NCAA Volleyball Week Seven Highlights (10/3-10/9/11)

Week Seven Selected Match Highlights:


  In the Big Ten, the two epic matches found top-ranked Illinois overpowering host Penn State, 3-2, and Minnesota returning to form with a beat-down of host Michigan, 3-2. The other key conference match had host Nebraska blow by Purdue, 3-1.
  In the Pac-12, host Arizona stunned top-five power UCLA (something I suggested could happen last week), 3-2. It was not a huge upset, as the Wildcats have been in and out of Sandflea's Top 40 all year, and they are led by one of the nation's top and most underrated coaches, Dave Rubio.
  In the Mountain West, San Diego State had a quality win over host TCU, 3-2, while Wyoming upset visiting Colorado State, 3-2. Sitting at an imperious 7200-foot elevation, Laramie often gives the host Cowboys and Cowgals an altitude advantage. However, Ft. Collins doesn't exactly sit in Death Valley, so the upset is legit.
  In the Big 12, Missouri fell to host Oklahoma and host Baylor by identical 3-2 scores. In the other epic conference match, host Kansas lost to Texas A&M, 3-2. In the SEC, new-power Tennessee crunched visiting Ole Miss, 3-2.
  While the imperiled Big East had no highlight matches, the ACC saw Florida State smash quality host North Carolina, 3-1, North Carolina throttle quality visitor Miami, 3-2, and Clemson outlast tenacious visitor Maryland, 3-2.
  In the week's, biggest upset, a 5 and 9 Middle Tennessee surprised top 20 host Western Kentucky, 3-1.  


Week Seven Selected Individual Highlights:


  Nebraska's on a roll thanks to these cumulative performances from last week's wins over Purdue and Indiana: Gina Mancuso (23 kills and 30 digs), Morgan Broekhuis (21 kills, 10 digs, 5 blocks, and 3 aces), Hannah Werth (21 kills, 16 digs, and 5 blocks), Brooke Delano (15 kills and 6 blocks), UCLA transfer Lauren Cook (84 assists and 12 digs), and defensive guru Lara Dykstra (37 digs).
  Minnesota returned to life with an undefeated Michigan road trip thanks to Tori Dixon (29 kills and 12 blocks), Katherine Harms (34 kills and 6 blocks), Ashley Wittman (35 kills, 23 digs, and 5 blocks), Ariana Filho (8 kills and 8 blocks), Mia Tabberson (97 assists, 16 digs, and 8 blocks), and Jessica Granquist (40 digs). Dixon hit over .400 in both matches.
  Iowa State beat Kansas State and Oklahoma in the very tough Big 12 due to performances from Carly Jenson (26 kills, 24 digs, and 4 blocks), Jamie Straube (24 kills and 6 blocks), Hannah Willms (15 kills and 3 blocks), Tenisha Matlock (16 kills and 10 blocks), Alison Landwehr (6 kills, 85 assists, 27 digs, and 4 blocks), and Kristen Hahn (48 digs).
  Stanford disposed of Oregon and Oregon State thanks to the efforts of Carly Wopat (26 kills and 9 blocks), Rachel Williams (37 kills, 29 digs, and 8 blocks), Lydia Bai (17 kills and 7 blocks), Karissa Cook (12 kills, 92 assists, 29 digs, and 8 blocks), Jessica Walker (8 kills and 13 blocks), and Kyle Gilbert, with 35 digs.
  Also in the West, Pepperdine defeated Loyola-Marymount and BYU due to Kim Hill (25 kills19 digs, and 10 blocks), Katie Messing (19 kills and 3 blocks), Victoria Adelhelm (16 kills and 8 blocks), Lilla Frederick (24 kills, 15 digs, and 2 service aces), Kellie Woolever (8 kills, 85 assists, 33 digs, and 6 blocks), and Stevi Robinson (4 service aces and 26 digs).
  San Diego State had a great week, beating TCU and New Mexico, thanks to Andrea Hannasch (33 kills and 16 blocks), Raegan Shelton (40 kills and 15 digs), Emily Harris (24 kills and 13 blocks), Johnna Fouch (118 assists, 32 digs, and 9 blocks), and Kristi Jackels (47 digs).
  Florida State is the class of the ACC, getting victories over North Carolina and NC State due to Jekaterina Stepanova (17 kills and 5 blocks), Visnja Djurdjevic (23 kills, 36 digs, and 6 blocks), Ashley Neff (18 kills and an amazing 26 blocks), Sareea Freeman (20 kills and 16 blocks), and Katie Mosher (46 digs).
  Upsets are the result of good coaching and team efforts. Individuals do help, however. Middle Tennessee knocked off Western Kentucky after losing the first set thanks to Alyssa Wistrick (19 kills), Maria Szivos (14 kills and 4 blocks), Ashley Adams (10 kills and 4 blocks), and Kendall Howard (2 service aces and 17 digs).
  Wyoming upset Colorado State in a thriller after losing the first two sets thanks to Jodi Purdy (16 kills, 21 digs, and 5 blocks), Calli Miller (13 kills and 8 digs), Camille Coffman (11 kills), Reese Plante (11 kills and 3 blocks), and Becky Stewart (19 digs).
  Arizona shocked UCLA in Tucson after falling behind 1-2 in sets , and that victory resulted from the efforts of Madison Kingdon (16 kills and 11 digs), Cursty Jackson (13 kills), Courtney Karst (14 kills), Rachel Rhoades (6 kills and 4 blocks), and Candace Nicholson (3 service aces and 24 digs). 


Week Eight Selected Match Previews:


  In the Pac-12, Washington visits Stanford and Cal in  battles of elites. Oregon, always capable of upsetting the apple cart, visits superpowers USC and UCLA.
  In the Big Ten, undefeated Illinois hosts talented Michigan and Michigan State, superpower Nebraska takes on Wisconsin and Minnesota, and Penn State travels to Purdue.
  In the Big 12, Texas A&M hosts Oklahoma, Iowa State hosts Baylor, and Kansas State hosts Texas. In the SEC, Tennessee plays a crucial match at Kentucky.
  In the Big East, Cincinnati visits Louisville, while in the ACC Clemson travels to Florida State and Miami.
  Out west, Colorado State hosts TCU in the Mountain West, Saint Mary's entertains San Diego at Moraga in the WCC, and UC Davis travels to Long Beach State in the Big West.