Nov. 1, 2012

Marquette Volleyball (21-4, 10-1 BIG EAST)
Marquette Notes (PDF) 

Connecticut (16-10, 7-4 BIG EAST)
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Friday, Nov. 2
Al McGuire Center
7 p.m.

St. John's (18-9, 5-6 BIG EAST)
Watch Live | GameTracker | Twitter (@MarquetteVB)
Sunday, Nov. 4
Al McGuire Center
2 p.m.

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette University women's volleyball team looks to stay atop the BIG EAST Conference standings this weekend when it welcomes Connecticut and St. John's to the Al McGuire Center for a pair of matches.

The Golden Eagles (21-4, 10-1 BIG EAST), who are coming off a 3-0 sweep of Milwaukee on Tuesday evening, will face UConn (16-10, 7-4 BIG EAST) on Friday at 7 p.m. before playing the Red Storm (18-9, 5-6 BIG EAST) at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Both matches over Alumni Weekend will feature live, streaming video broadcasts on GoMarquette.com as well as live statistics through GameTracker. For additional coverage, follow Marquette volleyball on Twitter (@MarquetteVB).

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION:
CONNECTICUT [16-10 (7-4 BIG EAST) | UConnHuskies.com | @UConnVB]: Connecticut has won its previous four matches and sits tied for fourth place in the BIG EAST with Cincinnati. Senior libero Kelsey Maving was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll Monday after averaging 7.00 digs per set in wins over Rutgers and Seton Hall, while middle blocker Immanuella Anagu earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors with averages of 2.88 kills and 1.75 blocks. Maving ranks third in the conference with 5.39 digs per set and sophomore ouside hitter Devon Maugle leads the Huskies and is ninth in the league with 3.26 kills per set. Marquette has won its last two contests against the Huskies, both 3-1 decisions. Series history: MU leads 5-3.

ST. JOHN'S [18-9 (5-6 BIG EAST) | RedStormSports.com | @STJ_Volleyball]: St. John's enters the weekend having dropped six of its previous seven matches, including a 3-2 loss against Rutgers on Sunday, Oct. 28. Freshman outside hitter Karin Palgutova was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll Monday after recording a pair of double-doubles in a 3-1 win over Seton Hall and a five-set loss to Rutgers. Palgutova, who was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Sept. 3, leads the Red Storm with 3.21 kills per set and averages 1.92 digs per frame. The Golden Eagles have won the last four matches against St. John's. Series history: MU leads 4-3.

The Last Meeting Marquette 3 Connecticut 1 October 1, 2011 Storrs, Conn. Golden Eagles Down UConn, 3-1 The Marquette University women's volleyball team rallied from a first set loss to down the University of Connecticut 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-13) Saturday afternoon at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. Recap | Box Score The Last Meeting Marquette 3 St. John's 0 October 2, 2011 Queens, N.Y. Golden Eagles Sweep St. John's For Third BIG EAST Win The Marquette University women's volleyball team improved to 3-0 in BIG EAST Conference play for the first time in program history with a 3-0 sweep of St. John's (25-17, 25-19, 25-23) Sunday afternoon at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, N.Y. Recap | Box Score

MARQUETTE RAISES OVER $5,000 FOR DIG PINK: MU is proud to announce that it has met, and exceeded, its goal of raising $5,000 through its partnership with the Side-Out Foundation's Dig Pink initiative, supporting the fight against breast cancer. Through t-shirt sales, in-game promotions, online pledges and donations on a per-dig basis in the Golden Eagles' Dig Pink match vs. Louisville (Oct. 21), Marquette raised a total amount of $5,380.

By exceeding the set goal, head coach Bond Shymansky will make good on his promise and don a pair of the student section's `Marquette Maniacs' blue and gold overalls as he coaches MU against UConn on Friday, Nov. 2.

CARLSON NAMED BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior Danielle Carlson was named the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week for the first time in her career, the league announced Monday, Oct. 29.

Carlson helped Marquette to a pair of victories at Georgetown and Villanova last weekend while hitting .519 (29-2-52) with 4.14 kills and 1.43 blocks per set. The senior middle hitter recorded just two errors, with both coming in Sunday's sweep of Villanova.

The Marshfield, Wis., native currently has 960 kills and is on pace to become the 12th player in MU history to reach the 1,000-kill plateau on Senior Day (Nov. 11) against Notre Dame.

MARQUETTE HAS 20/10 VISION FOR THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON: Sunday's victory at Villanova marked the third-straight season the Golden Eagles have reached the 20-win plateau with at least 10 conference victories. It is only the fourth time in program history that MU has reached 20 victories since it joined NCAA Division I. Marquette's highest win total as a member of D-I was 24 in 2010.

QUICK HITS/RECENT PROGRAM HISTORY:
• The Golden Eagles are 11-4 at home and a perfect 10-0 away from the Al McGuire Center.
• Marquette is receiving 30 points in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll (Oct. 29), down from 37 last week. It sits three spots outside the top 25.
• The Golden Eagles are ranked No. 36 in the NCAA Division I Ratings Percentage Index rankings, released on Oct. 29.
• Junior Julie Jeziorowski (1,482 digs) moved past Erin Freer (1,405) and sits second on MU's career digs list. She is 85 digs away from the program record of 1,567 set by Jamie Mueller (2003-06).
• Marquette has a trio of BIG EAST individual statistical leaders in Danielle Carlson (.388 hitting pct.), Elizabeth Koberstein (11.48 assists/set) and Lindsey Gosh (0.48 aces/set). MU also leads the BIG EAST in team hitting percentage (.273) and kills per set (14.02).
• The Al McGuire Center will host the 2012 BIG EAST Women's Volleyball Championship on Nov. 16-18. Tickets to the event can be purchased at GoMarquette.com/tickets.
• Marquette was picked second in the BIG EAST Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Seniors Danielle Carlson and Holly Mertens were both All-BIG EAST Preseason Team selections.
• Six Marquette players have earned AVCA All-America honors over the last two years. Carlson could become MU's first two-time AVCA All-American.
• Shymansky earned BIG EAST Conference and AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year honors in 2011, his second such awards after earning ACC and AVCA East Region honors in 2004.
• The Golden Eagles' BIG EAST record has improved each year under Shymansky (2009: 6-8; 2010: 11-3; 2011: 12-2).

UP NEXT: The Golden Eagles travel to No. 12 Louisville to face the Cardinals for the second time this season on Friday, Nov. 9. MU also hosts Notre Dame on Nov. 11.

2012 Honors and Awards:

Danielle Carlson
2012 Ambassador Hotel Golden Eagle Classic MVP
2012 All-Marquette Invitational
2012 All-Xavier Invitational
2012 All-Marquette Challenge
BIG EAST Player of the Week (Oct. 29)
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 17, Oct. 15)

Lindsey Gosh
2012 All-Xavier Invitational

Julie Jeziorowski
2012 All-Ambassador Hotel Golden Eagle Classic

Elizabeth Koberstein
2012 Xavier Invitational MVP
2012 All-Ambassador Hotel Golden Eagle Classic
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 3, Sept. 24)

Erin Lehman
2012 All-Marquette Challenge

Kelsey Mattai
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Oct. 8)

Holly Mertens
BIG EAST Player of the Week (Oct. 1)
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Oct. 22)