Volleyball Senior Night Set for Thursday
11/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 2, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston volleyball team concludes the 2006 regular-season home schedule with a Thursday night match against Rice. The Cougars are coming off a 1-1 weekend against Tulsa and SMU.
"We've been a streaky team all season," head coach Bill Walton said. "After a losing in conference play, we've been able to bounce back. I don't have a problem with how hard we work. We have to find a way to have the same level of intensity each night. Consistency is what breeds champions."
The Houston volleyball program will honor its 2006 seniors before the match in addition to celebrating 35 seasons of Cougar volleyball in between games two and three. The program will recognize former UH greats that will be in attendance.
"There are definitely a lot of things going on before the match," libero Ashley Calhoun said. "We want to get a win for the seniors, especially against Rice. Our goal is to go out there, play with a lot of enthusiasm and execute the game plan."
Houston and Rice will meet on the volleyball court for the 67th time Thursday night. The Cougars are 54-12 all-time against the Owls, but Rice has won seven of the last nine meetings in the series dating back to the 2002 season.
Rice took a 3-2 decision on Oct. 4 at Autry Court despite a career-best 31 kills from Justine Farmer, in addition to a career-high 29 digs from Ashley Calhoun. Houston took an 11-10 lead in the fifth game on a Millicent Martin kill, but the Owls responded with a 5-1 run to close out the match.
After being named to the 2005 Conference USA All-Freshman Team, Farmer has been proving there is no such thing as a sophomore slump. The El Paso native headlines the squad and C-USA with 19 double-doubles this season, already surpassing her total from a season ago.
Farmer has reached double-digit kills in 31 of her last 33 matches dating back to last season. She is the only player in C-USA to be in the Top 10 in kills and digs per game. Farmer ranks fifth in C-USA, averaging 4.69 kills per game and is ninth in the league, posting 3.83 digs per contest. She also is sixth in C-USA, notching 5.20 points per game.
Farmer joins Kelly-Anne Billingy of Marshall and Rachel Giubilato of SMU as the only players in C-USA to reach the 30-kill mark multiple times this season. She is coming off of a 29-kill effort against SMU (Oct. 29). Farmer has reached the 20-kill plateau 10 times in addition to the 20-dig marks in eight matches.
With 29 kills last weekend, Kelly McAnelly continues her climb towards the top of the Cougar career kills list. The Houston native enters this weekend's action with 1,371 career kills and is 35 away from matching Jennifer Wittenburg (1999-2001) for the No. 3 hole.
McAnelly also is eight kills from moving into the No. 24 spot in Conference USA history. Below is the current list McAnelly is chasing in the Conference USA record books.
Becca Sartori joins McAnelly on the prowl of chasing down career marks in the Houston and Conference USA record books. After popping 21 kills last weekend, Sartori has racked up 1,276 career kills and needs 60 kills to match Emily Leffers (1993-94, 1996-97). She also is 20 kills shy from joining McAnelly in the Top 30 in the C-USA record book.
With 10 block assists last weekend, Sartori surpassed Marie-Claude Tourillon (1994-96) for the No. 5 slot in the Houston record book with 325 career block assists. The Houston native is now 30 blocks assist shy of Loure Dews (2001-2004) for the No. 4 spot.
Sartori also is ranked in the Top 10 in program history for total blocks. She enters this week's action 15 blocks away from matching Marie Tourillon (1994-96) for the No. 7 spot in program history and four blocks from the No. 23 position in the Conference USA record book.
Krystal Schulle has stepped in nicely for an injured Kelsey King at setter. This season is the first time since high school that Schulle has played the setter position.
The Lockhart native has fueled the Cougars to a 11-6 record, dishing out 12.79 assists per game. Her 12.48 assists per game in C-USA matches is tied for third best in the league. The Houston offense has posted 15.52 kills per game on a .219 team attack percentage with Schulle at setter.
Schulle has racked up 10 double-doubles, including three in her last four outings. The Cougars have won nine of its 11 matches via the sweep with Schulle at setter.
Ashley Calhoun, Kinsey Cave and Erin Rice are three Cougar freshmen that have made an instant impact in 2006.
Calhoun has reeled in double-digit digs in 17 of her 24 starts at libero. She is second on the squad with 385 digs and is just outside the Top 10 in C-USA, posting 3.70 per game. She paces the team, recording 38 service aces and fired in four aces in a three-game sweep of Tulsa (Oct. 27).
Cave was an All-CIFSS selection and Century League First-Team honoree in both 2004 and 2005 at El Dorado High School in California. The southpaw came through with a pair of seven-kill performances against New Mexico (Sept. 1) and Baylor (Sept. 2) at the Clarion Invitational. She has gradually returned to the lineup, notching six kills and two blocks at East Carolina (Oct. 22).
Rice has made the most of her limited action, but has been a blocking machine in C-USA action, recording 56 blocks in 37 games. She paces the C-USA, posting 1.51 blocks per game in league play. Rice came through with a career-best 14 blocks in a three-game sweep at Tulane (Oct. 13). She also rejected six shots in a 3-0 victory against Tulsa (Oct. 27).
Millicent Martin has provided some extra depth on the Cougar back row. The senior has notched double-digit digs seven times this season. She is coming off her first double-double of the season, slapping 10 kills to go along with 14 digs against SMU (Oct. 29).
First serve against the Owls is set for 7pm.
