Alabama Volleyball Weekly Match Notes: Week Four
9/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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BAMA HOSTS JACKSONVILLE STATE
The Alabama volleyball gets a break from its nearly month-long road stretch to host in-state foe Jacksonville State on Wednesday night. The match marks the first meeting for the two squads since 1999 and is the third time the pair has squared off during Judy Green's seven-year tenure. UA leads the all-time series 4-0 including a 3-0 win in their last meeting.
MEET THE STARS
As part of the fun and promotions for volleyball this season, the JSU match has been designated as "Meet the Alabama Stars" night. Members of many of the other Crimson Tide squads will be in attendance to meet, greet and sign autographs for the fans following the match. Also... volleyball team posters will be passed out.
ROAD WARRIORS
Following their home tournament on Sept. 13-14, the Crimson Tide embarked on a month-long stretch that would keep them away from the friendly confines of the "CAVE" for 11 of 12 matches. Tonight's tilt with JSU is the lone exception and after this match Alabama will play seven consecutive road matches before returning home to face SEC Western Division rival LSU on Oct. 11.
TUBE TIME FOR THE TIDE
Alabama makes the first of its two television appearances this weekend when the Tide faces Georgia Tech at 7:00 pm (ET) on Friday night in the opening round of the Georgia Tech Invitational. The Tide-Tech match is being shown live by Fox Sports Net.
HOME SWEET HOME
For the past two seasons, Alabama had enjoyed a huge home court advantage playing in the "CAVE" (Coleman Auxiliary Volleyball Extension). The Tide is 2-1 this season at home, improving to 19-6 in the venues three seasons as the home of Crimson Tide Volleyball. The fans have also come out in support of UA since the move with Bama posting its second highest season attendance average a year ago.
SCOUTING REPORT
Jacksonville State... The Lady Gamecocks are 4-5 on the year and enter tonight's matchup off a 3-2 win versus Arkansas State. The victory over the Indians snapped a three-match losing skid for JSU.
UA HONOR ROLL
The list of honors received by Tide players this year...
ERIN HEFFNER -
Tournament MVP (Barker GMC Classic)
All-Tournament (Crimson Tide Invitational)
ERIN PRICE -
All-Tournament (Barker GMC Classic)
JENNIFER BIBBER -
All-Tournament (Barker GMC Classic)
KENNA MILNER -
All-Tournament (Crimson Tide Invitational)
CHASIN' THE BIG 500
With the recent success of the Crimson Tide, the team and its coach are both keeping an eye ahead on a fast-approaching mileston. With 494 all-time wins, Alabama needs just 6 victories to get the 500th in program history. In addition, head coach Judy Green (who began her coaching career with a successful stint at Montevallo) is only 9 "Ws" from earning her 500th career win. (see charts)
ACES FLYING HIGH FOR BAMA
Prior to the season, Coach Green thought that the Tide's aggressive serving could be a weapon for the team. After the opening matches, she knows it can be as Alabama notched double-digit aces in 6 of the first 7 matches. Alabama served up a season-best 18 points against Illinois State, marking the most since a 19-ace performance versus Mississippi State on Nov. 23, 1990. Last season, UA was one of the SEC's top servers but never tallied more than back-to-back double-digit performances. In fact, the Tide had only nine matches with 10+ aces for the entire year.
UA REACHES CHAMPIONSHIP OF CRIMSON TIDE INVITATIONAL
Alabama looked ready to make it two straight tournament crowns but a talented Missouri squad stood in the way handing the Tide its first loss of the year in the championship match.
CRIMSON TIDE OPENS YEAR WITH TITLE
For the second consecutive season the Tide volleyball team posted an undefeated record en route to earning the tournament title in their season debut event. Alabama posted 3-1 victories over Marshall, Florida State and Illinois State last weekend to win the Barker GMC Classic crown. The championship marked the 22nd in program history and was the third for the Tide in Coach Judy Green's tenure.
2002 SLATE OFFERS UP CHALLENGES
Of the 26 opponents on the Tide's schedule this season... 16 finished the 2001 campaign with winning records including 8 with over 20 victories ...Five teams won conference titles. Eight teams on the UA ledger earned invitations to the NCAA Tournament.
UA LOOKS FOR 4TH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON
With three consecutive winning seasons the Crimson Tide volleyball program is already in the midst of a historic run since it is the first time in modern volleyball history (since 1989 reinstatement of the sport at UA). What's next? Alabama would like to make it four in a row and also post the team's third straight 20+ win season. The program's first ever NCAA Tournament invitation is also high on the players and coaches goal list.
"CAVE" GETS UPGRADES WITH MORE TO COME
Bama's volleyball home - The CAVE - recently got some a much deserved upgrade as a new floor design was painted on the competition playing surface. A wider crimson border and an elephant head on each end were added to give the the floor at more "Alabama" flavor. Other additions include hanging action photos of the Tide seniors and juniors along with a gigantic Bama "A" logo greeting fans as they enter the gym. New volleyball specific scoreboards have also been installed. In addition to these upgrades, more amenities are planned for next summer when two sets of 500 chairback permanent, retractable bleachers will be installed on each side of the court giving Alabama a truly volleyball specific playing arena.
CUSIMANO TO MISS ANOTHER SEASON
Redshirt freshman, Jennifer Cusimano, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during the first match last season reinjured her knee during some preseason training and will miss the upcoming season following a second surgery.
EXTRA ? EXTRA...
? Senior setter Bridget Studnicka and sophomore setter Kenna Milner were named the 2002 Crimson Tide team captains.
? Milestone Watches - Erin Heffner reached 500 kills in her career... Erin Price tallied her 600th career kill versus Missouri - Price also needs just four blocks to reach 200 total blocks for her career... Shelly Adamcik is one block assist shy of 350 for her career.
? Following their tourney victory at Illinois State, the players reaped a little more attention... the team's flight was less than full and the flight crew invited the "Champs" to move up and enjoy the comforts of the empty first-class section.
? When the Tide played West Virginia (Sept. 6) it was a family reunion for Bridget Studnicka and her younger sister Brandice, a setter for the Mountaineers. Close to 30 of the sister's family members made the drive from Nebraska to see the match-up all dressed in matching T-shirts sporting both Bridget's #18 and Brandice's #23.
? Freshman Kelley Potter made her collegiate debut in the season opener as the first UA player to play the newly created "Libero" position.
? Freshman walk-on Mary Beth Moore (a native of Double Springs, Ala.) took the first plane ride of her life when UA boarded a Northwest flight headed for Detroit on Aug. 29.
? 5-10 sophomore Kory Tull made her first career start for the Tide against Marshall... as a middle blocker. Tull was expected to challenge for the libero role but with the preseason loss of Jennifer Cusimano and the slow healing of senior Shelly Adamcik's foot, the coaches decided to give Tull a look and she made the most of her chance.
? Junior college transfer Den?e Ezerins saw her first playing time of the year in Bama's victory over in-state foe UAB.
? A Big Red Homecoming -The Tide's visit to Nebraska was a sort of homecoming for senior setter Bridget Studnicka, a native of Clay Center. A lifetime supporter of the Cornhuskers, she was a regular participant in Big Red volleyball camps. On the weekend she had the chance to play in front of over 50 friends and family members.
