Marshall University Athletics
Herd Volleyball to Raid Southwestern Ohio This Weekend
10/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Herd Volleyball to Raid Southwestern Ohio This Weekend
10/3/2003
The Marshall volleyball team will spend the weekend in southwestern Ohio to face conference rival Miami (Ohio) on Saturday at 7 p.m. before making its way to Cincinnati for a 3 p.m. start on Sunday versus the Xavier Musketeers.
Marshall (11-6, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) is on a two-match win streak after sweeping Radford University on the road on Tuesday. The Thundering Herd overcame the visiting Akron Zips on Sunday in five games to tally MAC win number one on the young season. MU second-year head coach Mitch Jacobs won two out of his first three MAC matches last year, a feat he hopes to equal Saturday at Miami.
?This team can win on the road,? Jacobs said. ?In fact, I think that we are more focused on the road. We match up well with Miami, but on the same token I think that they match up well with us.?
Marshall trails the all-time series with the RedHawks 2-11, including last season?s two-match split. The Herd is currently on a three-match losing skid at Miami?s home venue, Millett Hall, with their last road win coming in 1999. Overall, the Herd is 1-6 in Oxford.
?They have a huge home court advantage,? Jacobs said. ?It?s a hard environment to play in. I think that our service game will play a big factor in our ability to knock them off at home.?
Herd senior Nicole Michal (Louisville, Ky.) remains the team leader in kills with 3.03 per game (179 total). Katie Stein (Sussex, Wis.), a sophomore setter, is averaging 10.90 assists per game (665 total) and is the team's leader in service aces with 28. Libero Ashley Barnard (Maumee, Ohio) has 238 digs on the season (3.66/game) while Amber Sims (Ney, Ohio) and Nickie Sanlin (Fairview Heights, Ill.) share the team lead for total blocks with 45 each.
Miami (7-10, 1-2 MAC) is led by junior Tara Buroker?s 198 kills (3.41/game) and sophomore Suzy Wolford?s 211 digs (3.46/game). Miami plays host to Buffalo on Friday before the Herd comes to town.
The final day of the Ohio two-step will pit the Thundering Herd against Xavier. The Musketeers (5-8, 0-0 Atlantic 10) have lost eight straight matches after opening the season at 5-0. Marshall will be Xavier?s second and final opponent from the MAC, having lost a Sept. 6 match at home versus Central Michigan in five games.
Xavier will play Marshall at the Cintas Center for its third match in three days. The Musketeers are scheduled to open their A-10 schedule on Friday versus Temple followed by a 4 p.m. match on Saturday against La Salle.
Marshall swept Xavier 3-0 in the school?s last meeting, on Sept. 20, 1995, in Cincinnati. XU leads the all-time series 10-3.
Sophomore outside hitter Kate Duchek is the Xavier leader with 3.49 kills per game and has recorded double-digit kill outputs in five of her last six matches.
Herd fans can listen to all of the weekend?s action by tuning into 88.1 WMUL-FM, or by using the link above. Vince Payne and Jennifer Pierce will provide the courtside play-by-play and color analysis, respectively.