Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Head To Indianapolis For IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational
9/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 2, 2009
Northwestern Volleyball Weekly Release - Sept. 2 
Opening Serve
Northwestern continues its preseason tournament schedule, heading south to Indianapolis, Ind., to compete in the IUPUI Hampton Inn Invitational. The Wildcats open up the tournament with a double header on Saturday, Sept. 5, facing Miami (Ohio) at 9 a.m. CT before taking on the host Jaguars at 6 p.m. NU closes out the two-day tournament bright and early Sunday morning, facing Western Kentucky at 11:30 a.m. CT on Sept. 6. All matches will be held at "The Jungle" on the IUPUI campus.
Scouting the RedHawks
Miami (Ohio) enters the weekend at 1-2 after dropping matches to nationally ranked Penn State and Saint Louis before defeating Alabama. An NCAA tournament team in 2008, the RedHawk attack has been led by outside hitters Maria Leahy and Hallie Hanks - both of which are averaging over two kills a set. Leahy has knocked down 35 kills, complimented by 28 from Hanks, with Michelle Metzler, adding 22 of her own. Middle blocker Megan Griffin, a two-time first team All-MAC selection, leads Miami with five blocks while also contributing offensively with 20 kills. Setter Andrea Atteberry, another first-team All-MAC selection, has dished out 94 assists on the year while adding seven kills, three blocks and 24 digs. Libero Lisa Treadway recorded 44 digs in her first three collegiate matches, averaging 3.67 per set. Carolyn Condit is in her 26th season with the RedHawks, with a 455-336 (.575) record in Oxford, and is 554-415 (.572) in her 30th season as a head coach.
Scouting the Jaguars
IUPUI is 4-0 on the year after defeating Lehigh, Chicago State, USC-Upstate and Bradley to capture the Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational this past weekend. The Jaguars, who finished 16-15 in 2008, have been led by the outside hitting duo of Kalyse Reimbold and Lindsey Weber through the season's first weekend. Reimbold leads the squad with 32 kills on 95 attempts and is second in blocks (5), while Weber has added 30 kills on the attack. Middle blocker Monica Suding leads IUPUI with six blocks and has added 26 kills to the Jaguar attack. Setter Danielle Goodnight is averaging nearly 12 assists per set (106 in nine sets), while her .565 hitting percentage is a team-best. Libero Shari Bernhardt has notched 48 digs on the year (5.33 per set) and has six service aces to her credit as well. Steve Payne is in his 13th season at the helm of the Jaguars, compiling a career record of 169-210 (.446).
Scouting the Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky heads to Indianapolis with a 2-2 mark on the year, going 1-2 at the Tennessee Tournament over the weekend before earning a 3-2 decision over Belmont Tuesday night. The reigning Sun Belt Conference champions, the Hilltoppers have three players averaging over two kills per set, led by the middle blocking tandem of Brittany Bowen (38) and Tiffany Elmore (37). Both are hitting above .300 on the year, with Elmore leading the team at .359 and Bowen right behind at .310, and the pair have combined for 27 blocks on the year for WKU. Outside hitter Jordyn Skinner has added 33 kills on a team-high 102 attempts, and has added 44 digs and eight blocks to the Hilltopper defense. Three other players have notched at least 20 kills in the balanced Western Kentucky attack, with setter Lauren Stuckel knocking down 28 balls, outside hitter Emily Teegarden adding 24 and outside hitter Aquila Orr tallying 23. Stuckel has dished out 137 assists (8.56 per set) to go along with 26 digs and four blocks, and also leads the Hilltoppers with seven service aces. Libero Sarah Rogers has been impressive in the first four matches of her collegiate career, recording 65 digs (4.06 per set) with four service aces to her credit. Head coach Travis is in his 16th season at the helm of the Hilltoppers, compiling a career 326-156 (.676) record during his tenure in Bowling Green.
Series Information
Northwestern and Miami (Ohio) get together for the fourth time Saturday, with the Wildcats holding a 2-1 series advantage. But it was the RedHawks that took the last meeting - a 3-0 decision back in 1999. NU is 1-0 all-time against IUPUI, defeating the Jaguars 3-0 on Sept. 2, 2006. Kate Nobilio had 15 digs in the Wildcat victory, which was her second career match in a Wildcat uniform. Northwestern is 0-1 all-time against Western Kentucky, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Hilltoppers in the 2004 Wildcat Classic.
Nobilio Named Big Ten's Co-Defensive Player of the Week
Libero Kate Nobilio was named the Big Ten Conference's Co-Defensive Player of the Week after three impressive performances in the Kentucky Classic this past weekend. It is the third time Nobilio has earned Player of the Week honors and the first since Sept. 17, 2007. Nobilio recorded 28 digs in the season opener against 21st-ranked Kentucky, which is the fourth-highest four-set total in program history. She repeated that performance against Florida International the following morning, eclipsing the 1,700-dig mark for her career. Nobilio, who is both the program's all-time digs leader and the Big Ten's active digs leader, finished with 65 on the weekend, upping her career total to 1,730. She also was perfect in her service receptions while anchoring the Wildcat defense, which held their opponents to a .150 hitting percentage. With her third Player of the Week honor, Nobilio ties Christie Gardner for the second-most in the program's history. Janine Makar earned four Player of the Week honors from 1985-1988.
Moffett Named to Kentucky Classic All-Tournament Team
After an impressive opening weekend, Sabel Moffett was named to the Kentucky Classic All-Tournament team. Moffett knocked down 32 kills, including a season-high 14 against Florida International, and recorded 17 blocks (2 solo, 15 assisted) during the three-match tournament in Lexington, Ky. It adds another feat to her impressive resumé, as Moffett was also named to the Chicagoland Classic, Cougar Challenge and Wildcat Classic all-tournament teams in 2008.
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