 12 Purdue is the highest-ranked team the Hawkeyes have defeated during her tenure. It also marked the first time Iowa has won two-straight league contests since 2008 and consecutive league road matches since 2005.
LOVELL NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alex Lovell was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Oct. 8 for her efforts in Iowa’s two road victories. It marked Iowa’s first Player of the Week honor since Sept. 18, 2006, when Melanie Meister received the recognition. It was also the Hawkeyes’ first weekly honor since Christina Meister was tabbed Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 7, 2009. The Leonard, Mich., native equaled junior Rachael Bedell with a team-best 37 kills in the two wins. Lovell hit a team-high .297 and added three aces and 14 digs. She turned in 41 points, averaging 5.29 kills per set. At Indiana, she tallied 13 kills, two service aces and eight digs in the four-set win, Iowa’s first league victory of the season. In the win over the 12th-ranked Boilermakers, Lovell registered a career-best and match-high 24 kills to go along with an ace and six digs.
GIANT SLAYERS
The Hawkeyes have defeated a ranked team in four of Dingman’s five 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); at No. 12 Purdue (3-0, 2012). The Hawkeyes are 1-5 against ranked foes this season, falling at No. 18 Iowa State (3-2), at No. 23 Ohio State (3-0), at No. 4 Penn State (3-1), vs. No. 24 Michigan State (3-0) and vs. No. 10 Minnesota (3-1). Iowa swept 12th-ranked Purdue on Oct. 6, 3-0, on the road. The victory marked Dingman’s first win over a ranked foe on the road. No. 12 Purdue is the highest-ranked team the Hawkeyes have defeated during her tenure. Six of Iowa’s remaining 2012 opponents appear in this week’s AVCA top 25 poll, including No. 4 Nebraska.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Hawkeyes play at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Wednesday after playing 13 of their last 17 contests on the road. Iowa is 3-5 at home, 5-1 in neutral site matches and 2-5 in true road matches.
MOVING ON UP
Bethany Yeager became the 14th Hawkeye in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs in Iowa’s season-opening sweep of Chicago State. The junior registered a match-high 21 digs in the win. Yeager registered a team-high 20 digs last Saturday against Wisconsin. The junior passed Kari Hamel for fifth all-time in program history with 1,388 in her career. The Brenham, Texas, native leads the Big Ten with 399 digs (4.81/set).
IN GOOD COMPANY
Nikki Dailey ranks sixth in career assists (2,266) and stands eighth in league assists (9.73/set) this season. In conference play only, senior Allison Straumann ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 0.37 service aces per set. Sophomore Erin Leppek ranks seventh in the league with 1.10 blocks per set. Sophomore Alex Lovell ranks 10th in kills (3.28/set).
BIG TEN, BIG TIME
Wednesday’s match against Nebraska marks the ninth contest of Iowa’s 20-match conference slate, and fifth of 10 conference home contests. Five of the last six national championships have been claimed by current members of the Big Ten. Nebraska won the title in 2006 before Penn State captured four straight (2007-10). Illinois finished as the national runner-up to UCLA a year ago. Six league teams are currently ranked in the top 25 (out of 328 Division I programs) and two others are receiving votes. Big Ten teams finished with a combined 114-25 nonconference record.
BIG TEN GOES BIG IN POLLS
The Big Ten is represented by six teams in the AVCA top 25 poll, including the nation’s top-ranked team, Penn State. The six teams marks the most of any conference. Defending league champion Nebraska is No. 4 overall. Minnesota ranks 10th and Purdue sits at No. 17. Other top 25 residents include Ohio State (No. 20), 2011 national runner-up Illinois (No. 25). Michigan and Michigan State are receiving votes.
HAWKEYE IRONWOMEN
Juniors Bethany Yeager and Nikki Dailey have started every match since the start of the 2011 season. Dailey has not missed a set since last season, while Yeager, an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, has only missed one set in her first two-plus seasons at Iowa (311-of-312).
DOUBLE THE FUN
Three Hawkeyes have registered a double-double in 2012. Junior Nikki Dailey leads the way with 14 double-doubles. Sophomore Alex Lovell has turned in eight and junior Rachael Bedell has notched six. Dailey and Lovell recorded double-doubles in both of Iowa’s matches last weekend.
SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
Season tickets remain on sale through the UI Ticket Office. Season tickets are 2-for-$30 and include a complementary Hawkeye t-shirt. Contact the UI Ticket Office at 1-800-IA-HAWKS or visit hawkeyesports.com to place your season ticket order.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
Become fans of the official Iowa Volleyball fan page by going to facebook.com/iowavolleyball to follow the Hawkeyes on Facebook. Fans can also follow the Black and Gold on Twitter (@IowaVolleyball) and YouTube (youtube.com/uiowavolleyball).
NEXT UP
Iowa continues league action next weekend in Iowa City, hosting top-ranked Penn State on Oct. 24 and No. 20 Ohio State on Oct. 27. Fans can watch the Penn State contest live on BTN and can listen to both matches live on AM-800 KXIC.