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6/21/1999 12:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 20, 1998
Utah vs. New Mexico Oct. 23 - Crimson Court - Salt Lake City - 7:00 p.m.Utah vs. UTEP Oct. 24 - Crimson Court - Salt Lake City - 7:00 p.m.
Utah Probable Starters
Overall Record: 12-6 WAC Record: 2-3
No. Name Yr. Pos. 10 Stacie Greenwalt Jr. MB 16 Sara Shakula Sr. OH 12 Kalani Tonga So. OH 2 Graciela Torres Jr. S 14 Brooke Barton So. OH 3 McKelle Stilson Fr. MB or 8 Lucie Turkov So. DS
THIS WEEK: Utah (12-6, 2-3 WAC) returns home to complete the first half of its Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division schedule. The Utes host New Mexico (6-11, 0-5, WAC) on Friday and UTEP (10-6, 2-3 WAC) on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7:00 p.m. at Crimson Court.
A QUICK LOOK AT UTAH: The Utes are 12-6 overall and tied for fifth place in the Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division with a 2-3 record. Last week, the Utes went on the road to lose to Fresno State 15-10, 15-12, 11-15, 14-16, 15-12 on Friday and defeat San Jose State 15-10, 15-10, 15-5 on Saturday.
Sophomore outside hitter Kalani Tonga leads the team in kills (4.11) and digs (2.94). Junior middle blocker Stacie Greenwalt is second in blocks (1.15), first in hitting efficiency (.300) and second in kills (3.20). Freshman middle blocker McKelle Stilson is first in blocking (1.24). Junior setter Graciela Torres is averaging 13.05 assists and has the second-most aces (0.35). Sophomore outside hitter Brooke Barton leads the team in aces (0.51).
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO: The Lobos are 6-11 overall and in eighth place in the Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division with an 0-5 record. New Mexico has lost its last five matches and dropped its only match last week to UTEP at home 10-15, 15-12, 15-10, 15-13.
Junior setter Janelle Torres ranks 10th in the WAC in assists (11.40) and 16th in aces (0.33). Senior Paula Feathers is 11th in the conference in digs (2.86). Junior Amber Smith leads the team in kills (3.30). Head coach Laurel Brassey Iversen has a 241-159 career record in her 14th season at New Mexico.
SCOUTING UTEP: The Miners are 10-6 overall and tied with the Utes for fifth place in the Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division with a 2-3 mark. Last week, UTEP swept New Mexico State 15-10, 15-3, 15-5 on Wednesday at home and defeated New Mexico 10-15, 15-12, 15-10, 15-13 in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday.
Junior Eryn Polhamus ranks seventh in the WAC in blocks (1.28) and is second on the team in kills (3.13). Sophomore Felicia Fahey ranks 15th in the WAC in kills (3.48) and is 13th in digs (2.81). Junior setter Veronica Acosta is 13th in the conference in assists (10.98). Head coach Norm Brandl has a 358-327 career record in his 23rd season at UTEP.
SERIES SHORTS: Utah has an all-time record of 25-20 against New Mexico. Last season, Utah swept the season series from the Lobos, winning 14-16, 15-4, 15-8, 15-12 on Sept. 25 in Albuquerque, N.M., and 15-12, 15-4, 15-8 on Oct. 25 in Salt Lake City.
The Utes lead the all-time series with UTEP 23-2. Utah swept two matches from the Miners last season, winning 15-7, 15-13, 15-7 on Sept. 27 in El Paso, Texas, and 15-7, 15-9, 15-6 on Oct. 23 in Salt Lake City.
NEXT WEEK: The Utes begin the second half of their Western Athletic Conference schedule, visiting cross-state rival Brigham Young in Provo, Utah, on Friday (Oct. 30) at 7:00 p.m.
LAST WEEK: Utah lost the opener of a two-match road trip on Friday night, falling in five games to Fresno State in a pivotal Western Athletic Conference match-up between the fourth-place and fifth-place teams. After dropping the first two games 15-10 and 15-12, the Utes fought back to win the third and fourth games 15-11 and 16-14. The Bulldogs won the decisive fifth game 15-12. Kalani Tonga led the Utes with 26 kills, a .268 hitting percentage, 19 kills and five blocks. Brooke Barton and McKelle Stilson each had 12 kills. Barton also had a .282 hitting percentage and 14 digs. Sara Shakula posted 11 kills and a match-high 20 digs. Graciela Torres had 67 assists.
Stilson hit .813 to record the second-highest hitting percentage in WAC history as the Utes swept San Jose State 15-10, 15-10, 15-5, Saturday evening at SJSU's Event Center. The freshman middle blocker also had a match-high 13 kills and no errors in 16 attempts and led the Utes with seven blocks. Tonga and Barton each had 10 kills for the Utes. Tonga hit .333 with a team-best nine digs and two blocks. Barton hit .348 for the match with eight digs and two blocks. Torres posted a match-high 44 assists.
HEAD COACH BETH LAUNIERE: In her ninth season, Beth Launiere is the winningest coach in Utah volleyball history. Launiere has a 149-124 (.546) overall record and a 48-65 mark in Western Athletic Conference play.
Launiere was named the Utes head coach in 1990, and has since overseen a significant transformation in the Ute volleyball program. The season prior to Launieres appointment, the Utes compiled a meager 1-32 record. Four years later, Launiere guided Utah to a 25-win season, its most successful campaign ever.
The Grand Rapids, Mich., native has led the Utes to three 20-win seasons and four upper-division finishes in the Western Athletic Conference during the last five years. Last year, Launieres Utes posted its all-time best overall winning percentage in school history (.710) by going 22-9, as well as the best winning percentage in WAC play (.643) with a 9-5 mark to place fourth in the WAC Mountain Division. It was Utahs second-consecutive 20-win season and third-consecutive upper division conference finish.
QUOTING LAUNIERE: On last week's matches - It was a really good match for us against San Jose State, and I was pleased with way we came back after the loss in a grueling match to Fresno State. San Jose State had already beat Fresno State at home, so for us to go in there and get a win really helps us in the division race. I was also happy with the way we fought back after losing the first two games at Fresno State. We pulled out a tough win in the fourth game and were in position to win the fifth game, leading 9-6.
On this week - We have to be ready to play because we need to win both of these matches at home this week. If youre going to place in the upper half of our division, you have to win all the rest of your home matches other than the matches with BYU and Hawaii. UTEP lost most of its starters from last year, but theyve managed to still post a good record this year.
On Utahs line-up - Weve got a pretty good rotation right now with some kids coming in off the bench and playing pretty well. Weve basically resigned to the fact that Sara (Shakula) isnt going to put up the numbers she did last year. Shes in pain, still suffering from herniated disks in her bad back. All we can ask for her to do is be a leader and stay sharp mentally. Weve been getting Jen Snow some more playing time in place of Sara, and that seems to be working. Brooke Barton has been playing very well, but because of her size she sometimes gets into trouble against bigger teams. Lorraine Morrison has been coming in for her and playing very well.
SHAKULA MOVING UP THE CAREER CHARTS: Senior outside hitter Sara Shakula has an excellent chance to finish high in several career statistical categories. The Draper, Utah, native already ranks third in career kills (1,170) and third in service aces (114) at the U. She needs 83 more kills to move ahead of Sharman Grant (1,252) and into second place. The top mark is owned by Brenda Barton-Whicker (1,565). Barton-Whicker also owns the top aces mark with 161. Shakula needs just 34 more aces to take over second place, currently held by Grants 147.
Shakula is also moving up the Western Athletic Conference statistical career charts. She needs just seven more aces to take over 10th place from Alicia Bergmann (119), who played for New Mexico from 1990-93.
TORRES THIRD IN CAREER ASSISTS: Setter Graciela Torres is in third place in career assists at Utah with 3,158. Torres moved ahead of Katie Gesto, who recorded 2,309 assists from 1984-86, on Sept. 1 with 67 assists against Idaho State. She now needs 198 assists to take over second place, currently held by Katie Tagges 3,355, which is still within reach this season. In just her first season at the U., Torres recorded 1,206 assists to place her fifth on both the the single-season and career charts. She recorded 1,091 assists in 1997, the sixth-most in a single-season at Utah.
TONGA MAKES HER MARK: Sophomore Kalani Tonga, the 1997 Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division Freshman of the Year and a member of the Volleyball Magazine/Asics All-Freshman Team, splashed onto the scene last season. Tonga ranked seventh in the WAC in blocks (1.22) and sixth in hitting percentage (.327) as a middle blocker. She also set the Utah single-season record for hitting percentage.
This season, Tonga ranks seventh in the WAC in kills (4.11) and seventh in digs (2.94).
NATIONAL ATTENDANCE: As of Oct. 5, Utah ranked 23rd in the nation in attendance, averaging 810 fans in its first four matches of the season. Five other WAC schools are ranked among the national leaders in attendance as well, including Brigham Young at 19th (972), Colorado State at 22nd (827), Utah at 23rd (810), Rice at 27th (723) and New Mexico at 29th (708).
POWER RANKINGS: This season, the American Volleyball Coaches Association has teamed up with sports rating guru, Jeff Sagarin to produce a Women's Division I Volleyball Power Rating. As of Oct. 3, the WAC had six teams that were ranked among the top 50 in the nation in RPI ratings, which tied for second most by any conference. The Big Ten had nine teams rank among the top 50 while the Big 12 also had six teams. Hawaii currently ranks ninth while Brigham Young is 13th, followed by Colorado State (28th), Utah (34th), Fresno State (35th) and Wyoming (42nd).
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: Once again, Utah faces challenging opposition in 1998. Five teams on its scheduletwo of which it will play twicewere invited to play in the 1997 NCAA Tournament. Washington State, which defeated Utah in four games on Sept. 4, made it to the regional semifinals. The Utes faced two more NCAA participants at the Michigan State Invitational, Sept. 18-19. The host Spartans, which defeated Utah in four games, advanced to the second round. Notre Dame, defeated by the Utes in three games, made it to the regional semifinals.
Utah faces two NCAA Tournament teams, twice each, during the Western Athletic Conference season. Hawaii received and NCAA bid in 97, but lost in the first round. Brigham Young made it to the regional finals before losing to eventual national runner-up Penn State. In their first meetings with Hawaii and BYU, the Utes lost in three games to the Cougars on Oct. 2 and in four games to the Rainbow Wahine on Oct. 9. Both matches took place at Crimson Court.
WAC STATISTICAL RANKINGS: Team Hitting Efficiency 11th (.205) Kills 6th (16.67) Assists 5th (14.53) Blocking 5th (2.72) Aces 3rd (1.85) Digs 5th (16.02)Individuals
Hitting Efficiency Stacie Greenwalt 18th (.300) Kills Kalani Tonga 7th (4.11) Assists Graciela Torres 4th (13.05) Blocking McKelle Stilson 9th (1.24) Stacie Greenwalt 13th (1.15) Aces Brooke Barton 2nd (0.51) Graciela Torres 14th (0.35) Digs Kalani Tonga 7th (2.94)
UTAH AGAINST TOP 25 TEAMS: Utah is 1-4 against ranked teams this season. The Utes lost to No. 22 Washington State in five games on Sept. 4 in WSUs Les Schwab Cougar Challenge. The U. lost to No. 18 Michigan State in three games on Sept. 18 in the Spartans MSU Invitational, then came back the next day in the tournament to defeat No. 23 Notre Dame in three games. Utah lost to No. 5 Brigham Young in three games on Oct. 2 and No. 10 Hawaii on Oct. 9 at Crimson Court.
Louisville, which was not ranked when it lost to the Utes in four games on Sept. 5, has since moved into the USA Today/AVCA Poll and was most recently ranked 23rd.
WAC PRE-SEASON POLL: In a survey of the Western Athletic Conference coaches before the season, Utah was picked to place third in the Pacific Division. Utah, competing in the WAC's Pacific Division for the first time in its final season as a league member, garnered 88 points. Brigham Young was picked first, tallying 118 points and 13 first-place votes. Hawai'i claimed the remaining three first-place votes and 105 points to finish second. The Utes were followed by Fresno State in fourth place with 73 points, San Diego State (72), New Mexico (49), San Jose State (37) and UTEP (26).
In the Mountain Division, Colorado State earned 13 first-place votes and totaled 117 points to lead the way. Brigham Young was picked to win the WAC championship over Hawai'i, 13 votes to three.
WAC TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO THE MGM GRAND: For the third straight season, the MGM Grand Garden Arena will play host to the WAC Volleyball Tournament. The championship will be contested, Nov. 24-28, in Las Vegas, with the 5,000-room MGM Grand Hotel serving as the tournament host. Twelve of the 16 WAC teams will compete in the tournament with the top two teams in each division receiving a first-round bye.
The remaining eight teams will play first-round matches on Nov. 24. The four first-round matches will feature Pacific Division #3 vs. Mountain Division #6 at 1:00 p.m.; Mountain Division #4 vs. Pacific Division #5 at 3:00 p.m.; Pacific Division #4 vs. Mountain Division #5 at 6:30 p.m.; and Mountain Division #3 vs. Pacific Division #6 at 8:30 p.m. (All times Pacific.). The quarterfinals will take place, Nov. 25, with the same match times as the first round. The semifinals are slated for Nov. 27, with matches scheduled for 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. The championship match is slated for 4:00 p.m., on Nov. 28. FOX Sports Net will televise the first semi-final match and the championship match live.
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