Nov. 4, 2008
Northwestern Volleyball Weekly Release - Nov. 4 
Opening Serve
Northwestern is back on the road for its second-to-last road trip of the season, traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face the 20th-ranked Wolverines at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7. The Wildcats then head south to Columbus, Ohio, to meet up with Ohio State at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8.
NU Makes Final Appearance on Big Ten Network
The Wildcats will make their third and final appearance on the Big Ten Network this Saturday when they face the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. NU's previous two appearances this season were the pair of matches against rival Wisconsin. Opening serve against Ohio State is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Scouting Michigan
20th-ranked Michigan enters the weekend sitting at 18-6 overall and 6-6 in Big Ten play, as the Wolverines are coming off a pair of five-set road losses at Illinois and Purdue last weekend. Michigan has felt right at home at Cliff Keen Arena so far this season, posting a 10-1 record in Ann Arbor, and are 3-1 at home in Big Ten matches. The Wolverines are one of the top offensive teams in the conference, ranking second in kills (14.51 per set), hitting percentage (.261) and assists (13.37) while also sitting first in the Big Ten in service aces (1.48 per set). Juliana Paz leads Michigan in kills at 277, as her 3.30 per set is ninth in the conference. Beth Karpiak has added 258 kills on the year, and her .370 hitting percentage is sixth in the Big Ten. Lexi Zimmerman has been the constant of the Wolverine attack, averaging 11.44 assists per set (second in the Big Ten) and adding 121 kills. Defensively, Karlee Bruck and Karpiak have played a key role at the net, blocking 69 and 67 attempts respectively. Head coach Mark Rosen is 181-129 (.584) in his 10th year in Ann Arbor, and has compiled an overall record of 390-166 (.701) in his 16 seasons of coaching.
Scouting Ohio State
The Buckeyes enter the weekend at 10-14 on the year and are 1-11 in the Big Ten, having lost their last nine matches since their five-set victory over Northwestern in Evanston back on Oct. 3. Ohio State's offense has been lead by the one-two combination of Kristen Dozier and Katie Dull, who have notched 246 and 211 kills respectively. Dull ranks sixth in the conference in kills per set (3.70), with Kaila Calhoun (154) and Anna Szerszen (109) the only other Buckeyes to record triple-digit kill totals. Dozier is tops on the squad in blocks with 69, including 14 solo, with Kelli Barhorst adding 11 solo blocks and 63 total of her own. OSU has used the two-setter combination of Betsy Hone and Ashley Hughes throughout the year, as the pair is averaging 7.81 and 7.04 assists per set respectively. In the backcourt, Ohio State has three players who are have recorded triple-digit dig totals, led by Chelsea Noble's 229, followed by Calhoun (219) and Susan Halverson (138). Head coach Geoff Carlston is in his first season with the Buckeyes, and has compiled an overall record of 203-78 (.722) in nine years.
Series Information
Friday's match marks the 56th meeting between Northwestern and Michigan, with the Wolverines holding a 31-24 series lead, including a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats at Welsh-Ryan Arena back on Oct. 4. NU has had some success in recent years against Michigan, taking four of the last seven matches between the two schools, but the Wolverines have dominated the season series on their home court, having won 16 of the last 17 matches between the two in Ann Arbor. Meanwhile, the Wildcats are 14-45 all-time against the Buckeyes after dropping a tough five-set match to Ohio State in Evanston on Oct. 3. Northwestern is 5-6 in its last 11 meetings against the Buckeyes, but have struggled in Columbus, with OSU taking 21 of the last 23 meetings on its home court.
Glab Joins Exclusive 2,000 Assist Club
Sophomore Elyse Glab has already made her presence felt in the short time she has been in Evanston, as with her second assist in the opening set against Wisconsin this past Wednesday she became just the ninth player in Wildcat history to notch 2,000 assists. Glab finished the week with a combined 47 assists against the Badgers and Spartans, upping her career total to 2,045 and moving her to within 63 helpers of surpassing Stephanie Jurivich for eighth-place all-time.
Campout With the `Cats
Young volleyball fans will have a unique opportunity to get to know their favorite Wildcat volleyball players off the court as the team will host a Campout with the `Cats following their Big Ten match against Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 15. All area girls in the eighth grade and younger are invited to the match against the Gophers, beginning at 7 p.m. Following the match, they will have the opportunity to camp out with the team on the court at Welsh-Ryan Arena, with highlights to include food, movies, games, and a lot more. The campout is free with paid admission to the match, and parents are welcome to join their children. Pre-registration for the campout is required and must be done by Friday, Nov. 7. To register or for more information, contact Ryan Chenault at (847) 491-7327 or email wildcatmarketing@northwestern.edu.
For the complete weekly release, click on the PDF link above.