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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Volleyball Opens MWC Play
9/19/2000 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Sept. 19, 2000
Salt Lake City - COMING UP: No. 18 ranked Utah is back in action at home to open conference play with San Diego State on Fri., Sept. 22, at 7:00 p.m. (MST) and UNLV on Sat., Sept. 23, at 7:00 p.m. (MST).
A QUICK LOOK AT UTAH: The University of Utah women's volleyball team lost to the Arizona Wildcats in three games, (15-3, 15-8, 15-10), ending an eight-match win streak on Sat., Sept. 16, at Crimson Court. On Fri., Sept. 15, Utah defeated Temple University in four games, (18-16, 16-14, 16-18, 15-1) at Crimson Court.
Utah earned its first-ever national ranking, coming in 18th in the USA Today/AVCA Top 25 poll released Mon., Sept. 11.
Possible starters for the Utes in the match-up against San Diego State and UNLV are: McKelle Stilson (Jr., MB), Jen Snow-Richards (Sr., OH), Lucie Turkov? (Sr., S), Katrena Ellett (So., MB), Alisa Geddes (Jr., OH), Brooke Barton (Sr., OH/DS), Kim Turner (Fr., MB) and Adrianne Bradley-Drake (Jr., OH/DS). The Utes return five starters, 12 letterwinners and add three true freshmen to this year's roster. Utah received 31 votes to rank 29th in the 1999 season end USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Poll. Utah's 1999 final RPI ranking, produced by the NCAA, was 22nd.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE: The Aztecs of San Diego State are now 5-6 overall, 0-0 in MWC play. SDSU defeated Northeastern in three games, (15-9, 15-11, 15-2) on Fri., Sept. 15 at Ithaca, N.Y. On Sat., Sept. 16, the Aztecs defeated Kent State in four games, (15-8, 15-2, 9-15, 15-12) and its host Cornell University, 4-0 (15-7, 15-17, 15-6, 15-11) at the Cornell Invitational at Ithaca, N.Y.
San Diego State's Zlatina Anguelova leads the team in kills per game (2.69) and totals 2.22 digs per game. Nicole Akporiaye averages 2.60 kills per game and teammate Amy Hallquist posts 2.48 digs per game and 1.70 kills per game. Erin Grady leads the team, averaging 1.77 blocks per game and Melissa Wright posts 11.53 assists per game. As a team, the Aztecs have managed a .193 hitting percentage in 11 matches. SDSU averages 14.9 kpg, 13.1 apg, 1.3 sapg, 13.5 dpg and 2.4 bpg.
Head Coach Mark Warner enters his sixth year at San Diego State, posting an 88-75 career record.
SCOUTING UNLV: The UNLV volleyball team is 0-9 overall, 0-0 in the Mountain West Conference. The Rebels lost two matches last week to No. 14 UCSB and to No. 2 Hawaii. On Thurs., Sept. 14, UNLV lost in three games, (15-7, 15-3, 15-6) to No. 14 UCSB and was swept by No. 2 Hawaii, 3-0, (15-0, 15-12, 15-3) in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Freshman Leiana Oswald leads the Rebels, averaging 3.41 kills per game and posts 1.86 digs per game. Sophomore outside hitter Oge Fitz totals 2.69 kills per game and 1.92 digs per game. Maria Julia Goes posts 9.86 assists per game and 2.18 digs per game. As a team, UNLV averages 10.86 kills per game for a .129 hitting percentage. The Rebels average 9.62 apg, 1.14 sapg, 11.41 dpg and 1.62 bpg.
Deitre Collins enters her fifth year at the helm of the Rebel volleyball program. She has accumulated a 49-71 career-record.
SERIES SHORTS: San Diego State leads the all-time series with Utah, 13-7. In their last meeting on Nov. 24, 2000, Utah defeated SDSU, 3-2 in Provo, Utah. Utah is 5-6 at home, 1-7 away and 1-0 at a neutral site vs. the Aztecs. Utah leads the all-time series with UNLV, 6-1. In their last meeting on Nov. 4, 2000, Utah defeated UNLV, 3-1 in Las Vegas, Nev. Utah is 2-0 at home, 4-1 away and 0-0 at a neutral site vs. the Rebels.
QUOTING LAUNIERE: On the upcoming SDSU and UNLV match-ups-"The biggest focus this week for us now that pre-season is over is to get four good days of practice in before we face San Diego State and UNLV. We need to be prepared for San Diego State and UNLV because they are teams with a lot of talent. Now that the conference schedule is starting, we are back at 0-0 and putting all of our focus towards winning the Mountain West Conference Championship. "
UTES IN THE POLLS: The University of Utah women's volleyball team continues to stay in the Top 25 USA Today/AVCA poll. The Utes are ranked 18th for the second week in a row. Utah received 454 votes in the Sept. 18 poll.
The Utes earned their first-ever national ranking, coming in 18th in the USA Today/AVCA Top 25 poll released Mon., Sept. 11. Utah, which wasn't ranked in previous polls, received 417 points and boasts an 8-1 overall record entering this week's match-ups with San Diego State and UNLV.
Utah has already defeated two ranked teams this season. The Utes defeated then-No. 1-ranked Stanford in five games on Tues., Sept. 5, and then-No. 24-ranked San Diego on Sat., Sept. 9. Utah lost its first match of the 2000 season to No. 13 ranked Arizona on Sat., Sept. 16.
Utah is one of three MWC teams ranked in the polls. Other MWC teams ranked are: Colorado State (4th) and BYU (10th).
"It is really nice recognition for our program and for our players because they deserve it," said Launiere. "Even though we are ranked now, we still have our focus and each match is an important one for us. We've done very well near the end of the season for the past few years and we want to continue that because that is when it counts."
NEXT WEEK: The Utes hit the road on Fri., Sept. 29, taking on the Wyoming Cowgirls at 7:00 p.m. (MST) in Laramie, Wyo. On Sat., Sept. 30, Utah travels to Fort Collins, Colo. to face the No. 4 ranked Colorado State Rams at 7:00 p.m. (MST). The Utes are back at home on Tues., Oct. 3, taking on Idaho State at 7:00 p.m. (MST). On Fri., Sept. 6, Utah hosts in-state rival Brigham Young at 7:00 p.m. (MST).
ARIZONA RECAP: The University of Utah women's volleyball team lost their first match of the season to the No. 13 ranked Arizona Wildcats, 3-0 (15-3, 15-8, 15-10) at Crimson Court on Sat., Sept. 16. Arizona improved to 8-1 on the season, 1-0 in Pac 10 play.
Junior middle blocker McKelle Stilson led the Utes with 11 kills and teammate Lenka Urbanova posted eight kills. Seniors Brooke Barton and Lucie Turkova led the team with nine digs each. Turkova posted 31 assists, while Alisa Geddes totaled seven digs. As a team Utah managed a .112 hitting percentage in the match.
For the Wildcats, Allison Napier had 12 kills for a .385 hitting percentage. Teammate Marisa DaLee racked-up 11 kills for an impressive .625 hitting percentage and five total blocks. Jill Talbot led Arizona with 10 digs and Dana Burkholder added 45 assists in the match. Arizona hit for .365 and added 11 total team blocks.
"First off I just want to say that they are a very, very good team," said Head Coach Beth Launiere. "They are by far the best team we've faced this year. They are big, they've got an experienced setter, they execute, and they were just better than us. We needed to execute better than they did in order to win this match and we didn't do that. Truthfully, I am really glad for this match because it really showed areas that we need to get better, and areas where we can get better. We've been getting away with certain things on the court and we needed to see that. We know what we need to get into the gym and work on next week."
TEMPLE RECAP: The University of Utah women's volleyball team defeated the Temple University Owls in four games (18-16, 16-14, 16-18, 15-1) at Crimson Court on Sat., Sept. 15. Temple dropped to 3-5 on the season, 0-0 in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Freshman Kim Turner led the Utes with a season and career-high 16 kills for a .407 hitting percentage and six blocks. Junior Lenka Urbanova racked-up 15 kills and eight digs, while Jen Snow Richards had nine kills for a .350 hitting percentage and 10 digs. Adrianne Bradley-Drake led the team with 14 digs and teammate Alisa Geddes followed with 13 digs. Senior setter Lucie Turkova posted 54 assists and nine digs and Brooke Barton added nine kills and nine digs. As a team Utah posted a .239 hitting percentage and 14 total team blocks.
Alma Kovaci racked up an impressive 32 kills in 65 attempts for a .369 hitting percentage and 18 digs. Risa Sasaki totaled nine kills, while teammate Sara Stone had 15 digs. Brandy Best posted nine kills and 12 digs in the match. Teresa Majewska and Solana Lee split time at the setting position, with Majewska totaling 40 assists and Lee posting 24. Temple hit for .205 and added eight total team blocks in the match.
"They are a very good team," said Head Coach Beth Launiere. "Alma Kovaci is a legitimate outside hitter and we couldn't contain her. Our defense needed to step it up tonight and the exciting thing about this team is that there are so many areas that we can get better and we're still winning matches. Our blocking made a big difference tonight and helped us shut them down. This is a good win for us and a tough one, Temple is a very good team."
UTAH VS. RANKED OPPONENTS: Utah is 2-1 vs. opponents ranked in the Top 25 USA Today/AVCA Coaches' Poll. On Tues., Sept. 5, the Utes made a five-game comeback win over No. 1 ranked Stanford University in a 2 1/2-hour match at Crimson Court. Utah won 13-15, 12-15, 15-6, 15-10, 15-9. On Sat., Sept. 9, Utah shut-down No. 24 ranked San Diego in five games, (14-16, 15-6, 11-15, 15-12, 15-10). On Sat., Sept. 16, Utah was handed its first loss of the 2000 season by No. 13 ranked Arizona Wildcats. The Utes lost in three games, 15-3, 15-8, 15-10.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: Three Utah players were named to the 2000 University of New Hampshire All-Tournament Team. They were: Lucie Turkov?, Jen Snow-Richards and Tournament MVP Katrena Ellett.
Three Utah players were named to the 2000 Cal Poly SLO All-Tournament Team. They were: Lenka Urbanov?, Jen Snow-Richards and tournament MVP, McKelle Stilson.
INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM NOTES: Senior Brooke Barton tied a career-high for kills (14) vs. Cal Poly SLO on Sat., Sept. 9, 2000. Senior Jen Snow-Richards set a career-high .722 hitting percentage against UMass and a career-high four service aces vs. New Hampshire on Sat., Sept. 2, 2000 On Tues., Sept. 5, 2000, Snow-Richards racked up a career-high and a MWC record for digs in a five-game match (30). Snow-Richards racked-up a career-high 11 assists vs. Nevada-Reno on Fri., Sept. 8, 2000. Senior setter Lucie Turkov? posted a career-high 81 assists vs. Stanford on Tues., Sept. 5, 2000. Adrianne Bradley-Drake tied a career-high with five total blocks vs. Stanford University on Tues., Sept. 5, 2000. On Sat., Sept. 9, 2000, Bradley-Drake broke Snow-Richards MWC record for digs in a five-game match with 31 digs. She also tied a career-high for assists with five. Lenka Urbanov? recorded a career-high .353 hitting percentage against Eastern Michigan on Fri., Sept. 1, 2000. On Sat., Sept. 9, Urbanov? posted a career-high 17 digs against No. 24 ranked San Diego. Urbanov? had a career-high 17 kills and tied a career-high 17 digs against Cal Poly SLO on Sat., Sept. 9, 2000. Against Eastern Michigan on Fri., Sept. 1, 2000, Katrena Ellett totaled a career high 14 digs. On Sat., Sept. 2, 2000, Ellett posted a career-high three service aces against UMass. Against Stanford University on Tues., Sept. 5, 2000, Ellett racked-up a career-high 24 kills and three assists.
Utah set a school record for team assists (93) in the match-up with Stanford University on Tues., Sept. 5, 2000, and tied a school record for team kills (97).
HEAD COACH BETH LAUNIERE: In her 11th season, Beth Launiere has not only resurrected the Ute volleyball program and turned it into a consistent winner, she has also guided Utah to unprecedented success on the national level.
Under Launiere's leadership, Utah made its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 1999, and for a second year advanced to the second round. It is the crowning achievement of Launiere's ten-year tenure at Utah, in which she has posted a 188-139 (.575) career record.
The winningest coach in school history, Launiere has overseen a significant transformation since her arrival in 1990. In the last six years alone, Launiere has guided the Utes to five 20-win seasons and Utah's third-place finish in the MWC in 1999 marked its seventh consecutive upper division finish in conference play.
Launiere worked hard in 1999 to maintain the level of play and expectations of the previous season. With a 22-10 overall record, Utah posted its fourth consecutive, and fifth overall, 20-win season. The Utes' .688 overall winning percentage equaled the third-best in school history. Utah also equaled the third-best conference winning percentage in school history last season (10-4, .714).
Utah received 31 votes to rank 29th in the final USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Poll. Utah's final RPI ranking, produced by the NCAA, was 22nd.
PRACTICE SCHEDULE: The Utes practice from 1:00-6:00 p.m. Mon.-Fri. in East 101 at the HPER building on the University of Utah campus. All practice times and dates are tentative and subject to change. For regular scheduled practice times, please contact Julie Lapomarda. Utah Women's Volleyball practices are closed to the media. To set up interviews before or after practice with Head Coach Beth Launiere or Ute players, please contact Julie Lapomarda women's volleyball SID at: (801) 581-3771 (office), or at (801) 468-0571 (home).
POST-MATCH SERVICES/INTERVIEWS: Head Coach Beth Launiere and Utah players will be available for interviews outside the Utah lockerroom following a 10 minute cooling off period. A member of the Utah sports information staff will gather interview requests immediately following the match. Box scores will be provided and faxed upon request.
WEEKLY INTERVIEWS: Members of the media who wish to interview Head Coach Beth Launiere should contact her at her office (801-581-6843) between 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. weekdays. Interviews with the athletes should be arranged through Julie Lapomarda (801-581-3771).
THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE: The newest conference in the nation has quickly emerged as one of the best. The Mountain West Conference, which officially commenced operation on July 1, 1999, sent three volleyball teams to NCAA post-season play in its first year. League champion BYU made it to the NCAA Sweet 16, Colorado State made it to the NCAA Regional semifinals and Utah advanced to the NCAA second round.
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE MEDIA INFORMATION: Ron Christian, Assistant Director of Communications, handles all information requests related to volleyball at the Mountain West Conference office. The MWC address is P.O. Box 35760, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-3567. The MWC telephone number is (719) 533-9500. The fax number is (719) 533-9512.
MWC PRE-SEASON POLL: In a survey of the Mountain West Conference coaches before the season, Utah, which received votes in the preseason national poll, was picked to finish third. Brigham Young and Colorado State each received four first-place votes to headline the 2000 Mountain West Conference Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll.
USA TODAY/AVCA PRE-SEASON POLL: Utah was one of three Mountain West Conference schools that appeared in the USA Today/AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches' Association) Preseason Poll, announced on Mon., Aug. 14. Colorado State and Brigham Young ranked 13th and 15th, while Utah, with 59 points, checked in at No. 30.
1999 TEAM AND PLAYER NOTES: Utah made its second-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and its second-consecutive 2nd-round finish last season. The Utes, seeded No. 9 in the Mountain Region, defeated eighth-seeded Colorado in three games (15-10, 15-6, 17-15) in the first round and lost to top-seeded Hawaii in three games (15-11, 15-6, 15-4) in the second round at the sub regional in Honolulu, Hawaii.
With a 22-10 overall record, Utah posted its fourth consecutive, and fifth overall, 20-win season. The Utes' .688 overall winning percentage equaled the third-best in school history. Utah also equaled the third-best conference winning percentage in school history last season (10-4, .714). Utah finished third in the MWC, marking its fifth consecutive upper-finish in conference play.
Utah received 31 votes to rank 29th in the final USA Today/AVCA Top 25 Poll. Utah's final RPI ranking produced by the NCAA was 22nd and the Mountain West Conference was third.
The winningest coach in school history, Beth Launiere has overseen a tremendous change since her arrival here in 1990. She has posted a 180-138 (.566) career record in ten seasons. In the last five years alone, Launiere has guided the Utes to four 20-win seasons, and three 3rd place and two fourth place finishes in conference play.
Brooke Barton, Jennifer Snow-Richards, Lucie Turkov?, McKelle Stilson, Megan Anderson and Brenda Beal earned academic all-MWC honors last season. Utah and Colorado State garnered the most honorees with six out of a field of 37 student-athletes.
Graciela Torres-Lopez ended her career as Utah's all-time leader in assists with 5,130. She broke the 5,000 mark on Wed., Nov. 24 in the opening match of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament against San Diego State. She broke the record for the number of assists in a season with 1,424.
Utah had four players selected as members of the inaugural All-Mountain West Conference Volleyball Teams. Sophomore McKelle Stilson was a first-team (MB) selection. Senior setter Graciela Torres-Lopez and sophomore outside hitter Alisa Geddes were second-team picks, while junior Brook Barton was named the second-team defensive specialist of the year.
Middle blocker McKelle Stilson ranked in at number five on Utah's individual season record list with a .296 hitting efficiency. She currently ranks sixth with 130 block assists, seventh with 149 total blocks and ninth with 431 kills.
Outside hitter Alisa Geddes ranked in at number five on Utah's individual season record for digs with 375.
All but one loss last season was to top 25 teams beginning with No. 18 Northern Iowa, No. 9 Pepperdine, No. 2 Stanford, No. 10 BYU, No. 11 Colorado State and No. 3 Hawaii. Utah's only other loss last season came from Georgia, a non-ranked team, in five games.
Utah ranked 29th in the nation in home match attendance. In 12 matches at home, the Utes brought in 9,234 fans, an average of 770 fans per match.
Nine of Utah's wins came in three games. Ten of Utah's wins came in four games, while three wins came in five games. Five of Utah's losses came in three games, one loss came in four games, while the remaining four losses came in five games.
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