Volleyball to Open League Play at Wright State, Butler
9/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
After 11 competitive matches to start the season, the Youngstown State volleyball team will begin Horizon League play this weekend with contests at Wright State and Butler. The Penguins will play Wright State on Friday at 6 p.m. in the conference opener for both schools, and YSU will play Butler on Saturday at 4 p.m. Live stats will be available for both matches, and live video will be streamed on the Horizon League Network for the contest at Butler.
The Penguins battled throughout its non-conference schedule but were only able to win once. YSU swept Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday for its first win in nearly a year, but having just that lone win is not indicative of the Penguins' improvement from 2010. The most obvious indicator is the Penguins have already won more sets this year (16) in 11 matches than they did in 29 matches last year (15).
Last week at the UMBC Maddie Bingaman Tournament, the Penguins swept FDU but fell to UMBC in four sets and Norfolk State in five sets. That was their fifth loss in five sets, including their third when leading 2-0. Sophomore Missy Hundelt (St. Charles, Mo.) was named to the all-tournament team as she posted a team-high 44 kills and 10 aces. She was also named to the all-tournament team at the IU adidas Classic and the Syracuse Big Orange Tournament.
Scouting Wright State: Wright State enters the weekend 1-9 overall, which includes losing seven straight matches to start the season. The Raiders swept High Point on Sept. 10, but that win accounts for three of the five sets that Wright State has won this season. They lost in four sets to Miami (Ohio) at home on Tuesday. Sophomore outside hitter Heidi Splinter is averaging 3.28 kills per set, which is more than one kill higher than any other player. Sophomore middle blocker Anna Norman averages a team-high 0.62 blocks per set, and freshman Jessica Levy averages 3.56 digs per set. Wright State has beaten YSU in three straight matches and is 29-4 all-time against the Penguins and is undefeated at home in the series.
Scouting Butler: Butler enters the week with a 4-7 record against a tough slate of teams. The Bulldogs lost five straight matches to start the season, including one to eventual YSU opponent Eastern Michigan in five sets. Butler has won four of its last six, including three out of four at home. Freshman outside hitter Kelly Kyle and senior middle blocker Maureen Bamiro are both averaging 2.95 kills per set, and Bamiro has posted a .283 attack percentage. Sophomore Maggie Harbison leads the Bulldogs with 0.92 blocks per set, and reigning Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week Brooke Ruffolo averages 3.59 digs per set as a freshman. Butler is 21-0 all-time against Youngstown State and has swept the Penguins the last two seasons. The Bulldogs play Cleveland State on Friday evening.
Individuals Surpassing Last Year's Totals: Sophomores Jackie Carlisle (Hubbard, Ohio) and Nichele Johnson (Conneaut, Ohio) have both already surpassed their statistics from last season. Carlisle ranks second in the team with 121 kills in 46 sets after she posted 34 kills in 41 sets last year. Johnson has 54 kills and 33 blocks in 46 sets this year after posting 30 kills and 17 blocks in 31 sets in 2010. Missy Hundelt (St. Charles, Mo.) is also nearing her kills total from last year. She has 170 kills in 46 sets this year after having a team-high 198 kills in 86 sets a year ago. Hundelt already has 18 aces, which is eight more than she had all of last year.
Team of Many Underclassmen: Youngstown State's group of seven sophomores and five freshmen have accounted for a very large portion of the Penguins' stats so far this year. Through 11 matches, 95 percent of YSU's kills (504 of 531), 91 percent of its block assists (146 of 160), 90 percent of its solo blocks (nine of 10), 85 percent of its digs (470 of 551) 87 percent of its aces (58 of 67) and 98 percent of its assists (475 of 484) have come from freshmen or sophomores.
Running A Balanced Offense: Youngstown State has had strong offensive contributions from three individuals through the first 11 matches. Missy Hundelt leads the Penguins with 3.70 kills per set, but she's gotten plenty of help from Jackie Carlisle and Alexis Egler. Carlisle is averaging 2.63 kills per set, and Egler is averaging 2.02 kills. The last time that at least YSU three players averaged more than two kills per set was in 2008 with Ruth Boscaljon, Ebony Barbosa and Kaitlin O'Hara. Hundelt, Carlisle and Egler have all shown the ability to headline the offense as each has posted at least 18 kills in a match this season. The last time a trio of Penguins recorded at least 18 kills in a match during the same season was in 2007 with Jessica Fraley, Barbosa and Boscaljon.
Carlisle, Hundelt Go For 20: In YSU's match against Southeast Missouri State on Sept. 3, Penguins sophomores Missy Hundelt and Jackie Carlisle accomplished a rare feat by both going over the 20-kill plateau. Carlisle finished with a career-best 24 terminations for her the 20-plus match of her career. Hundelt posted 21 kills for her second 20-kill match of the season. The last time that at least two Penguins totaled kills in the twenties was when Jessica Fraley (23), Ebony Barbosa (23) and Ruth Boscaljon (22) all had over 20 against Wright State on Oct. 12, 2007. YSU did not have one match last season where a Penguin had at least 20 kills.
Up Next: Youngstown State returns home for two matches at Beeghly Center next week. The Penguins will welcome Robert Morris on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Cleveland State on Friday at 7 p.m.
