Sept. 16, 2009
Northwestern Volleyball Weekly Release - Sept. 16 
Opening Serve
Northwestern takes to the court at Welsh-Ryan Arena for the first time in 2009, hosting the 28th annual Wildcat Classic on Friday, Sept 18 and Saturday, Sept. 19. The Wildcats home opener will be Friday against Akron at 7 p.m. NU will then face a pair of NCAA tournament teams in a Saturday, Sept. 19 double-header, taking on Long Island at noon before closing out the Classic against Cincinnati at 7 p.m.
Wildcats on the Web
Fans unable to make it to Evanston this weekend will still be able to catch every Wildcat point. Live Gametracker stats of all six matches of the Wildcat Classic will be available at NUsports.com, with live streaming video of NU's matches against Long Island and Cincinnati also available.
Scouting the Zips
Season: Akron is 7-4 on the year after going 2-2 at the Akron Invitational last weekend ... Went 3-1 at the season-opening Sycamore Classic at Terre Haute, Ind. Head Coach: Ron Arenz is 18-21 (.462) in his second season at Akron ... Posted a career 54-50 (.519) record in his fifth season as a head coach. Outside Hitters: Brionna Patterson (Sr.) leads the team with 176 kills, averaging four per set, and ranks among team leaders in service aces (14) and blocks (22) ... Liz Martin (Sr.) ranks second in kills with 124 (2.82 per set) and leads the Zips with 20 service aces ... Courtney Jarvis (So.) is averaging 2.02 kills per set (89 total) and ranks second in digs (97). Middle Blockers: Tina Dimitrijevs (So.) has 92 kills (2.09 per set), while leading the team in solo blocks (11) and is second in total blocks (27) ... Jackie Goleman (Jr.) leads Akron in blocks (28) while adding 68 kills. Setter: Kara Smith (Sr.) is averaging 10.02 assists per set (431 total) to compliment 26 kills and 82 digs. Libero: Megan Rodriguez (Sr.) is averaging 3.44 digs per set (141 total) with six service aces.
Scouting the Blackbirds
Season: Long Island is 3-7 in 2009, including a 2-1 mark at the Courtyard LaGuardia Volleyball Classic last weekend ... LIU qualified for the 2008 NCAA tournament after winning the Northeast Conference tournament. Head Coach: Kyle Robinson is in his second season at the helm of the Blackbirds with a 22-19 (.537) record. Outside Hitters: Svetlana Simic (Sr.) is the NEC Player of the Week ... Leads the team in kills (153 - 4.25 per set) and service aces (10) and is tied for the team lead in digs (126 - 3.60 per set) ... Kelsi Klikus (Fr.) has 48 kills and 10 blocks on the year. Middle Blockers: Martina Racic (Sr.) is second on the Blackbirds in kills (119) and ranks third in both digs (93) and blocks (23) ... Ashley Rice (So.) is the team leader in blocks (31), including four solo, while adding 40 kills and nine service aces ... Breanna Cullity (Fr.) has 53 kills and 23 blocks for LIU. Setter: Dunja Milin (Sr.) has 176 assists on the year (8.80 per set) with 13 kills and four blocks. Libero: Chelsea Stanton (So.) is tied for the team-high with 126 digs (3.60 per set).
Scouting the Bearcats
Season: Cincinnati is 7-4 on the year, coming off a 3-1 victory over Western Kentucky Tuesday ... Defeated 16th-ranked Saint Louis 3-0 on Sept. 12. Head Coach: Reed Sunahara is 214-86 (.713) in his 10th season at Cincinnati, and has posted a career 233-12 (.649) record in 12 seasons as a head coach. Outside Hitters: Stephanie Niemer (Jr.), a two-time All-Big East selection, ranks fifth nationally in kills per set (5.00), knocking down 210 on the year while leading the team in hitting percentage (.273) ... Also has 16 service aces, 98 digs and 19 blocks ... Missy Harpenau (So.) is averaging 3.07 kills per set (129 total) while leading the Bearcats in both digs (131 - 3.12 per set) and service aces (19). Middle Blockers: Three freshman stepping up for Bearcats ... Jordanne Scott (Fr.) tops Cincinnati in blocks (36) while adding 91 kills (2.22 per set) ... Becca Refenes (Fr.) ranks second in blocks (25) with 58 kills and five service aces ... Emily Hayden (Fr.) has 72 kills (2.40 per set) with a .269 hitting percentage. Setter: Annie Fesl (Jr.) is 12th nationally, averaging 11.88 assists per set (499 total) while adding 17 blocks, 17 kills and 82 digs. Libero: Jaime Frey (Sr.) has 128 digs on the year, averaging 3.05 per set with five service aces.
Series Information
Northwestern has a limited history against all three of this weekend's Wildcat Classic opponents. NU is 1-0 all-time against Akron, defeating the Zips 3-1 in 1997, and will meet up with Long Island for the first time in program history. The Wildcats and Bearcats met twice during the 1980 season, with Northwestern taking a 2-0 and 3-0 decision over Cincinnati.
Follow the 'Cats With Live, In-Match Twitter Updates
Twitter fans can keep up on the Wildcats' matches at the Wildcat Classic this weekend with live, in-match tweets @NU_SportsLIVE. Northwestern athletics will be with the Wildcats for all three matches and will give periodic updates from the court at Welsh-Ryan Arena, giving fans up-to-the minute match updates.
For the complete weekly release, click the PDF link above.