Photo Credit: Sam Lewis
MATCH NOTES (PDF) -- FIU AT USF TOURNAMENT, SEPT. 15-16 -- TAMPA, FLA.
MIAMI (Sept. 13, 2012) -- FIU will close out its preseason tournament schedule this weekend when the Panthers travel to Tampa, Fla., for the USF Tournament. On Saturday, Sept. 15, FIU will take on Bethune-Cookman (10 a.m.) and James Madison (5 p.m.). The Panthers will then close out the tournament with a 1 p.m. contest against the host USF Bulls on Sunday, Sept. 16. Live stats for all three matches can be accessed at www.GoUSFBulls.com, and fans can follow @FIUVolleyball on Twitter for periodic updates throughout the weekend.
LAST TIME OUT: Last weekend, FIU went 0-3 at the Rams Volleyball Invitational in Fort Collins, Colo., falling, 3-1, to host Colorado State and dropping 3-0 decisions to New Mexico State and then-No. 12 Pepperdine. Senior Marija Prsa led the Panthers with 32 kills (3.20 kps) and 31 digs (3.10 dps) across the three matches, while freshman Ashlee Hodgskin registered a team-high 84 assists (8.40 aps). Junior Kimberly Smith led the FIU blocking corps with 11 block assists and two solo blocks for an average of 1.30 blocks per set. As a team, FIU posted 19 service aces for the weekend compared to 16 aces for the opposition. Senior Ryanne Milligan and sophomore Carolyn Fouts tallied four winners apiece to lead the Panthers.
FIU IN THE SBC RANKINGS: As of Thursday, Sept. 12, FIU ranks third in the Sun Belt Conference in service aces (45, 1.45 aps). Individually, senior Marija Prsa ranks fifth in the league in kills (107, 3.45 kps), while her 25 kills versus Florida Gulf Coast (8/25) rank tied for third for a single-match. In addition, junior Kimberly Smith ranks fifth in the conference in blocks (34.0, 1.10 bps).
SCOUTING BETHUNE-COOKMAN: The Wildcats bring an 0-13 record into the weekend, following a 3-0, loss to North Florida in their home opener on Tuesday. Krysta Gardner (135 kills, 3.21 kps) and Aubrianna Curtis (182 assists, 4.55 aps) lead the B-CU offense, and Gardner leads the team in service aces with eight (0.19 aps). Defensively, the Wildcats are led by Aria Cormier (33 blocks, 0.82 bps) and Gardner (92 digs, 2.19 dps). B-CU is under the direction of Head Coach Isaac Raphael (UCF, 2001) for the second season.
Series History: FIU controls the all-time series with Bethune-Cookman, 24-0, as the Panthers have dropped just five total sets in a series that dates back to 1989. The two squads last met on Sept. 10, 2010, with FIU coming away with a 3-1 win.
A GLANCE AT JAMES MADISON: The Dukes are riding a four-match win streak and bring an overall ledger of 5-5 into weekend competition. JMU's offense is led by Danielle Erb (109 kills, 3.21 kps) and Megan Wiechmann (332 assists, 9.76 aps), while Katie Daorai owns a team-leading 12 service aces (0.40 aps) on the season. Defensively, Meghan Niski leads the Dukes with 104 digs (3.06 dps) and Lizzy Briones has registered a squad-best 34 blocks (1.00 bps). For the second season, JMU is under the direction of Head Coach Lauren Steinbrecher (Georgia Tech, 2005).
Series History: Saturday's meeting between FIU and James Madison will mark the first in school history.
PREVIEWING USF: The Bulls are coming off a 2-1 weekend at the St. Louis Tournament in St. Louis, Mo., as USF picked up wins over Evansville and St. Louis and fell to Southeast Missouri State. Valerie El Houssine (120 kills, 3.43 kps) and Wylie Devlin (228 assists, 6.51 aps) lead the USF offense and Andrea Rodriguez Gomez owns a team-leading 11 service aces (0.31 aps) on the year. Defensively, the Bulls are led by Claudia Cabrera (163 digs, 4.66 dps) and Rodriguez Gomez (36 blocks, 1.03 bps). USF is under the direction of first-year Head Coach Courtney Draper (Florida State, 2000).
Series History: USF leads the all-time series with FIU, 1-11, as a second victory in 2003 was vacated due to NCAA sanctions. The Panthers lone win in the series came in the last meeting with the Bulls (3-0) on Nov. 26, 2008.
KEEPING UP WITH THE PANTHERS: Fans can visit www.FIUSports.com, follow @FIUVolleyball on Twitter, and "Like" FIU volleyball on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/FIUVolleyball) for the the latest Panther volleyball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), Pinterest (FIUAthletics), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
2012 MEDIA INFORMATION GUIDE: The 2012 FIU volleyball media information guide can be accessed at FIUSports.com via the volleyball homepage. This guide includes coach and player biographies, career statistics, career and season highs, 2011 statistics, history and records, year-by-year results, and more.
Complete match notes available above (PDF).
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