Liberty Hosts Winthrop for Senior Day
11/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Live Streaming Video link for Winthrop at Liberty match (Big South EDGE)
Live Stats link for Winthrop at Liberty match
After fashioning an impressive 3-0 victory at High Point Tuesday evening, the Liberty volleyball team has an opportunity to claim its second consecutive Big South regular-season title. A victory during Saturday's home match against Winthrop would clinch at least a share of the conference championship, as the Lady Flames enter the regular season's final weekend as one of three Big South teams with three conference setbacks.
If Liberty is victorious, it would be the first time since the 1997 and 1998 seasons that the Lady Flames have captured back-to-back Big South regular-season crowns. Liberty's three graduating players—Jessica Nelson, Carmen Streeper and Ashley Webber—will be recognized prior to the team's final regular-season contest, as part of the team's Senior Day festivities.
The Match
Saturday, Nov. 15 (Vines Center)
2 p.m. – Winthrop (10-17, 6-8 Big South) at Liberty (21-8, 12-3 Big South)
How to Follow the Lady Flames
Saturday's match versus Winthrop will be televised on WTLU by the announcing team of Ray Jones (play-by-play) and Lee Beaumont (color). The broadcast will also be available on RTN 13.2, the digital station for Lynchburg's WSET ABC 13, and video streamed live through the Big South EDGE. For more information, please click the link at the top of this release or click "Live Video" on the Liberty volleyball schedule/results page.
Live stats will be available for the Liberty-Winthrop match. They are accessible by clicking the link at the top of this release or clicking "Live Stats" on the volleyball schedule/results page of LibertyFlames.com.
A Look at Liberty
Liberty, coached by Shane Pinder (80-76 in his fifth season), is coming off arguably its finest performance of the season. The Lady Flames swept conference leader High Point Tuesday evening, avenging a 3-2 home loss to the Panthers on Oct. 14 and silencing a school-record crowd of 1,127 at the Millis Center. Liberty featured a balanced offensive attack, with all six starters posting between six and 12 kills. However, the Lady Flames' defense was the story of the night.
Liberty tallied 87 digs during its three-set triumph, as compared to just 66 for High Point. The Lady Flames' previous high dig total during a three-set match this season was 63, during their first meeting with Winthrop on Oct. 17. Liberty also notched eight more digs than it did during its 3-2 loss to High Point on Oct. 14, despite playing two fewer sets. The Lady Flames' stifling defense helped hold the potent High Point offense to a .138 attack percentage for the contest.
Freshman libero Kelly Haseman led the way for the Lady Flames, finishing the contest with a new career-high total of 22 digs. Meanwhile, sophomore Nicki Scripko matched her career high with 17 digs versus the Panthers. They were two of the five Lady Flames to reach double figures in the dig category.
This Position Fits Just Right
Scripko played the right-side hitter position last season, when she was named Big South and VaSID Freshman of the Year. This season, she has seen most of her playing time across the net at outside hitter. Scripko moved back to the right side on Tuesday, however, and excelled in her old spot.
The sophomore hit .345 with a team-high 12 kills, a career-high nine assists and a career-high matching 17 digs versus High Point. She fell a single assist shy of her first career triple-double and the first by a Lady Flame this season. Junior teammate Kallie Corbin has notched six career triple-doubles at setter, but is still seeking her first of the 2008 season.
Lucky 13
A win over Winthrop on Saturday would give the Lady Flames 13 Big South victories this season, tying the program record for most Big South triumphs in a single season. In 2003, Liberty went 13-1 in conference action, establishing the program standard while capturing the Big South regular-season title.
Eight Blocks is Enough
When Liberty has blocked well this season, the Lady Flames have won. In fact, Liberty is 13-1 when recording eight or more rejections. The Lady Flames' loss at Presbyterian on Nov. 8 marked their first setback this season when notching at least eight blocks. Conversely, the Lady Flames are only 8-7 when failing to reach the eight-block plateau.
Fond Memories
Winthrop is visiting Lynchburg for the first time since playing in a pair of memorable matches at the Vines Center last season. On Oct. 27, 2007, the Eagles entered the Vines Center riding a 63-match Big South winning streak. Liberty halted the lengthy streak with a 3-0 sweep, thrilling a then Big South-record crowd of 1,583.
Exactly three weeks later, on Nov. 17, Winthrop returned to the Vines Center to meet host Liberty in the championship tilt of the Big South Volleyball Championship. The Lady Flames again recorded a 3-0 victory over the Eagles, capturing its first Big South title since 2001.
The 300 Club
Senior Ashley Webber totaled two blocks on Tuesday, increasing her career total to 303. Webber now owns sole possession of sixth place on the Lady Flames' career list.
Webber has also gained regular membership in another .300 club during Big South play this season. She has hit .300 or higher during 13 of Liberty's 15 conference matches, highlighted by her school-record .875 effort at Winthrop on Oct. 17. Webber is hitting .492 versus Big South foes this year.
A Quick Look at the 2008 Big South Volleyball Championship
After its match against Winthrop, the Lady Flames will begin preparations for the 2008 Big South Volleyball Championship, where they will attempt to defend their conference championship. The entire tournament will be hosted by UNC Asheville at the Justice Center, Nov. 21-23, with the winner earning a spot in the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship.
As alluded to above, Liberty is one of three teams still in the hunt for the tournament's coveted No. 1 seed, along with Coastal Carolina and High Point. The seeds and full tournament bracket will be announced Sunday, following the conclusion of the conference's final regular-season match between Winthrop and Radford.
The Lady Flames enjoyed a first-round bye in last season's Big South Championship, but no byes will be available this time around. Gardner-Webb's addition to the conference brings the total number of eligible participating teams back to eight.
Big South's Best
Four Liberty players are ranked among the top five on the Big South statistical leaderboard. McCarty leads the conference in attack percentage (.344), while position mate Webber sits fifth in blocks per set (0.83 bps). Corbin is listed second in assists per set (9.15 aps) and fourth in aces per set (0.35 aps), while sophomore Scripko is ranked third in service aces per set (0.35 aps) and fourth in kills per set (3.48 kps).
Several Lady Flames may also be found among the conference leaders in Big South matches. McCarty also leads Big South players in attack percentage in conference-only contests (.348) and is fourth in blocks per set (0.89 bps). In Big South matches only, Corbin is second in service aces per set (0.44 aps) and fifth in both assists (8.83 aps) and attack percentage (.283). Meanwhile, Scripko ranks third in both kills per set (3.74 kps) and aces per set (0.38 aps).
Scouting Report
Winthrop – 10-17, 6-8 Big South
The Winthrop Eagles are coached by Sally Polhamus, who is 30-29 in her second season as head coach. The Eagles have won four consecutive Big South regular-season titles, sharing their 2007 championship with Liberty, but the streak will come to an end this season.
Winthrop, which features only one senior and one junior on its 2008 roster, has lost eight conference tilts, after suffering only seven Big South losses in the previous seven seasons combined. Additionally, the Eagles have gone just 1-8 in road matches this year, defeating Charleston Southern on Nov. 4.
The Eagles' only senior is a very talented one, Big South Preseason Player of the Year Shannon Sitzmann. Sitzmann, who stands 6-3, has played middle blocker for most of her career but has moved to outside hitter at times this season, due to the Eagles' numerous injuries. She ranks third in the conference with 358 kills on the year.
Right-side hitter Kelley Taylor, Winthrop's lone junior, is third in the Big South with 87 blocks. Meanwhile, freshman libero Janice Rivera ranks second among conference players with 463 digs.
Liberty has won three straight meetings with the Eagles, giving the Lady Flames a 21-15 edge in the teams' head-to-head series. Liberty is seeking its first season sweep of Winthrop since the 2003 campaign. The Lady Flames won a 3-0 decision at the Winthrop Coliseum on Oct. 17, snapping the Eagles' 34-match home winning streak against conference opponents. Ashley Webber led Liberty with 14 kills, setting a school single-match record with an .875 attack percentage.
Live Stats link for Winthrop at Liberty match
After fashioning an impressive 3-0 victory at High Point Tuesday evening, the Liberty volleyball team has an opportunity to claim its second consecutive Big South regular-season title. A victory during Saturday's home match against Winthrop would clinch at least a share of the conference championship, as the Lady Flames enter the regular season's final weekend as one of three Big South teams with three conference setbacks.
If Liberty is victorious, it would be the first time since the 1997 and 1998 seasons that the Lady Flames have captured back-to-back Big South regular-season crowns. Liberty's three graduating players—Jessica Nelson, Carmen Streeper and Ashley Webber—will be recognized prior to the team's final regular-season contest, as part of the team's Senior Day festivities.
The Match
Saturday, Nov. 15 (Vines Center)
2 p.m. – Winthrop (10-17, 6-8 Big South) at Liberty (21-8, 12-3 Big South)
How to Follow the Lady Flames
Saturday's match versus Winthrop will be televised on WTLU by the announcing team of Ray Jones (play-by-play) and Lee Beaumont (color). The broadcast will also be available on RTN 13.2, the digital station for Lynchburg's WSET ABC 13, and video streamed live through the Big South EDGE. For more information, please click the link at the top of this release or click "Live Video" on the Liberty volleyball schedule/results page.
Live stats will be available for the Liberty-Winthrop match. They are accessible by clicking the link at the top of this release or clicking "Live Stats" on the volleyball schedule/results page of LibertyFlames.com.
A Look at Liberty
Liberty, coached by Shane Pinder (80-76 in his fifth season), is coming off arguably its finest performance of the season. The Lady Flames swept conference leader High Point Tuesday evening, avenging a 3-2 home loss to the Panthers on Oct. 14 and silencing a school-record crowd of 1,127 at the Millis Center. Liberty featured a balanced offensive attack, with all six starters posting between six and 12 kills. However, the Lady Flames' defense was the story of the night.
Liberty tallied 87 digs during its three-set triumph, as compared to just 66 for High Point. The Lady Flames' previous high dig total during a three-set match this season was 63, during their first meeting with Winthrop on Oct. 17. Liberty also notched eight more digs than it did during its 3-2 loss to High Point on Oct. 14, despite playing two fewer sets. The Lady Flames' stifling defense helped hold the potent High Point offense to a .138 attack percentage for the contest.
Freshman libero Kelly Haseman led the way for the Lady Flames, finishing the contest with a new career-high total of 22 digs. Meanwhile, sophomore Nicki Scripko matched her career high with 17 digs versus the Panthers. They were two of the five Lady Flames to reach double figures in the dig category.
This Position Fits Just Right
Scripko played the right-side hitter position last season, when she was named Big South and VaSID Freshman of the Year. This season, she has seen most of her playing time across the net at outside hitter. Scripko moved back to the right side on Tuesday, however, and excelled in her old spot.
The sophomore hit .345 with a team-high 12 kills, a career-high nine assists and a career-high matching 17 digs versus High Point. She fell a single assist shy of her first career triple-double and the first by a Lady Flame this season. Junior teammate Kallie Corbin has notched six career triple-doubles at setter, but is still seeking her first of the 2008 season.
Lucky 13
A win over Winthrop on Saturday would give the Lady Flames 13 Big South victories this season, tying the program record for most Big South triumphs in a single season. In 2003, Liberty went 13-1 in conference action, establishing the program standard while capturing the Big South regular-season title.
Eight Blocks is Enough
When Liberty has blocked well this season, the Lady Flames have won. In fact, Liberty is 13-1 when recording eight or more rejections. The Lady Flames' loss at Presbyterian on Nov. 8 marked their first setback this season when notching at least eight blocks. Conversely, the Lady Flames are only 8-7 when failing to reach the eight-block plateau.
Fond Memories
Winthrop is visiting Lynchburg for the first time since playing in a pair of memorable matches at the Vines Center last season. On Oct. 27, 2007, the Eagles entered the Vines Center riding a 63-match Big South winning streak. Liberty halted the lengthy streak with a 3-0 sweep, thrilling a then Big South-record crowd of 1,583.
Exactly three weeks later, on Nov. 17, Winthrop returned to the Vines Center to meet host Liberty in the championship tilt of the Big South Volleyball Championship. The Lady Flames again recorded a 3-0 victory over the Eagles, capturing its first Big South title since 2001.
The 300 Club
Senior Ashley Webber totaled two blocks on Tuesday, increasing her career total to 303. Webber now owns sole possession of sixth place on the Lady Flames' career list.
Webber has also gained regular membership in another .300 club during Big South play this season. She has hit .300 or higher during 13 of Liberty's 15 conference matches, highlighted by her school-record .875 effort at Winthrop on Oct. 17. Webber is hitting .492 versus Big South foes this year.
A Quick Look at the 2008 Big South Volleyball Championship
After its match against Winthrop, the Lady Flames will begin preparations for the 2008 Big South Volleyball Championship, where they will attempt to defend their conference championship. The entire tournament will be hosted by UNC Asheville at the Justice Center, Nov. 21-23, with the winner earning a spot in the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship.
As alluded to above, Liberty is one of three teams still in the hunt for the tournament's coveted No. 1 seed, along with Coastal Carolina and High Point. The seeds and full tournament bracket will be announced Sunday, following the conclusion of the conference's final regular-season match between Winthrop and Radford.
The Lady Flames enjoyed a first-round bye in last season's Big South Championship, but no byes will be available this time around. Gardner-Webb's addition to the conference brings the total number of eligible participating teams back to eight.
Big South's Best
Four Liberty players are ranked among the top five on the Big South statistical leaderboard. McCarty leads the conference in attack percentage (.344), while position mate Webber sits fifth in blocks per set (0.83 bps). Corbin is listed second in assists per set (9.15 aps) and fourth in aces per set (0.35 aps), while sophomore Scripko is ranked third in service aces per set (0.35 aps) and fourth in kills per set (3.48 kps).
Several Lady Flames may also be found among the conference leaders in Big South matches. McCarty also leads Big South players in attack percentage in conference-only contests (.348) and is fourth in blocks per set (0.89 bps). In Big South matches only, Corbin is second in service aces per set (0.44 aps) and fifth in both assists (8.83 aps) and attack percentage (.283). Meanwhile, Scripko ranks third in both kills per set (3.74 kps) and aces per set (0.38 aps).
Scouting Report
Winthrop – 10-17, 6-8 Big South
The Winthrop Eagles are coached by Sally Polhamus, who is 30-29 in her second season as head coach. The Eagles have won four consecutive Big South regular-season titles, sharing their 2007 championship with Liberty, but the streak will come to an end this season.
Winthrop, which features only one senior and one junior on its 2008 roster, has lost eight conference tilts, after suffering only seven Big South losses in the previous seven seasons combined. Additionally, the Eagles have gone just 1-8 in road matches this year, defeating Charleston Southern on Nov. 4.
The Eagles' only senior is a very talented one, Big South Preseason Player of the Year Shannon Sitzmann. Sitzmann, who stands 6-3, has played middle blocker for most of her career but has moved to outside hitter at times this season, due to the Eagles' numerous injuries. She ranks third in the conference with 358 kills on the year.
Right-side hitter Kelley Taylor, Winthrop's lone junior, is third in the Big South with 87 blocks. Meanwhile, freshman libero Janice Rivera ranks second among conference players with 463 digs.
Liberty has won three straight meetings with the Eagles, giving the Lady Flames a 21-15 edge in the teams' head-to-head series. Liberty is seeking its first season sweep of Winthrop since the 2003 campaign. The Lady Flames won a 3-0 decision at the Winthrop Coliseum on Oct. 17, snapping the Eagles' 34-match home winning streak against conference opponents. Ashley Webber led Liberty with 14 kills, setting a school single-match record with an .875 attack percentage.
Tuesday, November 18
Saturday, October 11
Saturday, September 27
Wednesday, September 24