Volleyball Opens Season Against North Dakota State
August 26, 2010 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 26, 2010
The University of Louisville Volleyball team opens their regular season at the Louisville Invitational Tournament and will host North Dakota State Friday evening at 7 p.m. and will also play Ohio University on Sunday at 2 p.m. NDSU will square off against Ohio on Saturday at noon. All matches will be in Cardinal Arena.
Defending BIG EAST tournament champion Louisville was 21-11, 10-4 BIG EAST last season and was selected to finish second in the BIG EAST. The Cardinals will be led by sophomore Lola Arslanbekova, the 2009 BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Performer. Arslanbekova was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team. Last year's BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, she led the team with 533 kills and 587 points last year. The Cardinals also will return senior libero Lindsey Mango, who was a 2009 All-BIG EAST Tournament team selection. Louisville has become a staple in the finals of the BIG EAST Championship, making it to the title game five times and winning the crown three times since joining the conference in 2005.
This season marks Coach Yelin's 15th year as the U of L skipper. After reaching 450 career wins last season, Yelin will continue to add wins to his excellent record and lead his Cards to another BIG EAST championship and their 21st NCAA appearance. He has a winning percentage of .765 , fourteen 20+ win seasons, 11 players who signed professional contracts, seven of whom are still playing overseas and four Sweet Sixteen appearances.
North Dakota State was unanimously voted as the 2010 Summit League preseason favorite North Dakota State returns their starting unit intact are led by Chrissy Knuth, their marquis player who is a two-time Player of the Year with an impressive .373 hitting percentage. Joining Knuth arer Lauren McLaughlin, Jennifer Lopez, and Brynn Joki, all of whom were named All-Conference a year ago. Bison hitters Knuth (345 kills), McLaughlin (301 kills) and Joki (123 kills) combined for 769 kills last year in 2009 and enroute to being the league's hitting percentage and kill leaders. Coach Erich Hinterstocker leads the Bison and coached his squad to a League record for consecutive victories (37 current) with back-to-back undefeated seasons in league play 2008 and 2009.
The Cardinals will face Ohio U on Sunday at 2 p.m. Ohio University will also play NDSU on Saturday at noon in Cardinal Arena. The Bobcats, who are receiving votes in the CSTV/AVCA Coaches' Poll of the are 2-4 against U of L and it is the first meeting with the Bison.
The Bobcats return four starters including Meghan Simons, and libero Sarah Petrulis. Ohio's lineup will include two All-MAC selections in Louisvillian Sue Jacobi and Michelle Jantsch .
