Week Ten Selected Off-Court Lowlight:
Nebraska setter Lauren Cook, once the National Freshman of the Year at UCLA and still the daughter of Cornhuskers coach John Cook, was arrested for driving with a suspended license and leaving the scene of an injury accident early Sunday afternoon in Lincoln. This was her sixth ticket in the last three years (including at least four speeding tickets).
Apparently, she clipped a motorcyclist (who was either standing by the side of the road with a companion, or driving on the same road). The cyclist broke his leg, and Ms. Cook kept driving. However, she shredded a tire, so she didn't go very far. After consulting with her mother on the phone, she called the police. Apparently, drugs and alcohol were not involved. What about a cellphone? She was allegedly heading to campus for a physical therapy session.
Coach Cook's initial comments were not the kind one would expect from a model of morality for young people. In essence, he said it was no big deal and if his daughter had been an average sorority girl instead of a volleyball star, it wouldn't have been news. Uh-oh. In other words, he said kids will be kids and kids do this all the time; it was his daughter's misfortune that her irresponsible behavior was publicized. Does that sound like a disciplining coach or an enabling parent?
Apparently, individuals higher up the food chain at NU prevailed, and Ms. Cook has been suspended from competition (although allowed to continue practicing with the top five Huskers) until her legal issues have been settled. With a modest understanding of the popularity of Nebraska intercollegiate athletes in the community and a modest understanding of local Nebraska politics, I will run counter to Ms. Cook's attorney's advice. He said nobody should rush to judgment about the case. I simply say that the city, county, or state legal system (whichever has jurisdiction) WILL rush to judgment on the case, fast-tracking it so Ms. Cook will be available for the NCAA tournament. Most states would do the same.
Meanwhile, one can safely say that the unfortunate motorcyclist will be given the best of care by local physicians, nurses, and support staffs.
Week Ten Selected Match Highlights:
In the most important match of the week nationally, Penn State humbled the visiting number one Cornhuskers of Nebraska, 3-1, thanks to outhitting Big Red (.194 to .116) and outblocking Big Red (14 to 8). In other Big Ten big matches, Purdue outlasted Michigan in Ann Arbor, 3-2 (20-25, 25-14, 20-25, 25-22, 18-16), and visiting Minnesota upset stumbling Illinois, 3-0.
In the SEC, frontrunner Florida fell to two rising powers, Tennessee and Kentucky. The epic match saw Kentucky pull by the Gators, 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 25-21, 17-25, 15-9).
In the Big 12, the epic five-set matches saw host Kansas State beat Missouri (21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 21-25, 15-11) and host Baylor beat the same Wildcats-from-Manhattan squad (25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 14-25, 15-13).
In the Pac-12, the two best matches of the week were not between the two best teams. Host Washington got by a very stubborn Arizona State, 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 25-14, 22-25, 15-13), and visiting Utah upset Oregon, 3-2 (13-25, 25-22, 28-26, 17-25, 15-8). Oregon's ungracious coach could only dismiss his team's effort after the first set and give the visiting Utes no praise. The fact of the matter? Utah's coach makes the most of her teams' skills and abilities, and with new Pac-12 status as a selling point in recruiting now, look out for Utah in future years.
The WAC saw two major upsets, both at the expense of a traveling New Mexico State. Idaho knocked off the Aggies, 3-1, and Utah State beat them, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-18, 19-25, 18-16).
In the Mountain West, host Wyoming upset San Diego State (could it have been the 7200-foot altitude?), 3-2 (25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 15-9). In the WCC, visiting Saint Mary's upset San Diego, 3-2 (17-25, 27-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-10).
In the Mighty MAC, Ball State got by Toledo in five sets (24-26, 25-21, 28-26, 14-25, 17-15). In the MVC, superpower Northern Iowa had trouble getting by Missouri State, 3-2 (24-26, 22-25, 25-21, 25-11, 15-12).
Week Ten Selected Individual Highlights:
UCLA had the most impressive overall week, losing only one set on the road at Cal and Stanford thanks to Rachael Kidder (38 kills, 12 digs, 2 blocks), Tabi Love (22 kills, 5 digs, 2 blocks), Mariana Aquino (17 kills, 3 blocks, 6 digs, 2 service aces), Zoe Nightingale (14 kills and 5 blocks), Lauren Van Orden (90 assists, 16 digs, 6 blocks, 3 kills, 1 ace), and Lainey Gera (4 aces and 33 digs). Also in the Pac-12, Utah achieved a huge upset over host Oregon due to the efforts of Erin Redd (10 kills and 12 blocks), Shelby Dalton (10 kills and 7 blocks), Chelsey Schofield (11 kills, 12 digs, 4 blocks), Morgan Odale (8 kills, 17 digs, 2 blocks), Danielle Killpack (7 kills and 6 blocks), and Abby Simmons (38 assists, 8 digs, 2 blocks).
Penn State had another impressive week because the team showed up in wins against Iowa and Nebraska, Ariel Scott (32 kills, 3 blocks, 13 digs), Deja McClendon (27 kills, 5 blocks, 19 digs), Katie Slay (15 kills and 14 blocks), Nia Grant (7 kills, 10 blocks, 6 digs, 2 aces), and Micha Hancock (9 kills, 82 assists, 24 digs, 4 blocks, and 10 service aces) foremost among the individual efforts. Who is the best server nationally, Hancock or Todorovic of UCLA? Also in the Big Ten, Purdue had big wins against Michigan and Michigan State on the road thanks to Ariel Turner (53 kills, 29 digs, 2 blocks), Valerie Nichol (23 kills and 3 blocks), Catherine Rebarchak (16 kills, 9 blocks, 7 digs, 1 ace), Tiffany Fisher (12 kills, 12 blocks, 5 digs, 1 ace), Rachel Davis (9 kills, 93 assists, 16 digs, 4 blocks), and Blair Bashen (31 digs and 1 ace).
In the SEC, Kentucky gathered two wins against South Carolina and Florida due to Ashley Frazier (30 kills, 5 digs, 1 block, 2 aces), Whitney Billings (24 kills, 3 blocks, 3 aces, 21 digs), Becky Pavan (16 kills and 11 blocks), Lauren O'Conner (16 kills, 6 blocks, 2 aces), Christine Hartmann (11 kills, 84 assists, 3 aces, 19 digs, 2 blocks), and Stephanie Klefot (3 aces and 46 digs).
In the ACC, Miami didn't lose a set against Virginia and Virginia Tech thanks to SoCal transplant Lane Carico (23 kills, 26 digs, 2 aces, 2 blocks), Ali Becker (23 kills, 5 digs, 2 blocks), Emani Sims (16 kills and 3 blocks), Alex Johnson (15 kills, 24 digs, 2 aces), Christine Williamson (15 kills and 2 blocks), and Katie Gallagher (7 kills, 39 assists, 8 digs).
In the WCC, Pepperdine didn't lose a set in three conference home matches, including a thumping of top ten San Diego, due to Kim Hill (37 kills, 9 blocks, 3 aces, 17 digs), Lilla Frederick (28 kills, 4 aces, 6 blocks,25 digs), Kellie Woolever (11 kills, 102 assists, 25 digs, 6 blocks), Samantha Cash (22 kills and 12 blocks), Victoria Adelheim (13 kills, 11 blocks, 8 digs, 1 ace), Katie Messing (18 kills and 4 blocks), and Stevi Robinson (6 aces and 32 digs).
In the MAC, Ball State beat a tough Toledo on the road and a tepid Buffalo squad at home thanks to Kara Bates (26 kills, 13 digs, 3 blocks, 1 ace), Kelsey Brandl (18 kills, 5 blocks, 2 aces), Kylee Baker (15 kills and 26 digs), Mindy Marx (14 kills and 4 blocks), Brittany McGinnis (5 kills, 94 assists, 2 aces, 21 digs, 5 blocks), and Catie Fredrich (4 assists and 35 digs).
Looking eastward, Yale appears to be the class of the Ivy League this year, with a 9-1 conference record and 15-5 overall. The Bulldogs coasted past Columbia and Cornell on the road last week, thanks to Allie Frappier (30 kills, 19 digs, 1 ace), Mollie Rogers (21 kills, 9 digs, 3 blocks), Erica Reetz (18 kills, 23 digs, 4 blocks, 1 ace), Haley Wessels (15 kills and 7 blocks), Kendall Polan (8 kills, 78 assists, 35 digs, 1 ace), and Maddie Rudnick (35 digs and 4 aces).
In the Colonial Athletic Association, Northeastern is riding high with an 18-4 overall record, including wins last week at home against William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth. Main contributors last week include Jillian Briner (25 kills, 7 aces, 12 digs, 3 blocks), Janelle Tucker (23 kills, 16 digs, 1 ace, 3 blocks), Kelly Bacon (25 kills, 26 digs, 7 blocks, 1 ace), Nicole Bishop (17 kills and 7 blocks), Ina Kamenova (60 assists and 13 digs), and Natalia Skiba (28 digs and 3 aces).
Week Eleven Selected Match Previews:
In the Big Ten, Michigan and Michigan State visit Nebraska, Illinois visits Purdue, and Penn State visits Minnesota: anybody can beat anybody. In the Pac-12, Washington looks for atonement in a trip to Southern California to meet USC and UCLA.
In the ACC, Florida State travels to Duke and North Carolina visits Miami in crucial matches. In the Big 12, Oklahoma hosts Iowa State in an intriguing match-up.
Meanwhile, 2011 SEC powerhouse Tennessee visits once-powerful Big East contender Louisville in an interesting nonconference rivalry.
In the Mountain West, TCU visits San Diego State in their last conference visit to SoCal (TCU will join the Big 12 next year). In the MAC, Ball State travels to Northern Illinois.
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