KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, IND. - Indiana State will make their first road trip of the 2010 Missouri Valley Conference season this weekend and it is the longest road trip of the year. The Sycamores will take an 8-6 overall record and 0-1 mark in the Valley into the weekend as they travel to Springfield, Mo., for a Friday matchup against the Missouri State Bears (9-3, 1-1). ISU then hits the road for Wichita, Kan., where they will play the Wichita State Shockers (8-3. 1-1) on Saturday. Both games begin at 8 p.m. (ET).
“We need more balanced play from our outside hitters,” Traci Dahl, Indiana State volleyball coach said. “We are a little bit one dimensional right now and we need some of our other hitters to step up and take the pressure off of Morgan (Dall).”
Dall, a sophomore from Aviston, Ill., is one of the top hitters in the conference this season with a league leading 4.33 kills per set which also ranks her 21st in the nation.
“We are getting better,” Dahl said. “Auriel Armstrong, Stacy Qualizza, Christie Fullenkamp, and Shea Doran have all been contributing but we just need more from them.”
LOOKING BACK AT LAST WEEK: Indiana State played three games in four days last week beginning with a 3-1 loss at Loyola-Chicago (25-22, 22-25, 23-25, 20-25) on Sept. 14. After a day of rest, the Sycamores hosted Chicago State and swept to a 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-15) win but had to come back the next night to open the Missouri Valley Conference season by hosting Illinois State. ISU dropped a 3-0 (23-25, 20-25, 19-25) decision to the Redbirds.
The Sycamores looked to be in control at Loyola after taking the opening set 25-22 but couldn't hold the momentum as the Ramblers held off Indiana State rallies to hold on and take the next three sets 22-25, 23-25, 20-25. Sophomore Morgan Dall posted her eighth double-double of the season with 21 kills and 12 digs. Junior Stacy Qualizza and sophomore Christie Fullenkamp had 10 kills each with freshman Loni Mackinson recording 43 assists, junior Kiya James 13 digs, and sophomore Auriel Armstrong four blocks.
Indiana State closed out their best non-conference campaign since 1996 with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-15) sweep of the visiting Chicago State Cougars. Morgan Dall had her ninth double-double of the season with 15 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Loni Mackinson had 10 assists before being lost for the season with a knee injury early in the second set. Shelbi Fouty stepped in and posted 21 assists while Kiya James had 11 digs and Stacy Qualizza had three blocks.
The busy week ended with the Sycamores hosting Illinois State in the Valley opener for both teams. The Redbirds were able to escape with a 3-0 (23-25, 20-25, 19-25) victory despite the effort posted by a determined but apparently tired Sycamore team. Morgan Dall had 20 kills to lead the offense while Shelbi Fouty had 34 assists and Kiya James 10 digs.
FOLLOWING THE SYCAMORES:
Live stats for all Indiana State home games can be found at the official Sycamore web site (www.gosycamores.com).
Live stats for the game at Missouri State Friday night can be found at: http://www.missouristatebears.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?SPSID=59262&SPID=6483&DB_OEM_ID=13800&KEY=
Live stats for the game at Wichita State Saturday night can be found at:
http://www.goshockers.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?SPSID=590939&SPID=2838&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=7500
HEAD COACH TRACI DAHL:
Traci Dahl is in her third year as the Sycamore coach and has guided Indiana State to their best start in 15 years. Dahl is 23-53 as the ISU coach including this year's 8-6 record. The third year coach is still looking for her first win against both Missouri State and Wichita State, going 0-4 against both teams during her first two seasons at Indiana State.
SERIES NOTES:
MISSOURI STATE BEARS ? Even though the Sycamores have won just two of the previous 49 meetings against the Bears, this 50th renewal of the series could be the one that breaks a 33-game losing streak to Missouri State. During Dahl's tenure at Indiana State, the Sycamores have lost two five-set games to MSU (both during the 2008 season), dropped a four-setter that almost went five sets a year ago in Springfield, Mo., and were swept in three sets in their last meeting of the 2009 season.
WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS ? The Sycamores are 12-33 against the Shockers of Wichita State and have lost 15 straight (eight straight in Wichita). Not only will Indiana State be looking to break that streak, but they will also be looking to break a streak of seven straight games where they have not won a set on the Shockers home court. The Sycamores have become more competitive against Wichita State during Dahl's first two seasons and lost 3-1 in the regular season finale in Terre Haute a year ago.
THE OPPONENTS:
SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE ? The Bears hold a 9-3 overall mark after splitting two Missouri Valley Conference road games on the opening weekend of play. Missouri State opened MVC action at No. 17 Northern Iowa and lost in straight sets 21-25, 19-25, 17-25 but came back to win in five sets at Bradley on Saturday 25-13, 25-15, 22-25, 20-25, 15-9. Missouri State has four players who are averaging over two kills per set including Calli Norman (2.87), Christine McCartney (2.70), Kelley Michnowicz (2.27), and Megan Bess (2.03). The Bears also feature a 1-2 punch at setter with Carly Thomas averaging 7.45 assists per set and Melissa Gmur 5.91 assists per set. The backcourt is defended by Cara Hackmann with 3.52 digs per set and Abby Padlock at 3.89 digs per set. Missouri State has held opponents to a.180 hitting percentage while hitting at a .223 clip.
SCOUTING WICHITA STATE ? The Shockers enter the second weekend of the Valley season with an 8-3 mark overall after splitting their opening weekend road games. Wichita State began the 2010 MVC season at Bradley last Friday and swept to 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-17) victory. The Shockers visiting No. 17 Northern Iowa on Saturday and lost 3-0 in three tight sets 23-25, 18-25, 23-25. Wichita States has four players who average two or more kills per set led by Camri Zwiesler who is averaging 4.03 kills per set. Emily Adney is recording 2.89 kps with Sarah McGee at 2.08, and Amanda Backes at 2.00. Pre-season All-Conference selection Mary Elizabeth Hooper is averaging 9.51 assists per set while Sarah Waldorf averages 5.27 digs per set. The Shocker defense is limiting opponents to .122 hitting percentage while the offense is scoring at a .237 percentage.
DALL NATIONALLY RANKED
Indiana State sophomore Morgan Dall is not only one of the top hitters in the Missouri Valley Conference; she is also one of the top hitters in the nation. The Aviston, Ill., native is ranked 21st nationally in kills per set (4.33) and 27th in the nation for points per set (4.83). She also ranks 134th in aces per set (0.37). A total of 250 players are ranked nationally in each category. Dall also leads the Missouri Valley Conference in kills per set (4.33) and is second in total kills with 225. She also ranks fifth in the Valley in aces per set (0.37).
JAMES DIGGING WAY UP
Indiana State junior Kiya James has been moving up the ladder in Indiana State career digs this season. The Indianapolis, Ind., native has 945 career digs which places her eighth on the all-time ISU list, just ahead of Tishara Jespersen who had 944 from 1993-1996. James has 237 digs this season and ranks 81st in the nation (fifth in the Valley) in digs per set (4.56).
OPPONENTS IN THE RANKINGS
Northern Iowa moved up one spot in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) nationally rankings with the Panthers now ranked 16th in the nation following weekend sweeps of Wichita State and Missouri State. UNI is 10-2 on the season and totaled 542 points.
