For a PDF version of the match notes click HERE
Location: Orem, Utah
Dates: September 1st vs. KU, September 3rd vs. MSU
Times: 7:00 pm (MST) vs. KU, 12:00 pm (MST) vs. MSU
Site: Activity Center
Internet Broadcast: Live stats of the KU match can be followed by going to: kuathletics.com
Series Record: First Meeting versus both KU and MSU
What's on Tap:
The Utah Valley State volleyball team will host the University of Kansas in its home opener as part of the Utah Valley/BYU Challenge on Thursday, September 1st, and then will play Montana State on Saturday, September 3rd.
Thursday night's game is scheduled to start at 7:00 pm (MST) and first serve of Saturday's match is scheduled for 12:00 pm (MST). Both matches will be played in the Utah Valley State Activity Center.
Kansas is one of two teams on the 2005 schedule that played in the NCAA tournament in 2004. The Jayhawks made it to the second round before losing to Washington, a final four team.
Wolverine Update:
Entering its third season as a NCAA Division I program the Utah Valley State volleyball program finished with an 11-16 record in 2004 that included wins over Memphis, Central Florida and Montana.
Utah Valley State head women's volleyball coach Sam Atoa returns seven players (three starters) from last year's squad and looks to make more strides in 2005.
Junior Lacee Koelliker will return to run the offense having already been a major part of it for the past two seasons. She was named second team All-Independent last season and is the current career Wolverine assist leader with 1,512 over two seasons.
The middle core also returns with experience with junior Stephanie McFarland and sophomore Jessica Endres.
Endres had a very solid freshman campaign as she started 23 matches and was third on the team in kills per game average with 2.47. She led the Wolverines with 14 block solos, and 1.06 blocks per game. McFarland started 21 matches averaging 1.22 kills per game, and 0.48 blocks per game.
Libero Maegan Hoyt has the most experience on the back row. She etched her name in the Utah Valley State record book last season with a Wolverine record best 33 digs against Northern Colorado (Oct. 27th). Two weeks later she notched 27 digs against Texas-Pan American (Nov. 11th) which happened to be the 2nd best single match total.
Scouting the Opposition:
Kansas:
The Jayhawks come into Thursday's match undefeated (2-0) and haven't dropped a single game yet this season. They opened the season at home with a 3-0 victory over Alabama on August 26th, and then came back the next night to sweep Missouri-Kansas City.
The Jayhawks return nine letterwinners and five starters in 2005. KU finished the 2004 season 19-12 overall and 9-11 in league play and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks were ranked as high as 21st nationally and received votes in the USA Today/CSTV Coaches' Poll for eight weeks in 2004.
Josi Lima and Jana Correa have led the way offensively over the first two matches. Lima has notched 28 kills (4.67 k/g) while Correa has tallied 26 (4.33 k/g).
Montana State:
The Bobcats come into Saturday's match with a 2-1 overall record this season. MSU notched wins over Wyoming (3-2) and Gardner-Webb (3-0) last weekend. The Bobcat's loss came at the hands of the #2 ranked Washington Huskies, the team that ended KU's season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Final Four in 2004.
MSU was 19-8 last season and finished third (10-4) in the Big Sky Conference. The Bobcats return eight letterwinners and four starters, including junior outside hitter Kim Stonehouse, who leads MSU with 2.90 kills per game. Senior middle blocker Megan Zanto averages a team-best 1.10 blocks to go with her 2.80 kills per game.
Up Next:
The Wolverines travel to Idaho to take on the Broncos of Boise State on Tuesday, September 6th. Utah Valley State leads the overall series with BSU 2-0. The Wolverines swept the Broncos in three games last season.
