No. 24 OSU Travels to Indiana Friday and No. 11 Purdue Saturday

Buckeyes make second conference road trip of the season

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The 24th-ranked Ohio State women’s volleyball team (13-6 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) travels this week to Indiana (8-10, 0-6) and 11th-ranked Purdue (15-2, 4-3) in Big Ten Conference matches. OSU plays the Indiana Hoosiers at 7 p.m. EDT, Friday Oct. 14 in University Gym (2,000) and faces the Purdue Boilermakers at 7 p.m. EDT, Saturday, Oct. 15 in Holloway Gymnasium (2,288). Both matches will be web streamed on wwwBTN.com for a fee and the Purdue match will be delayed broadcast at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19.

 

A LOOK AT OHIO STATE

Coached by Geoff Carlston, the 24th-ranked Buckeyes are 13-6 overall and 3-3 in the Big Ten Conference. Last week in home matches, OSU lost, 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-22), to No. 1 Illinois and defeated Northwestern, 3-1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-14, 25-20).

Leading the Buckeyes in points per set is Mari Hole at 4.76. Emily Danks ranks second at 4.50 with Kelli Barhorst third at 2.95. Hole has a team-high 4.15 kills per set average with Danks second at 3.57 and Kaitlyn Leary third at 2.32. Barhorst is hitting .330 to lead the squad. Danks ranks second in attack percentage at .283 with Mariah Booth third at .241. At setter, Taylor Sherwin is averaging 11.21 assists per set with Amanda Peterson at 9.35. Leading the squad in aces per set is Danks at .57 with 39. Hole ranks second at .24 with 16 aces and Sarah Mignin is third at .21 with 14. Defensively, Mignin has a team-high 4.75 digs per set average. Hole ranks second at 2.66 with Alyssa Winner third at 2.05. At the net, Barhorst leads the team with a 1.07 blocks per set average with 14 solos and 59 assists. Mariah Booth ranks second at .78 with four solos and 31 assists with Peterson third at .72 with four solos and 27 assists. In serve reception percentage, Hole has a .970 serve reception percentage handling 318 of 328 attempts. Mignin is second at .968 handling 450 of 465 attempts. Winner ranks third at .960 handling 237 of 247 attempts.

Ohio State is averaging 18.36 points, 14.75 kills and 13.69 assists per set while hitting .244. OSU is averaging 1.26 aces, 16.18 digs and 2.35 blocks per set and has a .960 serve reception percentage. Buckeye opponents average 14.87 points, 12.25 kills and 11.59 assists per set while hitting .192. They average .79 aces, 14.71 digs and 1.82 blocks per set and have a .939 serve reception percentage.

 

A LOOK AT INDIANA

Coached by Sherry Dunbar, the Hoosiers are 8-10 overall and 0-6 in the Big Ten Conference. On the road last week, Indiana lost 3-2 (25-14, 20-25, 25-21, 16-25, 15-13) at Iowa and 3-0 (25-19, 25-14, 25-13) at sixth-ranked Nebraska. The Hoosiers have an eight-match losing streak. Leading Indiana in points per set is Kelci Marschall at 3.55. Ranking second is Morgan Leach at 2.75 with Samatha Thrower third at 2.58. Marschall has a team-high 3.10 kills per set average with Ivie Obeime second at 2.18 and Thrower third at 2.10. Thrower leads the team in attack percentage at .259. Ranking second at .252 is Leach with Marschall third at .183. At setter, Whitney Grando has a 9.00 assists per set average with Mary Chaudoin at 6.58. Caitlin Cox has a team-high .25 aces per set average with 17. Morgan Leach ranks second at .22 with 15 and Marschall is third at .21 with 14. Defensively, Cox has a team-high 4.34 digs per set average. Ranking second is Caitlin Hansen at 2.13 with Melanie Hicks third at 1.89. At the net, Leach leads the squad with a 1.10 blocks per set average with three solos and 65 assists. Thrower, at .85, ranks second with three solos and 54 assists with Obeime third at .46 with three solos and 28 assists.

Indiana is averaging 15.29 points, 12.06 kills and 11.24 assists per set while hitting .185. The Hoosiers average 1.22 aces, 13.33 digs and 2.01 blocks per set. Opponents average 14.71 points, 11.69 kills and 10.72 assists per set while hitting .209. Hoosier opponents average 1.30 aces, 13.43 digs and 1.72 blocks per set.

 

INDIANA-OHIO STATE SERIES

Ohio State has a 42-26 lead in the series with Indiana. The Hoosiers are 16-14 in Bloomington while the Buckeyes are 24-8 in Columbus and 4-2 at neutral site matches. Last season Indiana won 3-1 (25-21, 12-25, 25-20, 25-20) at home and OSU won 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-23) in Columbus.

 

A LOOK AT PURDUE

Coached by Dave Shondell, the 11th-ranked Boilermakers are 15-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten Conference. On the road last week, Purdue lost at sixth-ranked Nebraska, 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-14, 25-22) and won 3-0 (25-19, 25-13, 25-21) at Iowa. Leading the team in points per set is Ariel Turner at 5.44. Tiffany Fisher ranks second at 3.64 with Catherine Rebarchak third at 2.69. Turner has a team-high 4.69 kills per set average. Fisher ranks second at 2.82 with Rebarchak third at 2.07. Fisher leads the squad in attack percentage at .407. Kierra Jones ranks second at .325 with Turner third at .250. At setter, Rachel Davis is averaging 11.38 assists per set. Carly Cramer has a team-high .40 average with 15. Tied for second are Turner, Blair Bashen and Fisher each at .27 with 15. Defensively, Bashen leads the team in digs per set at 3.95. Turner ranks second at 2.56 with Emily Ehlers third at 2.50. At the net, Jones is averaging a team-high 1.23 blocks per set with six solos and 48 assist blocks. Fisher, at .98, ranks second with six solos and 48 assists while Rebarchak is third at .78 with six solos and 36 assists.

Purdue is averaging 18.15 points, 14.02 kills and 13.02 assists per set while hitting .266. The Boilermakers average 1.41 aces, 15.34 digs and 2.72 blocks per set. Opponents average 13.16 points, 10.90 kills and 10.00 assists per set while hitting .129. Purdue opponents average .74 aces, 13.19 digs and 1.53 blocks per set.

 

PURDUE-OHIO STATE SERIES

Ohio State has a 39-37 record in the series with Purdue. The Boilermakers are 19-13 in West Lafayette while OSU is 19-12 in Columbus and 7-6 in neutral site matches. Purdue has won the last three matches against Ohio State. Last season, the Boilermakers won 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 26-24) in West Lafayette and 3-2 (25-19, 23-25, 20-25, 25-17, 15-11) in Columbus.

 

OHIO STATE RANKED 24TH IN THE AVCA POLL

In the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll from Oct. 10, Ohio State was ranked 24th receiving 87 votes. Seven Big Ten squads are ranked in the Top 25 with Illinois first, Nebraska fifth, Penn State ninth, Purdue 11th, Minnesota 14th and Michigan 20th.

 

BUCKEYES RANKED FOURTH NATIONALLY IN KILLS PER SET

In the NCAA national statistics released through matches of Oct. 9, Ohio State is ranked fourth in kills (14.75) and sixth in assists (13.69) per set. The Buckeyes are ranked 45th in hitting percentage (.244), 63rd in digs (16.18), 69th in blocks (2.35) and 141st in aces (1.26) per set.

Individually, Emily Danks ranks sixth in aces per set at .57 and Sarah Mignin is 71st in digs per set at 4.75. Mari Hole is 32nd in points (4.76) and 37th in kills (4.15) per set.

 

DANKS SIXTH IN OHIO STATE CAREER ACES WITH 156

Emily Danks has 156 career aces and is sixth on the Ohio State career list. Fifth on the list with 157 is Gabriele Jobst (1991-94) with Kristi Neuman (1983-86) fourth with 159. Danks ranks second in career aces per set with a .49 average. She ranks 15th in career attack percentage at .269 and is 20th in career points per set at 3.28.

 

BARHORST NOW 10TH IN OHIO STATE CAREER TOTAL BLOCKS

Kelli Barhorst has moved to 10th in OSU career total blocks with 351 (53 solos, 298 assists). She passed Kristen Dozier (2006-09) with 350. Tied for eighth on the list with 385 is Leisa Wissler (1988-91) (87-298) and Sherri Rinker (1984-87) (139-246). Barhorst ranks 13th in Ohio State career solo blocks with 53. Ranking 12th is Briana McCarthy (2003-04, 05-06) with 55. Barhorst has 298 assist blocks and ranks 10th. Ninth on the list with 298 is Wissler. Barhorst is 11th in total blocks with 347. With .92 blocks per set average, Barhorst ranks ninth and is 11th in attack percentage at .282.

 

BOOTH RANKS 12TH IN CAREER BLOCK PER SET AT .90

Mariah Booth is ranked 12th in career blocks per set at .90. She has 13 solos and 107 assist blocks.

 

PETERSON 11TH IN OHIO STATE CAREER ASSISTS WITH 1,130

Amanda Peterson has 1,130 career assists and ranks 11th on the Ohio State career assist list. Ranking 10th is Ashley Hughes (2006-09) with 1,392. Peterson is ninth in career assists per set with an 8.01 average.

 

SHERWIN 17TH IN OHIO STATE CAREER ASSISTS WITH 426

Taylor Sherwin ranks 17th in Ohio State career assists with 426. Heather Whalen (2000-03) is ranked 16th with 568. Sherwin ranks sixth in assists per set at 11.21. Ranking fifth is Jen Boleyn (1994-96) at 11.28.

 

MIGNIN 14TH IN CAREER DIGS with 1,014

Sarah Mignin is ranked 14th on the Ohio State career digs list with 1,014. Ranking 13th on the list is Vicki Wright (1983-86) with 1,023. Mignin is ninth in career digs per set at 2.89.

 

#1 DANKS HAS 16 KILLS AGAINST NORTHWESTERN

Emily Danks had 16 kills against Northwestern while hitting .333. She added three ace serves and four digs against the Wildcats. Danks recorded four kills (.042) two ace serves, five digs and one assist block in the Illinois match. She has started in all 19 matches and is averaging 4.50 points, 3.57 kills, .57 kills, 1.62 digs and .65 blocks per set while hitting .283.

 

#2 BARHORST HIT .571 IN THE NORTHWESTERN MATCH

Kelli Barhorst hit .571 against Northwestern with eight kills in 14 attempts with no errors. She added two assist blocks against the Wildcats. In the Illinois match, Barhorst recorded six kills (.385), two digs and two assist blocks. A starter in all 19 matches, she is averaging 2.95 points, 2.28 kills, .56 digs and a team-high 1.07 blocks per set while hitting a team-high .330.

 

#3 SCHWARZWALDER MISSES WEEKEND MATCHES

Amy Schwarzwalder did not play in the matches against Illinois and Northwestern. She has seen action in five matches this season. Schwarzwalder is averaging .71 points, .57 kills, .43 digs and .29 blocks per set.

 

#6 WINNER HAS A CAREER-HIGH 21 DIGS AGAINST NORTHWESTERN

Alyssa Winner, in her second start at libero, recorded a career-high 21 digs against Northwestern. Her previous high was 11 against Valparaiso. Winner added a career-high six assists and handled 20 serve receptions without an error. She started the Illinois match as the defensive specialist and moved to libero in the third set. Winner had five digs, one assist and one kill against the Illini and handled 15 serve receptions without an error. She has played in 18 matches this season with five starts at defensive specialist and two at libero. Winner is averaging 2.05 digs per set and has a .960 serve reception percentage handling 237 of 247 attempts.

 

#7 MIGNIN SEES ACTION AGAINST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWESTERN

Sarah Mignin started at libero against Illinois and recorded four digs, one assist and handled 30 of 32 serve receptions. She played in three sets against Northwestern collecting four digs and handling three of six serve receptions. Mignin has played in all 19 matches with 17 starts at libero. She is averaging a team-high 4.75 digs per set and .21 aces per set. Mignin has a .968 serve reception percentage handling 450 of 465 attempts.

 

#8 SHERWIN MISSES THE LAST FIVE MATCHES

Taylor Sherwin has not been available the last five matches. She has seen action in 12 matches and started eight. Sherwin is averaging 11.21 assists and 1.63 digs per set.

 

#9 DISALVATORE HAS START AGAINST NORTHWESTERN

Davionna DiSalvatore started against Northwestern as the defensive specialist. She collected seven digs and handled 21 of 22 serve receptions. She played in the Illinois match recording four digs and one assist while handling seven of eight serve receptions. DiSalvatore has played in all 19 matches with 10 starts. She is averaging 1.78 digs per set and has a .951 serve reception percentage handling 215 of 226 attempts.

 

#10 BOOTH HAS THIRD DOUBLE-FIGURE KILL MATCH

Mariah Booth posted 10 kills against Northwestern for her third double-figure kill match of the season. She added one assist and one solo block while hitting .389 against the Wildcats. Booth recorded four kills (.091) and one ace serve in the Illinois match. She has started and played in 13 matches and is averaging 2.34 points, 1.89 kills and .78 blocks per set while hitting .241.

 

#11 LEARY HAS NINE KILLS AGAINST NORTHWESTERN

Kaitlyn Leary recorded nine kills (.182), five digs and one assist block in the Northwestern match. She produced five kills (.167) in two sets against Illinois. Leary has played in 16 matches with four starts. She is averaging 2.45 points, 2.32 kills, .70 digs and .21 blocks per set while hitting .177.

 

#12 SEKINGER SEES ACTION AGAINST ILLINOIS

Erin Sekinger played in two sets against Illinois recording two kills and two digs. She did not play in the Northwestern match. Sekinger has played in nine matches with three starts. She is averaging 1.84 points, 1.64 kills, .61 digs and .36 blocks per set while hitting .127.

 

#14 HOLE HAS A DOUBLE-FIGURE KILLS-DIGS WEEKEND

Mari Hole recorded double-figure kills and digs in both matches last weekend. She had 11 kills (.240) and 14 digs against Illinois adding one assist and one solo block while handling 13 serve receptions without an error. Against Northwestern, Hole collected 17 kills (.220) and 12 digs and added one assist, three solo blocks and one assist block. She handled 22 of 23 serve receptions against the Wildcats. Hole has played in 19 matches with 16 starts. She is averaging team-highs of 4.76 points and 4.15 kills per set. Hole is averaging .24 aces, 2.66 digs and .57 blocks per set. She has a team-high .970 serve reception percentage handling 318 of 328 attempts.

 

#15 PETERSON POSTS CAREER-HIGH 52 ASSISTS AGAINST WILDCATS

Amanda Peterson collected a career-high 52 assists in the Northwestern match. Her previous high was 49 at Marquette in 2009. Peterson added three kills, a career-high 14 digs, one solo block and two assist blocks. She had 27 assists against Illinois adding two kill, two ace serves, five digs, one solo block and one assist block. Peterson has played in 15 matches with 11 starts. She is averaging 1.43 points, 9.35 assists, .91 kills, 1.91 digs and .72 blocks per set while hitting .289.

 

#18 FAUL SEES ACTION AGAINST ILLINOIS

Anna Faul played in one set of the Illinois match. She did not play in the Northwestern match. Faul has played in 10 matches with six starts this season. She is averaging 1.20 points, .74 kills, .30 digs and .89 blocks per set while hitting .211.

 

HOLE NAMED THE BIG TEN OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The Big Ten Conference honored Mari Hole as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 12. She helped Ohio State win the Rocket Classic in Toledo, Ohio, with 3-1 wins over Penn, Alabama and Toledo and was named the Classic Most Valuable Player.

Hole had 12 kills (.385), eight digs and four blocks (one solo and three assists) against Penn. She produced career highs of 25.5 points and 21 kills (.232) against Alabama adding 11 digs, five assist blocks and two ace serves. She reset her career highs for points (31.0) and kills (26, .316) against Toledo adding two ace serves and equaled her career highs of three solo blocks and 14 digs. Hole had set-winning kills in five of nine Buckeye set wins. With the Toledo match tied at one set each, she scored kills for six of OSU’s final seven points in the third set on her way to a 12-kill performance in the set. Hole averaged 5.92 points, 4.92 kills, 2.75 digs and 1.00 blocks per set for the three matches.

 

MIGNIN NAMED THE BIG TEN CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The Big Ten Conference honored Sarah Mignin as the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 12. She helped Ohio State win the Rocket Classic in Toledo, Ohio, with 3-1 wins over Penn, Alabama and Toledo and was named to the Classic All-Tournament Team.

Mignin averaged 6.0 digs per set and had a .972 serve reception percentage in the three matches at the Rocket Classic. She recorded 15 digs and tied her career high of three ace serves against Penn while handling 15 serve receptions without an error. Mignin produced a career-high 30 digs against Alabama adding one ace and one kill. She handled 25 of 27 reception attempts against the Crimson Tide. Mignin closed out the weekend with 27 digs against Toledo adding two ace serves and handling 29 reception attempts without an error.

 

MIGNIN NAMED THE BIG TEN CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The Big Ten Conference honored Sarah Mignin as the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 19. She averaged 6.27 digs per set for the three matches and handled 69 serve reception attempts without an error. Mignin tied her career high of 30 digs against Albany and tied her career high of three aces against Maryland. She converted 24 of 69 digs (.348) to kills and had a .406 reception to kills percentage (28 of 69) in the three matches. Mignins play helped hold OSU’s three opponents to a .154 attack percentage. For her play at the Sports Imports Classic, she was named the most outstanding defensive player.

 

SHERWIN NAMED THE BIG TEN FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

The Big Ten Conference honored Taylor Sherwin as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week Sept. 19. She directed the Buckeye offense to the Sports Imports Classic Championship. Sherwin averaged 14.18 assists and 2.00 digs per set helping OSU to a .304 attack percentage for the three matches. Defensively, she produced a career-high 14 digs in the Albany match, adding a solo and one assist block against the Great Danes.

 

HEAD COACH GEOFF CARLSTON

Geoff Carlston is in his fourth season at Ohio State. He directed the Buckeyes to the third round of the NCAA Championship finishing with a 24-12 overall record last season. OSU finished sixth in the Big Ten Conference with a 10-10 mark.

Carlston came to Ohio State after spending five years as head coach of Ohio University where he built an outstanding program. His squads played in five NCAA tournaments, reaching regional play in 2005. At Ohio, Carlston guided the Bobcats to five-consecutive Mid American Conference championships with an overall record of 144-22. He had a MAC conference record of 78-2 and was 14-1 in the conference tournament, winning four of five.

Carlston was named the MAC Coach of the Year four times and was twice named the Mideast Region Coach of the Year.

He began collegiate coaching with three years at Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) where he posted a 49-42 record. His career record is 267-112.