Rutgers Volleyball Preps for BIG EAST Opener
Sep 23 | Women's Volleyball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (September 23, 2010) – Coming off a 1-2 weekend at the Holly Young Invitational, the Rutgers volleyball team (7-6) will kick off BIG EAST play with matchups at Louisville (5-4) and No. 25 Cincinnati (11-3).
The Scarlet Knights begin their weekend with a 2 p.m. Saturday matchup with the Louisville Cardinals. Louisville enters the weekend with a 5-4 record after losses to a pair of Big Ten opponents, No. 5 Illinois and Purdue, in last weekend’s BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge.
For the season, Louisville has been led by sophomore Lola Arslanbekova and senior Amanda Simmons. Arslanbekova, the 2009 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, runs the Cardinals’ offense with 125 kills, while Simmons paces the defense averaging an impressive 1.47 blocks per set.
The Cardinals, who are 6-0 all-time against RU, are coached by Leonid Yelin who is in his 15th season with the program.
Next on the docket for RU is a 2 p.m. Sunday matchup with No. 25 Cincinnati, the 2010 BIG EAST preseason favorite. The Bearcats are coming off a Tuesday victory over Morehead State and a weekend sweep of No. 5 Illinois and Purdue in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge.
The Bearcats, who lead the all-time series with RU 9-2, have been led by two-time defending BIG EAST Player of the Week Stephanie Niemer. Niemer, the 2010 BIG EAST preseason Player of the Year, has tallied impressive numbers on the season ranking in the top-10 nationally in kills (8th, 4.72) and points per set (4th, 5.56).
UC is coached by Reed Sunahara who is in his 11th season with the Bearcats.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a weekend which saw them go 1-2 at the Holly Young Invitational. After dropping matches with Sacred Heart and Dartmouth, the Scarlet Knights rebounded to drop host New Hampshire in three sets.
For the tournament, Rutgers was lead by junior Hannah Curtis who paced the team in kills (36), aces (9) and blocks (8). For her strong play, Curtis took home all-tournament honors for the second time in her career.
