University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Hosts Ohio State and Penn State
10/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
The Minnesota volleyball team (13-3, 4-0) will host Ohio State (14-4, 2-3) and No. 1 Penn State (17-0, 5-0) this week. Minnesota faces Ohio State on Friday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. and will host No. 1 Penn State on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m.
Minnesota enters the week with its highest ranking since Sept. 19, 2005 at No. 5 in the nation. The Golden Gophers are in second place in the conference at 4-0, and have a 13-3 overall record. Minnesota is led by junior middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) who has 3.13 kps, 1.48 blps and is hitting .433. Gibbemeyer is sixth in the nation in hitting percentage and eighth in blocks. She joins Penn State's Arielle Wilson as one of two players in the nation to be in the top 10 nationally in both categories.
Junior middle blocker Brook Dieter (Bloomington, Minn.) is averaging 3.89 kps, 2.44 dps and 0.63 blps. Dieter has double-figure kills in 14 of Minnesota's 16 matches this year. Setter Taylor Carico (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) has 9.79 dps, 2.53 dps and 0.74 blps. Carico is second in the Big Ten in assists per set in conference play with 11.50 aps. Senior libero Christine Tan is also averaging 3.91 dps, which is sixth in the Big Ten. Tan is also third in serve-receive percentage at .970.
Minnesota has outblocked its last 15 opponents, dating back to the opening match of the season when both the Golden Gophers and Kansas State had 10 blocks. Minnesota will be facing its third different opponent ranked No. 3 or higher this year. When the Golden Gophers faced Nebraska, the Cornhuskers were No. 3 on Aug. 29. Minnesota also faced No. 3 Washington and will take on No. 1 Penn State on Oct. 11.
Ohio State enters the week with a 2-3 Big Ten record after losing to Penn State in four sets by scores of 25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 25-13. The Buckeyes, who have an overall record of 14-4, are led by Katie Dull who has 3.81 kps, 2.25 dps and 0.56 blps. Kristen Dozier also has 2.61 kps and 0.78 blps. Ashley Hughes was the setter against Penn State, and comes into the weekend averaging 8.43 aps and 1.57 dps. Chelsea Noble leads the team with 3.75 dps.
Penn State enters the week on an NCAA Division I record 81-match winning streak, and has a 50-match Big Ten winning streak. The Nittany Lions dropped their first sets since 2007 against Iowa on Sept. 25 and Ohio State on Oct. 7. Penn State is led by Megan Hodge who has 4.63 kps, 2.55 dps, 0.61 blps and is hitting .455. Wilson has 2.81 kps, 1.49 blps and is hitting a nation-leading .578.
Minnesota has played Penn State six times when the Golden Gophers have been tied or within one match of first place. The last two years (2007 & 08), both teams were 5-0 when they played. Both teams were 4-0 when they met in 2006, and were each 10-1 later in the year when they faced each other. Minnesota and Penn State were also both 10-2 and in first place on Nov. 5, 2004 when they met. On Nov. 28, 2003, Penn State was 15-3 and Minnesota was 14-4 when they met.
Friday's match against Ohio State will be streamed live on the BigTenNetwork.com. Sunday's match will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network. Both matches can be heard live in the Gold Zone.
Minnesota enters the week with its highest ranking since Sept. 19, 2005 at No. 5 in the nation. The Golden Gophers are in second place in the conference at 4-0, and have a 13-3 overall record. Minnesota is led by junior middle blocker Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) who has 3.13 kps, 1.48 blps and is hitting .433. Gibbemeyer is sixth in the nation in hitting percentage and eighth in blocks. She joins Penn State's Arielle Wilson as one of two players in the nation to be in the top 10 nationally in both categories.
Junior middle blocker Brook Dieter (Bloomington, Minn.) is averaging 3.89 kps, 2.44 dps and 0.63 blps. Dieter has double-figure kills in 14 of Minnesota's 16 matches this year. Setter Taylor Carico (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) has 9.79 dps, 2.53 dps and 0.74 blps. Carico is second in the Big Ten in assists per set in conference play with 11.50 aps. Senior libero Christine Tan is also averaging 3.91 dps, which is sixth in the Big Ten. Tan is also third in serve-receive percentage at .970.
Minnesota has outblocked its last 15 opponents, dating back to the opening match of the season when both the Golden Gophers and Kansas State had 10 blocks. Minnesota will be facing its third different opponent ranked No. 3 or higher this year. When the Golden Gophers faced Nebraska, the Cornhuskers were No. 3 on Aug. 29. Minnesota also faced No. 3 Washington and will take on No. 1 Penn State on Oct. 11.
Ohio State enters the week with a 2-3 Big Ten record after losing to Penn State in four sets by scores of 25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 25-13. The Buckeyes, who have an overall record of 14-4, are led by Katie Dull who has 3.81 kps, 2.25 dps and 0.56 blps. Kristen Dozier also has 2.61 kps and 0.78 blps. Ashley Hughes was the setter against Penn State, and comes into the weekend averaging 8.43 aps and 1.57 dps. Chelsea Noble leads the team with 3.75 dps.
Penn State enters the week on an NCAA Division I record 81-match winning streak, and has a 50-match Big Ten winning streak. The Nittany Lions dropped their first sets since 2007 against Iowa on Sept. 25 and Ohio State on Oct. 7. Penn State is led by Megan Hodge who has 4.63 kps, 2.55 dps, 0.61 blps and is hitting .455. Wilson has 2.81 kps, 1.49 blps and is hitting a nation-leading .578.
Minnesota has played Penn State six times when the Golden Gophers have been tied or within one match of first place. The last two years (2007 & 08), both teams were 5-0 when they played. Both teams were 4-0 when they met in 2006, and were each 10-1 later in the year when they faced each other. Minnesota and Penn State were also both 10-2 and in first place on Nov. 5, 2004 when they met. On Nov. 28, 2003, Penn State was 15-3 and Minnesota was 14-4 when they met.
Friday's match against Ohio State will be streamed live on the BigTenNetwork.com. Sunday's match will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network. Both matches can be heard live in the Gold Zone.
Players Mentioned
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