Weekly Release #14
11/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, Nov. 29 - vs. No. 15 Wisconsin (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 30 -- vs. Northwestern (Cliff Keen Arena), 7 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 1 -- Selection Show, ESPNews, 9 p.m.
Thu-Sun., Dec. 5-8 -- NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds
Complete Release in PDF (5 pages, 98.8 KB)
Michigan Hosts Wisconsin and Northwestern in Season Finale
The University of Michigan volleyball team (15-13, 9-9 Big Ten) closes the regular season with a pair of home matches at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines host No. 15 Wisconsin at 7 p.m. Friday (Nov. 29) and finish out the weekend against Northwestern at 7 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 30). After dropping matches at Purdue (Nov. 22) and at Illinois (Nov. 23) last week, Michigan needs a strong showing in its final homestand of the Big Ten Conference season to put itself in position for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines are aiming for their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance after making trips in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
Internet Extras
The official website for Michigan Athletics (MGoBlue.com) will carry live audio of all home Wolverine volleyball games for the 2002 season. MGoBlue.com will also feature live stats for all home matches.
Stick Around to Meet the Team on Friday
Following Friday's match (Nov. 29) against No. 15 Wisconsin, fans can pick up free team photo cards and meet their favorite Wolverines at an autograph session on the court.
About Wisconsin
Michigan and Wisconsin are meeting for the 47th time in series history. The Badgers lead the all-time series 32-14. Michigan lost the first meeting of the teams 3-1 (30-26, 30-25, 25-30, 30-22) on Oct. 19 in Madison, Wis. The 15th-ranked Badgers are 21-8 (12-6 Big Ten) and have won seven of their last nine matches. Senior Erin Byrd leads the offense with 4.37 kills per game, while senior Lori Rittenhouse leads the team in hitting percentage at .319 (283-102-568). Junior setter Morgan Shields averages 13.87 assists per game. Head coach Pete Waite has a record of 371-126 in 15 years as a collegiate head coach and is 105-24 in four years at Wisconsin. Wisconsin on the Internet: www.uwbadgers.com
About Northwestern
Michigan and Northwestern are meeting for the 47th time in series history. Michigan leads the series 25-21. Michigan has lost two of the last three meetings with the Wildcats, including a 3-1 (30-28, 30-25, 28-30, 30-21) decision on Oct. 18 in Evanston, Ill. Northwestern enters the weekend 17-13 overall and 10-8 in Big Ten play. Junior Erika Lange leads the team in three categories: kills per game (4.38), hitting percentage (.363, 442-135-846) and blocks per game (1.50). Sophomore setter Drew Robertson is averaging 11.98 assists per game, and junior Iwona Lodzik leads the team with 3.26 digs per game. Head coach Keylor Chan has an overall record of 52-68 in four years as a collegiate head coach and a record of 34-53 in three years at Northwestern. Northwestern on the Internet: www.nusports.com
Wolverines Drop Final Two Big Ten Road Matches
Michigan tallied season highs in kills (83), assists (75) and digs (90), but it was not enough to pull out a victory against Purdue Friday (Nov. 22) in West Lafayette, Ind. The Wolverines fell 3-2 (17-30, 36-34, 21-30, 30-24, 15-9) to the Boilermakers despite several members of the team having career nights statistically. Lisa Gamalski (Milwaukee, Wis./Catholic Memorial HS) recorded her first career triple-double (10 kills, 63 assists, 12 digs). Nicole Poquette (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven HS) and Gamalski each recorded a career high in kills with 17 and 10, respectively. Jennifer Gandolph (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) also helped out with the team's defensive effort with a career-high 23 digs. The following night (Saturday, Nov. 23) against Illinois in Champaign, Ill., Michigan was led by Erin Moore (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian HS) and Katrina Lehman (Bloomfield, Hills, Mich./Marian HS), who posted 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Moore added seven digs and Lehman led the team in blocks with five, but Michigan lost 3-0 (30-21, 30-28, 30-25) and fell into a tie with Indiana for seventh in the Big Ten standings.
Home Sweet Home
Michigan suffered its first home loss of the season against then-No. 6 Minnesota on Friday (Nov. 15) but defeated Iowa on Saturday (Nov. 16) to improve its record to 10-1 this season at Cliff Keen Arena. U-M was the last team in the Big Ten to lose at home this year. Dating back to a 3-0 (30-17, 30-20, 30-21) sweep of Northwestern on Nov. 10, 2001, the Wolverines are 12-2 in their last 14 at home. Including all of 2001, U-M is 21-4 at home in the last two years. In that span, Michigan has upset five ranked opponents, including three ranked foes this year (No. 16 Ohio State, Oct. 5; No. 18 Michigan State, Oct. 9; No. 11 Penn State, Nov. 2).
Getting in Position for the Postseason
The Big Ten has received at least five NCAA Tournament bids in each of the last nine seasons (since 1993). In each of the last five seasons, the conference has received at least six tournament bids, including a record eight bids in 1999. Michigan is currently tied with Indiana for seventh, one game behind Michigan State and Northwestern.
Making a Case for the NCAA Tournament
Besides playing in one of the toughest conferences in the nation, Michigan has totaled six victories over five (Cincinnati, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State) of 11 teams on its schedule that earned bids to the 2001 NCAA Championship tournament. Michigan has one match remaining against Wisconsin, which appeared in last year's tournament.
No Backing Down
Two key factors in receiving an NCAA Tournament bid are a team's won-lost record and its strength of schedule. Michigan will finish the season with a winning percentage at or above .500, the minimum requirement for an at-large bid, but it has played one of the nation's toughest schedules. Michigan has played 21 of its 28 matches (75 percent) this season against 10 teams which have been ranked (Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Pepperdine, Santa Clara, Wisconsin) and five teams which have received votes (Alabama, Cincinnati, Indiana, Northwestern, South Florida) in the USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll at least once this season. The Wolverines have one contest remaining against a ranked school (vs. No. 15 Wisconsin, Nov. 29).
Other Factors
When considering teams' won-lost records and strength of schedule, the NCAA selection committee will weigh (not in preferential order) the following primary and secondary factors: Primary factors -- Head-to-head competition, results against common opponents, results of the ratings percentage index and significant wins and losses; Secondary factors -- Late-season performance, site of match, results against teams already receiving at-large bids to the championship, and eligibility and availability of student-athletes.
Postseason Reputation
Michigan head coach Mark Rosen has been to the NCAA Tournament in eight of his 10 seasons as a collegiate head coach. His California State-Bakersfield and Northern Michigan teams participated in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament six times, and he led to U-M to the NCAA Division I Championship tournament in his first two seasons at the helm of the Wolverines. The only two years he has not participated in the tournament were 1998 as the head coach at Boise State and last season at Michigan.
Nearing Uncharted Territory
Head coach Mark Rosen has helped Michigan increase its number of conference wins each of the three years he has been in charge of the program. The Wolverines won seven Big Ten matches in 1999, eight in 2000 and nine in 2001. With two conference matches remaining this season, U-M has won nine times.
Ten Big Ten Wins Will Bring Another Milestone
Michigan's next conference victory will be its 10th of the year, a mark it has reached just four times in 20 years of conference play. The squad won 10 conference matches in 1991 under the guidance of Peggy Bradley-Doppes, while Greg Giovanazzi led the Wolverines to 11 Big Ten wins in 1992 and 1995 and a school-record 13 conference wins in 1997.
Outstanding Output
Jennifer Gandolph finished the weekend with 92 attack attempts to increase her season total to 1,004 attempts in 28 matches (103 games). She is the first Michigan player to record more than 1,000 attack attempts in a season since Nicole Kacor (1998-2001) posted 1,133 attempts in 31 matches (111 games) during the 1999 season.
Outstanding Output II
Jennifer Gandolph has 390 kills through 28 matches (103 games). With 10 more kills, she will become the first Michigan player to post 400 or more kills since Nicole Kacor (1998-2001) tallied 405 in 31 matches (111 games) during the 1999 season.
Lehman on Offense
Michigan's lone senior, Katrina Lehman, has been drawing attention for her blocking skills, but she has also been playing well on offense this season. She has posted double-digit kills in eight of the last 12 matches. So far this season, she has recorded 10 or more kills in 13 of 28 matches, tying her career high for double-digit kill matches in a season (13 in 2000).
Multiple Record Book Entries for Lehman
Katrina Lehman, Michigan's all-time leader in total blocks and block assists, has a long list of additional places in the U-M record book where one can find her name. On offense, Lehman has moved into ninth place all-time at Michigan with 922 kills in her career. On defense, she set the single-season records for total blocks (142) and block assists (122) after adding 10 total blocks and nine block assists last weekend (Nov. 22-23). She needs seven blocks to tie the record for total blocks in a conference season (100; Lehman, 2001) and 15 block assists to tie the record for block assists in a conference season (93; Lehman, 2001). She is also fifth all-time at U-M with 52 career block solos.
Coming Up for Lehman
Career Kills 1 Karen Chase 1,261 8 Fiona Davidson 992 9 Katrina Lehman 922 10 Jeanine Szczesniak 909 11 JoAnna Collias 903 Block Assists / Season 1 Katrina Lehman (2002) 122 2 Katrina Lehman (2001) 119 3 Katrina Lehman (2000) 115 Linsey Ebert (1997) 115 Block Assists / Conf. Season 1 Katrina Lehman (2001) 93 2 Katrina Lehman (2002) 78 3 Katrina Lehman (2000) 76 4 Fiona Davidson (1992) 75 Total Blocks / Season 1 Katrina Lehman (2002) 142 2 Linsey Ebert (1997) 132 3 Katrina Lehman (2000) 131 4 Katrina Lehman (2001) 130 Total Blocks / Conf. Season 1 Katrina Lehman (2001) 100 2 Katrina Lehman (2002) 93 3 Katrina Lehman (2000) 85 Carla Hunter (1988) 85
Talk About Balance
Michigan has had at least three players reach double digits in kills in 18 of 28 matches this season. Last Friday (Nov. 22) at Purdue, all six starters -- Jennifer Gandolph, Lisa Gamalski, Katrina Lehman, Erin Moore, Nicole Poquette and Carrie Ritchie (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison Comprehensive HS) -- posted double-digit kills and accounted for all 83 of the team's kills. Twice -- Alabama (Sept. 13) and then-No. 11 Penn State (Nov. 2) -- Michigan has had five of its six starters reach double-digit kills. In each of those matches, setter Lisa Gamalski, the only one not to reach double digits, chipped in with four kills.
Six Times Ten
Last Friday (Nov. 22) at Purdue, all six starters -- Jennifer Gandolph, Lisa Gamalski, Katrina Lehman, Erin Moore, Nicole Poquette and Carrie Ritchie -- posted double-digit kills. The last time Michigan had six players record 10 or more kills was against Iowa on Sept. 27, 1997, in Iowa City, Iowa. Jane Stevens (1995-98) led the way with 23 kills, Sarah Behnke (1997-2000) had 15 kills, Sarah Jackson (1994-97) had 14 kills and Linsey Ebert had 13 kills. Jane Szczesniak (1995-98) and Anne Poglits (1996-99) each contributed 10 kills to give Michigan six players with double-digit kills.
Gamalski in National Rankings
Lisa Gamalski continues to rank among the nation's best setters. However, she fell five spots to 23rd in the nation in assists per game with an average of 12.96 in the latest NCAA rankings (Nov. 17). Santa Clara's Kelli Sousa leads the country with 14.52 assists per game. Katrina Lehman fell out the top 30 last week but returns ranked 29th this week with an average of 1.39 blocks per game. Arkansas-Little Rock's Ivana Kuzmic leads the category with 2.14 blocks per game.
Michigan in the National Rankings
Michigan is nationally ranked in two categories -- assists per game and blocks per game -- in the latest NCAA rankings (Nov. 17). U-M fell three spots to 25th in assists per game (14.73) and dropped one spot to 30th in blocks per game with an average of 2.76. Michigan had been ranked in kills per game but fell out of the top 30 this week.
Assists per game 1 Southern Cal 16.69 25 Michigan 14.75 Blocks per game 1 Notre Dame 3.69 30 Michigan 2.76
Blocking Bonanza
Michigan is on pace to have one of its best blocking years ever. The Wolverines tied the school record for block assists in a season (466) with 30 block assists last weekend (Nov. 22-23) and have two matches remaining. The team has 279 team blocks and may approach the regular season the mark of 304.5 team blocks set in 1988.
Lehman Blocks Her Way to the Top of the Record Book
Katrina Lehman became Michigan's all-time blocks leader with a block assist in the fourth game of the match against Indiana (Oct. 4). She entered the season sixth on the list but now stands first with 458 career blocks. Lehman passed Julia Sturm (375, 1987-90) for the all-time record. Lehman also holds the block assists career record with 406, having passed Linsey Ebert (305, 1995-98) for the school record.
Not Just a Setter
Lisa Gamalski was not a setter when she started playing volleyball, and it shows. She leads the team in attack percentage and is third in digs per game. She has recorded 132 kills with just 38 errors in 326 attempts for a .288 attack percentage. On defense, Gamalski has 268 digs for an average of 2.60 per game, third to Carrie Ritchie's (2.65 digs per game) and Jennifer Gandolph (3.29 digs per game).
Haven't I Seen This Before
Five of Michigan's six starters this season -- Katrina Lehman, Jennifer Gandolph, Erin Moore, Chantel Reedus and Nicole Poquette -- were regular starters during the 2001 season. The sixth starter, sophomore setter Lisa Gamalski, played in 16 of the team's 27 matches last season and started seven times.
Serving Up Europe!
Michigan volleyball is planning a trip to Europe for the spring of 2003. The trip will be a chance for the athletes to compete against some of the best volleyball players in the world and experience the unique cultures in the countries they will visit. In an effort to help pay their own way, the team organized the Serving Up Europe! fund-raising program. Friends, family and fans of the program can sponsor an amount to donate for every Michigan service ace this season. Based on last season's 136 aces, a commitment of 25 cents per ace would equal a $34 donation. The team is also planning a winter volleyball camp for adults to help raise money. To sponsor the team, call coach Mark Rosen at 734-647-3035 or speak with him following a match.
Preseason Award
Erin Moore was selected to the 2002 preseason All-Big Ten volleyball team. She is the first Wolverine to be selected for the preseason all-conference squad since Sarah Jackson (1994-97) earned the honor prior to the 1997 season.
Moore Takes on Role of Captain
Erin Moore will serve as the captain of the 2002 Michigan volleyball team.
Big Ten Standings (Through 11-23-02)
Big Ten Overall 1. Minnesota 16-2 .889 29-4 .879 2. Penn State 12-6 .667 22-7 .759 Wisconsin 12-6 .667 21-8 .724 4. Ohio State 11-7 .611 17-10 .630 5. Michigan State 10-8 .556 18-10 .643 Northwestern 10-8 .556 17-13 .567 7. MICHIGAN 9-9 .500 15-13 .536 Indiana 9-9 .500 19-11 .633 9. Illinois 6-12 .333 12-15 .444 10. Purdue 2-16 .111 12-19 .387 Iowa 2-16 .111 8-20 .286
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
