Three Tough Matches Await at Bearcats Invitational This Weekend
9/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Youngstown -- The Youngstown State volleyball team continues its quest to improve during a rugged non-conference schedule this weekend with three matches at the Bearcats Invitational in Cincinnati. YSU plays the host Bearcats on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Guins then come back to play the College of Charleston at 10 a.m. and Evansville at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Youngstown State showed progression in each of its matches last weekend at the Spring Hill Suites at Arundel Mills Maryland Invitational. The Penguins won one set against Villanova in the season opener, battled Maryland to five sets in the second match and swept Stony Brook in the finale.
Senior middle hitter Ruth Boscaljon reached 1,000 career kills with her eighth termination against the Wildcats on Friday. She then erupted for a combined 28 kills against Maryland and Evansville on Saturday to finish with 36 on the weekend. Fellow middle hitter Allison Heinz had 24 kills in the tournament and had a team-best .431 attack percentage. Boscaljon's was .346 overall and .463 in Saturday's two matches.
Following this weekend, the Penguins play two matches at Buffalo on Sept. 11 and 12.
Scouting Cincinnati
The Bearcats enter their tournament after winning once in three tries at the Utah Classic last weekend. Both of their losses came in five sets - to Arizona State on Saturday and to No. 17 Utah on Sunday. Junior Stephanie Niemer had at least 19 kills in each match, and her 34 kills against the Utes tied for the secon-most for a match in UC history. Her 74 kills are by far the most on the team. sophomore Missy Harpenau ranks second with 46 kills. Cincinnati returns four starters and its libero from last season's squad that finished 27-7.
Scouting the College of Charleston
The College of Charleston also enters the weekend with a 1-2 record following three matches at the Big Orange Bash. The Cougars opened the tournament by rallying from two sets down to beat Winthrop, but they dropped their next two matches to South Carolina and Clemson. Senior outside hitter Emily Sawin notched two double-doubles last weekend and has 39 kills and 33 digs through three matches. The Cougars were picked in a preseason poll to win the Southern Conference, and Sawin, setter Cole Dawley and middle blocker Elyse Chubb were named to the preseason all-league team. The Cougars finished 27-7 last year.
Scouting Evansville
The Purple Aces enter the tournament with the best record of the four teams after going 2-1 at the Memphis Invitational. Evansville defeated the host Tigers and Southeast Missouri State in four sets and lost in five sets to Arkansas State. Sophomore outside hitter Brooke Maher and sophomore setter Ellen Sawin were named to the All-Tournament Team. Maher led the squad with 37 kills over the weekend, and her 51 digs are just four behind the team leader. Ellen Sawin is the sister of the College of Charleston's Emily Sawin. Evansville went 14-16 in 2008.
Boscaljon Reaches 1,000 Kills Plateau
Senior Ruth Boscaljon reached 1,000 career kills against Villanova on Aug. 28 by registering eight against the Wildcats. She reached the milestone in the fourth set when Villanova led 22-16. Boscaljon finished the Maryland Invitational with 36 kills to bring her career total to 1,028. She now ranks seventh in school history in career kills, and she could ascend the chart to as high as fifth this weekend. Kristen Meech currently occupies the fifth spot with 1,055 kills. Boscaljon will need 381 more kills to surpass Vickie Robinson's 1,408 career mark. Boscaljon's .296 career attack percentage is the best in school history, and her 377 career blocks rank fifth. Boscaljon could join Meech (1,055 kills, 562 blocks) as the only two players in school history to have at least 1,000 kills and 500 blocks.
Three Players Make First Career Starts
Three Youngstown State players made their first career starts last weekend. Sophomore Brittany Grove and freshman Brittany Holland started against Villanova on Aug. 28. Freshman Suzanne Lasseigne earned her first career start against Maryland on Aug. 29. Freshman setter Angela Roidt made her debut against Villanova and played in three sets. Holland started all three matches last weekend and finished with 25 digs and a team-best .973 serve receive percentage. Lasseigne registered a double-double in her first career start.
Lasseigne Gets First Freshman Double-Double in Two Seasons
Freshman Suzanne Lasseigne registered a double-double in her first collegiate start on Aug. 29 against Maryland. Lasseigne, a high school All-American at Princess Anne High in Virginia Beach, Va., finished with 10 kills and 13 digs against the Terrapins. It was the first double-double by a Youngstown State freshman since Abigail Drost had one on Oct. 26, 2007, against UIC.
Soubliere Solid in First Stint as Starting Setter
Redshirt sophomore Dani Soubliere had a strong first weekend as Youngstown State's starting setter. She finished with 91 assists, 24 digs and four kills in three matches. Her 13 digs against Stony Brook on Aug. 29 were a career-high. Freshman setter Angela Roidt registered 12 assists in three sets in her first collegiate action.
Up Next: Penguins Travel to Buffalo for Two Matches
Youngstown State will play two matches against the University at Buffalo Bulls on Sept. 11 and 12. The Penguins and Bulls have played 24 times previously, and Buffalo leads the series 14-9-1. The squads last played on Sept. 2, 2006, when Buffalo won in straight sets. The Bulls finished 6-25 last season.
