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Nov. 11, 2007

Ames, Iowa – Kayla Banwarth enjoyed a successful homecoming, totaling a career-high 19 digs in her first career start to lead second-ranked Nebraska to a 30-20, 30-19, 30-16 victory over Iowa State Sunday afternoon.

Banwarth, playing in front of nearly 40 family and friends who made the drive from Dubuque, keyed the Huskers’ defensive efforts, as Nebraska (23-1, 15-1 Big 12) held Iowa State to. 135 hitting and out dug the Cycloens, 59-45. The all-around effort silenced the Hilton Coliseum crowd of 6,705 – the largest collegiate crowd to ever see a volleyball match in Iowa. Banworth also chipped in five assists and a service ace as Nebraska totaled five aces and held Iowa State (15-11, 9-7 Big 12) without an ace.

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Nov. 11, 2007

Lexington, KY

Senior outside hitter Marcie Hampton (Gainesville, Fla.) recorded her 14th double-double of the season on Sunday to lead the eighth-ranked University of Florida volleyball team to a 3-0 (30-28, 30-19, 30-22) win over Kentucky at Memorial Coliseum.

The win is UF’s eighth-consecutive win, and also marks the Gators’ seventh sweep in a row. They are now just one win away from extending the nation’s longest streak of 25-win seasons to 17.

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Nov. 11, 2007

LAS CRUCES, N.M.-The

No. 13 New Mexico State volleyball team dominated in ever aspect of the match as they swept Fresno State (30-20, 30-18, 30-16) at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M., Nov. 11.



It was the second time NMSU swept the Bulldogs and it was the second time the Aggies got 60 kills against them, which is the most this season in a three-game match. Sophomore Krista Altermatt (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) led the way as she had a match-high 16 kills, while senior Briana Akrie (Aurora, Colo.) was the defensive leader with 17 digs.

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Nov. 11, 2007

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Appropriately, a pair of seniors on the University of Notre Dame volleyball team came up huge on Senior Day during Sunday's BIG EAST Conference win over No. 17 Louisville.

Ashley Tarutis (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos) and Adrianna Stasiuk (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) each notched double-doubles as the Irish (13-12 overall, 9-5 BIG EAST) toppled UofL, 3-1 (30-28, 30-16, 25-30, 30-28), in front of 1,511 fans at the Joyce Center.

Tarutis had a match-high 58 assists - which brought her season total to 1,032 - with 11 digs and Stasiuk converted 11 attacks with 11 digs.

The pair has posted a 90-39 (.698) overall record spanning the past four seasons including a 37-14 (.725) mark at home.

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Nov. 11, 2007

TAMPA, FLA. - The No. 21 St. John's volleyball team defeated the University of South Florida Bulls, 3-1 (30-23, 30-16, 28-30, 30-26), Sunday afternoon. The Red Storm ends the regular season with a 28-3 overall record (13-1 BIG EAST), while the Bulls dropped to 17-9 (8-6 BIG EAST).

Senior LaToya Blunt led all players with 18 kills, while seniors Dana DeMayo and Hui Ping Huang chipped in with 15 kills apiece. Senior Wioleta Leszczynska had a match-high 56 assists. Junior Valeria Kovaleva recorded a double-double with 15 digs and 13 kills, while fellow classmate Lena Yee recorded 20 digs, the match-high.

In game one, the Red Storm grabbed the first four points. The Bulls called their first timeout at 10-5. St. John's built up a 16-8 lead, but USF fought right back to within three points, at 17-14, but could not get any closer as they used their second and final timeout of the game trailing 21-15. On game point for the Red Storm, 29-19, the Bulls put together four straight points, but Kovaleva ended game one, 30-23, with a kill!

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Nov. 11, 2007

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State’s senior-laden volleyball team closed out its 2007 home schedule in memorable fashion Sunday, knocking off instate SEC rival Ole Miss 3-1 (30-22, 27-30, 30-23, 30-27) to gain a split of this year’s season series. The win was the fourth straight at home and seventh in the last eight matches for the Bulldogs (12-15, 7-11 SEC) and knocked the Rebels (22-7, 12-6 SEC), currently sporting a No. 25 national RPI ranking, out of first place in the SEC Western Division.

"What a great way for our seniors to end their careers," said fourth-year Bulldog head coach Tina Seals. "They were determined to defend the home court and finish their careers unbeaten at home against Ole Miss. I’m very proud of the way they continued to battle and keep their focus in such an emotional match."

Seals was particularly pleased with the play of senior middles Erin Seago and Lauren Kowal, who helped the Bulldogs claim a 12-8 edge in team blocking. Seago tallied a team-leading 14 kills on an efficient .636 hitting performance with three blocks. Kowal finished with seven kills but matched a career-best with eight total blocks (one solo and seven assists).

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