Alabama Volleyball Weekly Match Notes: Ga. Tech Invitational
9/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
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TIDE PLAYS IN FINAL PRESEASON TOURNAMENT AT GEORGIA TECH
The Alabama volleyball returns to the road this weekend as the Tide participates in the Georgia Tech Invitational hosted by the Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, Ga. The tourney field features another solid group of opponents led by the host Yellowjackets who are on the verge of joining the Top 25. Florida International is a perennial force in their league and Cornell is also a strong volleyball squad. The tournament schedule...
Friday (Sept. 20)
1:00 pm Alabama vs Cornell
5:00 pm Cornell vs Florida Int'l
7:30 pm Alabama vs Georgia Tech
Saturday (Sept. 21)
12:00 pm Florida Int'l vs Georgia Tech
3:00 pm Alabama vs Florida Int'l
7:30 pm Cornell vs Georgia Tech
BAMA WINS 11 STRAIGHT IN-STATE
With its Sept. 18 win over Jacksonville State, Alabama has now posted 11 straight wins over in-state opponents. UA has not lost to an in-state squad since a 3-2 decision to Auburn in 1999. Bama's last loss to an in-state team other than AU was to UAB in 1994.
ROAD WARRIORS
Following their home tournament on Sept. 13-14, the Crimson Tide embarked on a month-long stretch that keeps them away from the friendly confines of the "CAVE" for 11 of 12 matches. This weekend begins a stretch where Alabama plays 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 7:30 pm (ET) on Friday night in the opening round of the Georgia Tech Invitational. The Tide-Tech match is being shown on a tape-delayed basis by Fox Sports Net South. The match will be shown on Sept. 28th at 1 p.m. (ET).
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 3-1 this season at home, improving to 20-6 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
Cornell... A strong performer in the Ivy League, the Big Red enter this weekend's competition with a 3-1 record. Cornell won its first three matches before falling 3-1 to Robert Morris in their last match.
Georgia Tech... The Yellowjackets are ranked 27th in the latest national poll and are 11-2 on the year. The Techsters have won three straight entering the weekend and are led by National Player of the Week — Lynette Moster.
Florida International... A perennial contender in the Sun Belt, FIU is 4-6 this year and have lost 3 of its last 4 matches including its last two against in-state rivals Florida State (3-2) and Miami (3-0).
TIDE VERSUS THE FIELD
Alabama owns an 7-3 all-time mark against the rest of the teams in the field this weekend. The Tide is 1-2 against Georgia Tech with GT winning the last meeting 3-1 in 1999. Bama is 6-1 versus FIU but the pair have not faced each other since 1980 when the Golden Panthers prevailed 2-0. UA and Cornell are meeting for the first time in volleyball.
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 495 all-time wins, Alabama needs just 5 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 8 "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 9 matches with 10+ aces for the entire year. Bama has 7 double-figure ace performances this 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.
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.
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.
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 vs Michigan... Erin Price tallied her 600th career kill versus Missouri — Price also needs just one block to reach 200 total blocks for her career... Shelly Adamcik surpassed 350 block assist mark for her career against Jacksonville State.
? Baby, Baby — UA assistant coach Michelle Durban and her husband Jason welcomed their first child, Alyson Lynn, on Sept. 18. Alyson weighed 8 lbs, 1 oz and was 21 inches long.
? Following their tourney victory at Illinois State, the Tide 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 and she's made a huge impact for the Tide.
? 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, Neb. A lifetime supporter of the Cornhuskers, she had the chance to play in front of over 50 friends and family members.
? Common Bonds — Erin Heffner and Georgia Tech's Lynette Moster were Club squad teammates in Indiana... Both Den?e Ezerins and Tech's Maria Aston are prep graduates of Huntington Beach (CA) High School... Bama's Erin Price hails from Alpharetta, a suburb of Atlanta.
