University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Gearing Up for Connecticut Volleyball Invitational
9/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
STORRS, CT (Sept. 11) - The University of Connecticut women’s volleyball team will host Akron, Illinois and Manhattan in the Connecticut Invitational in Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12-13. The Huskies have met strong opponents in their opening two tournaments of the season, and will use that experience to try to improve their 2-4 record this weekend. The first match-up will feature Illinois vs. Manhattan at 5:00 pm on Friday, and UConn’s first match will follow as they take on the Akron Zips at 7:30 pm. Saturday’s matches will feature UConn vs. Manhattan at noon, Akron vs. Illinois at 2:30 pm, Manhattan vs. Akron at 5:00 pm, and in the final match, UConn will host Illinois at 7:30 pm.
Connecticut Huskies
Overall Record: 2-4
2002 Overall Record: 14-15, BIG EAST Record: 9-4
Players to Watch: Megan Crawley, Jamie Hadenfeldt, Xaimara Coss, Julie Erbez
The 2003 UConn women’s volleyball team is looking to build off the momentum of a strong finish to the 2002 campaign which lifted the program to its 21st consecutive BIG EAST Tournament appearance. The Huskies have faced talented foes the past two weekends at the IKON Husky Classic hosted by UConn, and at the Wildcat Classic hosted by the University of New Hampshire. Although the squad has come away from each tournament with only one win, they have gained experience and are back on their home floor this weekend where they have a strong tradition of winning.
Sophomore Megan Crawley is off to a strong start in 2003, and leads the team in kills with 78, kills per game with 3.71, total blocks with 29, and blocks per game with 1.38. Crawley has nearly matched her 99 total kills from her freshman season, and has been named to the All-Tournament teams in both tournaments UConn has played in this season. Junior Jamie Hadenfeldt is once again proving to be a strong and consistent force on both offense and defense. Hadenfeldt has racked up 63 kills in six matches (3.15 per game) to rank second on the team, and also currently ranks second in digs with 80 (4.00 per game). In 2002, she finished third on the team with 304 kills and 376 digs en route to tallying 14 kill-dig double-doubles on the season. Senior Xaimara Coss has been outstanding in the back row for the Huskies so far this season, leading the squad in digs with 124 (5.90 per game). Coss was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Wildcat Classic after registering three matches of 20+ digs, including a 37-dig performance against Ball State for a career-high. Senior setter Julie Erbez recorded the eighth-most single-season assists in 2002 with 1,145, and looks to be on pace for another strong number again this year. Erbez currently leads the team with 188 assists (8.95 per game), and has also been strong in kills with 34, and digs with 54 (2.57 per game).
Akron Zips
Overall Record: 2-4
2002 Record: 26-7, MAC Record: 15-3
All-Time Record Against UConn: 0-0
Players to Watch: Ashleigh Nugent, Sandy Lewis, Monica Morlock, Lyndsay Schmiedel
The Akron Zips completed one of the best seasons in the program’s history in 2002, and took home the Mid-American Conference East Division title when it was over. The squad returns four starters and nine letterwinners from that team, whose 26 victories set an Akron record for the most wins in a season over Division I opponents. The Zips started the 2003 season with back to back victories, but have lost four straight matches since. Most recently they faced ninth-ranked powerhouse Penn State, and lost in three games. UConn and Akron will be meeting for the very first time this weekend. The four seniors on Akron’s squad are leading the team statistically and are players to watch at the invitational. Ashleigh Nugent leads the team in kills with 78 (3.39 per game), and is second on the squad in blocks with 15. Sandy Lewis follows closely behind Nugent with 72 kills (3.13 per game), and has proven to be a weapon on defense as well with a team-leading 97 digs (4.22 per game). Monica Morlock has recorded 55 kills (2.39 per game), and leads the team in blocks with 19 (0.83 per game). Setter Lyndsay Schmiedel has dished out 215 assists (9.35) to lead the team.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Overall Record: 4-1
2002 Overall Record: 13-16, Big Ten Record: 7-13
All-Time Record Against UConn: 2-0
Players to Watch: Lisa Argabright, Melissa Vandrey, Erin Virtue, Rachel VanMeter
The Illinois Fighting Illini enter the Connecticut Invitational boasting the best record of the four teams participating. Their success so far this season is welcomed after the team struggled in 2002 with injuries to key players. This year Illinois returns nine letterwinners, including seven who saw significant playing time last season, and all of whom are healthy and hungry to do well in 2003. The Illini have suffered their only loss this season to #7 Nebraska, and have dropped just two of 14 games in their four wins. Senior Lisa Argabright currently leads the squad on offense with 69 kills (4.06 per game), and also in blocks with 22 (1.29 per game). Senior Melissa Vandrey has been another leader at the net with 64 kills (3.76 per game). Junior Erin Virtue has moved into the starting setter position this season after playing primarily as a defensive specialist the past two years, and has notched 237 assists (13.94 per game). Sophomore Rachel VanMeter is third on the team in kills with 60 (3.53 per game) and second in blocks with 15.
Manhattan Lady Jaspers
Overall Record: 2-4
2002 Overall Record: 30-4, MAAC Record: 8-1
All-Time Record Against UConn: 0-1
Players to Watch: Luka Van Cauteren, Maggie Pfeifer, Megan O’Dorioso, Krista Thorsen
The Manhattan Lady Jaspers are looking to continue the success that carried them to the MAAC regular season and tournament titles in 2002, and also to the NCAA First Round. The team has struggled early this season, losing their first four games to match the total losses from last season. But most recently they took a solid 3-0 victory over Central Connecticut in their home opener, and will be looking to add W’s to the record at the Connecticut Invitational. The squad’s strongest player from last year, Luka Van Cauteren, has returned to lead the Jaspers this season. Van Cauteren was the 2002 MAAC Player of the Year, and was also selected the 2003 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. She has racked up 100 kills in six matches so far this season (4.55 per game), and has proven to be just as strong at the setter position with a team-high 140 assists (6.36 per game). Sophomore Maggie Pfeifer, also named to the Preseason All-MAAC Team, has notched 60 kills on the season (2.73 per game), and leads the team in blocks with 13. Sophomore Megan O’Dorioso ranks second on the team with 71 kills (3.23 per game), and senior Krista Thorsen leads the team in digs with 93 (4.23 per game).
