Miami Volleyball Prepares for First ACC Match
Sept. 17, 2009
Complete Match Notes in PDF Format 
Coral Gables, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team steps into Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play this weekend, turning their attention to 19th-ranked Florida State, while facing off against Notre Dame in the Seminole Tri-Tournament taking place in Tallahassee, Fla. Both matches for UM will take place at Lucy McDaniel Court at Tully Gymnasium on the campus of FSU.
Miami (7-2) will take on ACC rival No. 19 FSU (8-1) on Friday, Sept. 18, before turning its attention to former BIG EAST foe Notre Dame (4-3) on Saturday, Sept. 19. This is the first time the Hurricanes and Seminoles have met with either of the Sunshine State schools ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll.
The Hurricanes ride into Tallahassee having won their last two matches, both coming against NCAA Tournament opponents from a year ago in Middle Tennessee State (W, 3-1) and Albany (W, 3-0). Genny Mayhew and Lici McGee were tabbed to the Miami/FIU Invitational All-Tournament Team last weekend for the University of Miami. Mayhew finished the three-match weekend with 29 kills, 18 digs, three blocks and two service aces. McGee registered 23 kills, three digs and a team-best 15 blocks (12 assisted).
UM is currently atop the ACC in team kills per set (13.58) and sits sixth in the overall ACC standings at 7-2. Miami is also third in blocks as a team (2.63 bps) and tops in digs (15.58 dps). Senior libero Cassie Loessberg leads the league in digs (6.03 dps) while sophomore Lane Carico is second in kills (3.71 kps). Junior setter Katie Gallagher ranks near the top of the league in assists per set (11.05) having seen action in the last 21 sets for the Hurricanes.
Florida State comes into the match at 8-1, and winning last weekend’s Miami/FIU Invitational with a 3-0 record. They established wins over Albany, Middle Tennessee State and FIU en route to the outright tournament title. By winning the event, the Seminoles are now a perfect 3-0 in regular-season tournaments this year and are off to the program’s best start since the 2000 campaign.
The `Noles are ranked 19th nationally this week. They are led by Mira Djuric (95) and Stephanie Neville (81) in kills, while a two-setter system is employed by FSU. Both Nikki Baker (197) and Duygu Duzceler (165) handle the setting duties, while middle blocker Brianna Barry and Jordana Price are tied atop the team in blocks with 29 apiece.
Live stats for the Miami vs. Florida State match will be streamed live via Game Tracker at www.hurricanesports.com.
As for Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish enter the weekend sporting a 4-3 record on the year, including a win over Wisconsin in the last outing. Outside hitter Serinity Phillips sits atop the team in kills (81), and teammate Jamel Nicholas serves setter for the Fighting Irish with 256 assists. Kristen Dealy holds 79 kills for the Irish, and libero Frenchy Silva tops the team in digs (60).
Miami has ties with Notre Dame, as assistant coach Matt Botsford used to be a longtime assistant under UM head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch. Botsford spent the 2004-07 seasons with the Hurricanes before traveling to South Bend, Indiana to join the Fighting Irish program.
For more information on the University of Miami Volleyball team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Hurricanes Volleyball program.
HURRICANE QUICK HITS…
Series against Florida State…
In a series that dates back to 1978 between these two “Sunshine State” rivals, the series sits at an even 16-16-1 all-time record. Miami swept last year’s series with wins in Coral Gables and Tallahassee–the latter being a five-set thriller with UM earning a come-from-behind win. Since joining the ACC, UM holds a slight 6-4 advantage in the series, including wins in three of the last five contests.
Series against Notre Dame…
The one-time BIG EAST foes are seeing each other for the first time since the 2003 season – Miami’s last year with the conference before moving to the ACC. Notre Dame holds a 3-1 advantage in the series, including winning three consecutive. The Hurricanes’ only win against the Fighting Irish was a 3-2 decision back on Nov. 15, 2002–the year UM advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament.
Loessberg Approaching Top Spot…
Senior libero/defensive specialist Cassie Loessberg enters the weekend needing just 11 digs to move ahead of Jamie Grass (2001-04) for first place all-time at UM in career digs. Currently, Loessberg sits second with 1,611 digs.
Mayhew Shooting for 1,000…
Senior outside hitter Genny Mayhew is closing in on 1,000 kills as she now has 978 kills in her career. If she cracks the 1,000-kill plateau, she will be just the fifth UM player all-time to have eclipsed that mark. Currently, she ranks fifth all-time at UM in career kills.
McGee Sitting on the Blocks…
Redshirt junior Lici McGee was noted to be a “player to watch” coming into the season for Miami, and that has proven true right from the spot. Not only does the Oklahoma native have a team-leading 37 blocks, but she also sits third on the team in kills with 73. McGee has collected five or more blocks in three matches this year, including seven in her last match in a 3-0 sweep of Albany (N.Y.).
It’s Becker at the Net…
Sophomore Ali Becker may have tailed off a bit after starting strong for Miami in 2008, but she is back and playing better than ever for the `Canes as a sophomore. The Katy, Texas native is second on the team in blocks (32) while adding a team fourth-best 63 kills. That goes along with 12 digs from her middle blocker position. Becker is at the net, and making plays for UM.
All In the Family…
While Lane Carico leads the Hurricanes in kills (115) on the year and is the reigning ACC and AVCA East Region Freshman of the Year, her sister has done quite well for herself in volleyball as well. Taylor Carico, a senior setter at the University of Minnesota–formerly a three-time All-Conference performer at the University of Southern California (PAC-10) leads the Golden Gophers in assists (254), while adding 63 digs and 16 blocks. Thus proving, it’s all in the family for volleyball with the Carico sisters.
