Volleyball needs to bounce back today after its loss to #1 Penn State against another tough opponent, the #6 rated Illini. This is the 2nd of 2 matches the Buffs are participating in as part of Big 10/ Pac 12 Challenge, (with Stanford being the other Pac 12 participant).
A short review of Illinois from the cubuffs article (http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=210314529) previewing the weekend -
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The Illini are 3-0 to start the season, defeating Louisville, Miami (Ohio) and Creighton at the Illinois Classic. Michelle Strizak recorded 4.71 kills per set to lead UI, while Jocelynn Birks added 4.11 kills per set. Jordyn Poulter handed out 11.44 assists per set and directed UI to a .289 hitting percentage. Defensively, Brandi Donnelly picked up 5.44 digs in nine sets (49 total). Katie Stadick and Ali Bastianelli each posted 1.22 blocks per set last weekend.
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(I forgot to mention in the previous preview thread that both Penn State and Illinois feature Colorado players as being one of if not THE the core parts of their teams. In yesterday's match against Penn State, the Buffs actually held pretty much everyone of Penn State's stars to low hitting %'s. One of the two exceptions was their sophomore middle blocker Haleigh Washington, who "killed" the Buffs, leading Penn State with 8 kills while hitting .500. Ms. Washington, the #1 ranked national recruit per prepvolleyball in her class, won a Colorado State Championship in 2012 while on the same team, Doherty HS, as Cierra and Gabby Simpson, and I assumed graduated in the same ceremony as Gabby. In today's match, the Buffs are facing an Illinois team also with serious aspirations of a national championship. If they do accomplish this, the main difference maker will probably be freshman setter Jordyn Poulter, who won pretty much every setter high school and junior national setter award she qualified for the last year or two, and was the prepvolleyball.com #3 overall ranked recruit in this year's freshman class. Ms. Poulter is I believe from Aurora, and went to Eagle Crest HS.)
Links to follow the match-
Live Video- On the Big 10 Network. Also available via online stream (for those whose cable/ sattelite subscription includes the Big 10 network, and provides streaming of that channel.)
Note- if you're a big fan of volleyball, or are just OD'ing on football, wanted to mention that, right after the Buff's match, the Big 10 network will be showing the Penn State- Stanford match, which is probably THE college match of the regular season for a volleyball fan. The 2 teams are the #1 and 2 ranked teams in the country right now, and also are the "all-time" top programs, with them being 1-2 in all-time national championships in the NCAA era which started in 1981, with Penn State having won the championship 7 times and Stanford 6.
Live Audio-
The Illinois website has the following link for their audio broadcast- http://www.fightingillini.com/watch/?Live=40 (Not sure if it's a free stream or not? ) If this link doesn't work, tunein.com/radio/NewsTalk-1400-s28378/ maybe another option.
Live Stats (Gametracker)- http://www.cstv.com/gametracker/lau...hool=fo&sport=wvolley&camefrom=&startschool=&
A short review of Illinois from the cubuffs article (http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=210314529) previewing the weekend -
"...
The Illini are 3-0 to start the season, defeating Louisville, Miami (Ohio) and Creighton at the Illinois Classic. Michelle Strizak recorded 4.71 kills per set to lead UI, while Jocelynn Birks added 4.11 kills per set. Jordyn Poulter handed out 11.44 assists per set and directed UI to a .289 hitting percentage. Defensively, Brandi Donnelly picked up 5.44 digs in nine sets (49 total). Katie Stadick and Ali Bastianelli each posted 1.22 blocks per set last weekend.
...
"
(I forgot to mention in the previous preview thread that both Penn State and Illinois feature Colorado players as being one of if not THE the core parts of their teams. In yesterday's match against Penn State, the Buffs actually held pretty much everyone of Penn State's stars to low hitting %'s. One of the two exceptions was their sophomore middle blocker Haleigh Washington, who "killed" the Buffs, leading Penn State with 8 kills while hitting .500. Ms. Washington, the #1 ranked national recruit per prepvolleyball in her class, won a Colorado State Championship in 2012 while on the same team, Doherty HS, as Cierra and Gabby Simpson, and I assumed graduated in the same ceremony as Gabby. In today's match, the Buffs are facing an Illinois team also with serious aspirations of a national championship. If they do accomplish this, the main difference maker will probably be freshman setter Jordyn Poulter, who won pretty much every setter high school and junior national setter award she qualified for the last year or two, and was the prepvolleyball.com #3 overall ranked recruit in this year's freshman class. Ms. Poulter is I believe from Aurora, and went to Eagle Crest HS.)
Links to follow the match-
Live Video- On the Big 10 Network. Also available via online stream (for those whose cable/ sattelite subscription includes the Big 10 network, and provides streaming of that channel.)
Note- if you're a big fan of volleyball, or are just OD'ing on football, wanted to mention that, right after the Buff's match, the Big 10 network will be showing the Penn State- Stanford match, which is probably THE college match of the regular season for a volleyball fan. The 2 teams are the #1 and 2 ranked teams in the country right now, and also are the "all-time" top programs, with them being 1-2 in all-time national championships in the NCAA era which started in 1981, with Penn State having won the championship 7 times and Stanford 6.
Live Audio-
The Illinois website has the following link for their audio broadcast- http://www.fightingillini.com/watch/?Live=40 (Not sure if it's a free stream or not? ) If this link doesn't work, tunein.com/radio/NewsTalk-1400-s28378/ maybe another option.
Live Stats (Gametracker)- http://www.cstv.com/gametracker/lau...hool=fo&sport=wvolley&camefrom=&startschool=&
