Weekend Invitationals Highlight Volleyball Week
September 22, 2005
With the HCAC portion of the schedules arriving quickly, the volleyball teams will continue their seasons at various invitationals this weekend.
Transylvania has posted the most wins in the program’s brief history and currently sits at 6-5 this season. The Pioneers will look to build on their strong start when they host the Transy Invitational this weekend. The Pioneers will host Asbury, Kentucky State, Wilmington, Earlham, and Shawnee State in a round robin. Transy has defeated Earlham twice this season and Wilmington once. The Pioneers dropped their only match with Asbury this year. Leading the way for Transy will be junior Stephanie Journeay ( Maineville, Ohio/Little Miami) and sophomore Morgan White ( Lexington, Ky./ Dunbar). Journeay is averaging 3.08 kills per game and White has been strong with 1.05 blocks per game. Junior libero Ashley Koch ( Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) is leading the conference with 6.06 digs per game this year.
Defiance (6-4) will face stiff competition at the Waynesburg Invitational this weekend. The Yellow Jackets, have dropped two of their last three matches including a four-game battle with No. 10 Ohio Northern. They will look to build on their record against Muskingum, LaRoche, Gallaudet, and No. 3 Wittenberg at this weekend’s invitational. Senior Julie Steineman (New Bremen, Ohio/New Bremen) has a .347 hitting percentage and is averaging 4.0 kills and 0.93 blocks per game to lead Defiance this season.
Hanover (7-7) and Bluffton (8-6) will travel to the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational this weekend. Hanover will square off with Grove City, Denison, and Capital, while Bluffton will face host Ohio Wesleyan, Lake Erie, and Westminster.
Hanover snapped a four-match losing streak by topping visiting Marian on Wednesday evening 3-2. The Panthers will look to build on the recent win at the invitational this weekend. The Panthers have been led by sophomores Carley Meek ( Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) and Danielle Hazelbaker ( Selma, Ind./Wapahani). Meek is leading the team with 3.50 kills per game and Hazelbaker is tallying 3.18 kills and 0.52 aces per game.
Bluffton has won four straight matches and five of the last six. The Beavers have been paced by sophomore Mariel Nash ( Loudonville, Ohio/Loudonville) and senior Keri Kuhlman ( Shelby, Ohio/Shelby). Nash is averaging 0.98 blocks and 2.39 kills per game. Kuhlman has been a force with 3.64 kills per game. As a team, Bluffton is ranked 13th in digs with 22.67 per game.
Franklin (7-4) will also be traveling this weekend with four matches at the Wheaton Invitational. The Grizzlies open their weekend versus Judson and will also play host Wheaton and Aurora. Franklin has dropped two straight matches. The Grizzlies will look to rebound behind their strong defensive team. Freshman Jordan Robertson ( Greencastle, Ind./Greencastle), sophomore Megan Gohlke ( St. Joseph, Mich./ St. Joseph), sophomore Haley Bourke ( Indianapolis, Ind./ Lawrence North) and senior Leslie Mehrlich ( Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central) are all averaging over 1.0 blocks per game. As a team, Franklin is ranked fourth in the country in blocks per game (3.52). The Grizzlies have also been effective offensively with a .256 team hitting percentage.
Mount St. Joseph, ranked seventh in the country this week, will have the weekend off before entering into its first conference match at Bluffton on Sept. 27. The Lions have a 60-1 all-time record in conference play and will look to add to that mark against the Beavers. The Mount (9-5) dropped its last match in straight games at Capital. The loss snapped a five match winning streak for the Lions. Mount St. Joseph has been tested in pre-conference competition having faced six ranked teams in the first 14 matches of the season. Junior Katie Feldkamp ( Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) and senior Beth Fledderjohann (New Knoxville, Ohio/New Knoxville) have been effective in the early part of the season. Feldkamp is averaging 0.98 blocks and 2.59 kills per game. Fledderjohann is averaging 2.69 kills and a .283 hitting percentage. Junior Ashley Langenkamp (Minster, Ohio/Marion Local) is leading the team with 3.10 kills per game.
Anderson (8-5, 1-0 HCAC) started the conference season in good fashion with a straight game win over host Manchester on Sept. 20. The Ravens are led by sophomore Nikki DeMik ( Schererville, Ind./Illiana Christian). She is ranked sixth in the nation in assists per game (12.68). Also contributing to the Ravens’ success is junior Jara Ballinger ( Upland, Ind./Eastbrook) and senior Lacey Heaton ( Terre Haute, Ind./North). Ballinger is averaging 3.50 kills and 1.02 blocks per game while maintaining a .370 hitting percentage. Heaton is also averaging 3.50 kills per game. The Ravens will have the weekend off before hosting Franklin in a key HCAC matchup on Sept. 27.
Manchester (2-9, 0-1 HCAC) has dropped five straight matches and will look to turn around its season at St. Mary’s tonight. It is the only contest for Manchester this week. The Spartans have been led by senior Anne Griffey ( Shelbyville, Ind./Shelbyville) and sophomore Amy Carnahan ( Defiance, Ohio/Ayersville) this season. Griffey is averaging 1.93 kills and 0.85 blocks per game. Carnahan is leading the team with 2.62 kills per game.
Sept. 22 – 28 Schedule
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Sept. 22 |
Manchester at St. Mary’s |
7:00 PM |
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Sept. 23 |
Defiance vs. Muskingum (at Waynesburg) |
3:00 PM |
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Asbury at Transylvania |
4:00 PM |
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Franklin vs. Judson (at Wheaton) |
5:00 PM |
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Bluffton vs. Ohio Wesleyan (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
5:00 PM |
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Hanover vs. Grove City (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
6:30 PM |
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Defiance vs. No. 3 Wittenberg (at Waynesburg) |
7:00 PM |
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Franklin at Wheaton (at Wheaton) |
7:00 PM |
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Earlham at Transylvania |
8:00 PM |
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Sept. 24 |
Defiance vs. LaRoche (at Waynesburg) |
9:00 AM |
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Hanover vs. Denison (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
9:00 AM |
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Bluffton vs. Lake Erie (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
9:00 AM |
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Franklin vs. Aurora (at Wheaton) |
10:00 AM |
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Hanover vs. Capital (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
10:45 AM |
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Wilmington at Transylvania |
11:00 AM |
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Bluffton vs. Westminster (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
12:30 PM |
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Defiance vs. Gallaudet (at Waynesburg) |
3:00 PM |
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Franklin vs. TBD (at Wheaton) |
TBA |
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Hanover vs. TBD (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
TBA |
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Bluffton vs. TBD (at Ohio Wesleyan) |
TBA |
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TBD at Transylvania |
TBA |
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Sept. 27 |
Franklin at Anderson |
7:00 PM |
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Mount St. Joseph at Bluffton |
7:00 PM |
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Sept. 28 |
Hanover at Thomas More |
6:30 PM |