Volleyball Hosts Seton Hall Invitational This Weekend
9/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Pirates return home for just the second time this season to host the Seton Hall Invitational. Live video and stats for all matches will be available at SHUPirates.com.
vs. UMBC (4-5)
September 17 - 8:00 p.m.
SHU VS. UMBC All-Time: 1-1
Last Meeting: Sept. 15, 1995
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Result: L, 3-1
vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-4)
September 18 - 10:00 a.m.
SHU VS. WMU: 0-0
Last Meeting: n/a
Location: n/a
Result: n/a
vs. NORTHEASTERN (8-4)
September 18 - 5:30 p.m.
SHU VS. NU A-Time: 2-3
Last Meeting: Sept. 4, 1998
Location: n/a
Result: L, 3-2
The Pirates return to Walsh Gymnasium after playing 10 of their first 11 games away from home for the Seton Hall Invitational. This year's tournament features a highly competitive field of UMBC, Northeastern and Western Michigan.
UMBC has wins over Coppin State, Morgan State, Howard and Brown thus far in 2010. The Retrievers are led by freshman outside Ali Goc, who has posted 2.93 kills per set in her rookie year.
Western Michigan has put together six wins while playing a tough non-conference schedule. All four of the Broncos' losses have come against schools currently ranked in the top 25 of the AVCA poll. Sophomore middle Jessica Brown has been good for 3.12 kills per set, while freshman outside Gillian Asque has added 2.73 kills.
Northeastern has racked up eight wins, including a victory over Connecticut its last time out. Senior right side hitter Britney Brown and freshmen outsides Kelly Bacon and Janelle Tucker are all between 2.74 and 2.84 kills per set, giving the Huskies a variety of offensive weapons.
THE OSMUN WATCH
Senior Sarah Osmun, just the seventh player in school history to eclipse 1,000-kill mark, is on pace to set the Seton Hall career record in her final year. She has recorded 1,297 kills to date, leaving her in third-place and 82 short of Jennifer Cheshire's school record.
CAREER KILL LEADERS
1. 1,379 Jennifer Cheshire 1994-97
2. 1,345 Tricia Meyers 2005-08
3. 1,297 Sarah Osmun 2007-Present
4. 1,156 Jenna Meyers 2000-03
5. 1,124 Kari Belin 1999-02
MORE ON OZ
Sarah Osmun is currently second the BIG EAST with 3.76 kills per set and 4.23 points per set. She had a pair of 18-kill games at the Hampton Inn Classic, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament Team. In the Pirates' home-opening win over Princeton, Osmun set a new career-high with 22 digs to go along with a dozen kills. In her last outing, she rang up 17 kills over four sets at Hofstra.
CAREER NIGHT FOR BONK
Junior outside Meghan Bonk turned in her best outing in a Pirates uniform at Hofstra, registering career-highs of 14 kills and eight digs. Bonk finished the match with a .357 attack percentage.
MATUSIAK HONORED IN CALIFORNIA
Junior opposite side hitter Meghan Matusiak was named to the All-Tournament team at the Hilton Garden Inn Classic, hosted by California. Matusiak posted a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs against Fresno State, and she later added 10 kills against UC Davis.
DEFENSE CAGES THE TIGERS
Seton Hall was all over the floor defensively against Princeton, making 92 digs in four sets. Five players reached double-figures: Alyssa Warren with 24, Osmun with 22, Olivia Trudeau with 17, Hannah Hugeback with 14 and Meghan Matusiak with 12. Junior Krissy Wrobel notched seven block assists, while Matusiak had five and one solo.
WARREN KEEPS DIGGING
Freshman libero Alyssa Warren is off to a great start in her Seton Hall career with 4.30 digs per set, good for sixth in the BIG EAST. Warren has already turned in several big efforts, with matches of 31, 24 and 22 digs.
BATTLING #1
Faced with one of the toughest challenges in program history, Seton Hall played a gritty match against #1 Penn State, the three-time defending national champion, before falling in three sets. The Pirates are the only team to reach 20 twice against the Nittany Lions this season.
DeVRIES MAKES ALL-TOURNAMENT
Sophomore Morgan DeVries was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Tribe Invitational hosted by William and Mary. She opened the season with a 14-kill performace in a win over the Tribe, hitting .591 for the game. DeVries added nine kills against Winthrop and five more against Wisconsin, finishing the weekend with a .250 attack percentage.
PIRATES POST BIG NUMBERS
Sarah Osmun rang up 26 kills in the Hall's win over William and Mary, the fourth-best total of her career and the eighth most in school history. Sophomore Olivia Trudeau totaled a career-high 55 assists, while senior Megan Murison set a personal-best with 20 digs.
WARREN WASTES NO TIME
Freshman libero Alyssa Warren stepped right into the starting lineup in her first weekend of collegiate volleyball and finished with 5.15 digs per set. Warren came up with 31 digs against Winthrop, which ties for the third-highest single match total in school history.
PRESEASON POLL
Following a promising 2009 campaign, Seton Hall was picked seventh in this year's BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll. It is the highest the Pirates have been slotted under fifth-year head coach Kris Zeiter. The Hall finished last season in a tie for eighth place.
PROGRAM ON THE RISE
The year 2009 saw Seton Hall earn its first berth in the BIG EAST Championship since 1994. As the No. 8 seed, the Pirates took on No. 1 Notre Dame in the first round, falling 3-0. The 2010 Championship will be played at Pittsburgh, with just the top eight teams qualifying once again.
WARREN IMPRESSES IN RED, WHITE & BLUE
Freshman libero Alyssa Warren spent part of her summer as a member of the U.S. Junior National A2 Team, helping the squad to a silver medal at the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Warren was one of only six players in an 18-team division to earn All-Tournament honors, picking up the distinction of Best Passer. The performance will likely yield an invitation to the next round of national team tryouts.
BEYOND THE NET
Seton Hall is filming a season-long reality show on the 2010 volleyball season, entitled "Beyond the Net." Episodes will air exclusively on SHUPirates.com, the official website of Seton Hall Athletics.
