September 21, 1998
Shamrock Split: The Irish (2-1) played their first home matches of the season, a five-game win over Georgia and a three-game loss against 12th-ranked Colorado, in the Shamrock Invitational last weekend.
In the Georgia match, Notre Dame came back from a 2-1 game deficit by winning the final two games including the rally scoring fifth game, 15-8. The win improved Notre Dame’s all-time record against Georgia to 2-3 with two wins in the last two seasons.
Against Colorado, the Irish were unable to match a high-powered Buffalo squad, which had five players finish with double-digit kill totals. Notre Dame out blocked Colorado 12-6, but had less opportunities on offense. Lindsay Treadwell contributed another great all-around game for Notre Dame with 14 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Jo Jameyson (Alvin, Texas) also had an outstanding offensive and defensive night, leading the team in kills with 16 and blocks with seven.
All-Tourney
The Shamrock all-tournament team included three members from Colorado and Notre Dame and one player from Georgia.
Shamrock All-Tournament Team
MVP - Sarah Lodge (CO)Lindsay Treadwell (ND)Denise Boylan (ND)Jo Jameyson (ND)Kelly Campbell (CO)Kristin Dorsch (CO)Kathy Vis (GA)
Player of the Week
Senior Lindsay Treadwell (Austin, Texas) has been named BIG EAST player of the week for her efforts in Notre Dame’s three matches. The middle blocker hit a combined .458 with 37 kills and just four errors in 72 attempts. She also recorded double-doubles (kills/digs) in all three matches to go along with 12 total blocks. Treadwell made the Shamrock all-tournament team and received BIG EAST player of the week honors a year ago today for her efforts at the Spikeoff Spokane tournament, Sept. 5-6, 1997.
USA Today/AVCA
Top 25 Poll
As of Sept. 7, 1998
Ranked School Previous Ranking1. Penn State (4-0) 12. Long Beach St. (4-0) 23. USC (3-1) 34. Nebraska (4-0) 55. UCSB (3-0) 106. BYU (4-0) 87. Texas (3-0) 98. Wisconsin (4-1) 79. Stanford (2-2) 410. Pacific (4-0) 1111. Florida (2-1) 612. Colorado (2-0) 1213. Hawai'i (2-1) 1414. Ohio State (2-1) 1315. Arkansas (2-1) 1516. Michigan State (3-0) 1717. LMU (3-0) 2018. NOTRE DAME (2-1) 1619. Texas A&M (2-1) 1920. UCLA (0-3) 1821. USD (2-2) 2122. Florida State (3-0) 2423. Washington (0-2) 2324. Washington St. (2-1) 2225. Arizona (4-0) NR
Others: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Louisville, Texas Tech, Pepperdine, Kansas State, Clemson, Utah, Oklahoma, Illinois State, Miami (Ohio), Sacramento State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oral Roberts, Ball State, Arkansas State, Georgia, Northern Illinois.
Volleyball Magazine
Top 20 Poll
As of Sept. 8, 1998
Ranked School Previous Ranking1. Long Beach St.(4-0) 12. Penn State (4-0) 23. Texas (3-0) 34. UCSB (3-0) 95. Nebraska (4-0) 66. Pacific (4-0) 77. USC (3-1) 48. Colorado (2-0) 89. BYU (4-0) 1010. Stanford (2-2) 511. Florida (2-1) 1112. Wisconsin (4-1) 1213. Arkansas (2-1) 1314. Hawai'i (2-1) 1515. Michigan State (3-0) 1616. Washington St. (2-1) 1717. Florida State (3-0) 1918. LMU (3-0) NR19. Arizona (4-0) NR20. Ohio State (2-1) NR
National Attendance AveragesAs of Sept. 6, 19981. Hawai'i 7,2072. Nebraska 3,1493. Long Beach St. 2,3414. Pacific 1,8325. Penn State 1,5946. Texas 1,3447. Illinois 1,2108. New Mexico 1,1389. Washington St. 1,12010. Michigan St. 958
Record Breakers
So far this season, a number of Notre Dame players have broken previous career bests. Leading the way was Jo Jameyson, who broke at least one career record in all three matches thus far this season. At Valparaiso, she had three service aces, beating her previous mark of two against Pittsburgh at the 1997 BIG EAST Tournament. In the match against Georgia, she had 10 block assists, beating her previous record by seven. On Sunday against Colorado, the middle blocker/outside hitter set career records in kills (16), hitting percentage (.433), attack attempts (30) and solo blocks (2).
Emily Schiebout (Blaine, Minn.) set a personal best for digs in the match against Georgia with 10, while sophomore Christi Girton (Muncie, Ind.) set four personal bests against Georgia for kills (17), attack attempts (34), assists (4) and digs (12). Junior Mandi Powell (Monrovia, Ind.) set a career best in aces with three against Valparaiso and Georgia. Her seven aces so far in ’98 already beats her career total of four.
Victory at Valpo
Notre Dame opened the season on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at Valparaiso with a 3-0 win. The Irish took just a little over an hour to beat the Crusaders 15-3, 15-4, 15-5. Lindsay Treadwell led the team with 11 kills and just two errors in 16 attempts for a .563 hitting percentage. Christi Girton was second on the team with nine kills, while freshman Marcie Bomhack (Waukesha, Wis.), in her first collegiate match, had seven kills and six digs. The team hit .352 overall and increased their all-time series record versus Valparaiso to 13-2.
Placing in the polls
The Irish fell two places from 16th to 18th in a poll released by USA Today/AVCA on Monday. A win against eighth-ranked Wisconsin could vault Notre Dame upwards next week. Other 1998 Irish opponents in the polls include: Florida (11th), Colorado (12th) and Michigan State (16th). Utah, Illinois State, Oral Roberts and Georgia also received points in the poll.
Inntowner Invitational
In a rematch of the 1997 NCAA Central Regional game, the Irish will travel to Madison, Wis. this weekend for the Inntowner Invitational. Notre Dame will play Wisconsin on Friday and then square-off against Indiana on Sunday. USC, the third-ranked team in the country, will also compete at the tournament.
Scouting the Badgers
Wisconsin enters this weekend’s match with the Irish ranked eighth in the latest poll. Seventh-year head coach John Cook returns four starters and 12 letterwinners from his 30-3 team which won a share of the 1997 BIG Ten Conference Championship. Thus far this season, Wisconsin is 4-1 with a 3-0 loss against third-ranked USC and wins versus New Mexico, Butler, Ball State and #15 Arkansas.
Cook’s 1998 leaders include 1997 2nd team All-American Kelly Kennedy, Kate Fitzgerald, Keylee Wright and setter Colleen Neels. Kennedy and Fitzgerald both have 68 kills this season and average 4.00 kills per game. Neels is averaging 14.24 assists per game and leading her team with 61 digs.
The Wisconsin-Notre Dame all-time series currently stands at 1-3 in favor of the Badgers, who have won the last two meetings both in 1997. Scouting the Hoosiers: Indiana is 2-1 this year with wins over Colorado State and Middle Tennessee State. The Hoosiers have already played three five-game matches, including the game against Colorado State and a loss to Arizona. Head coach Katie Weismiller, also in her seventh season, has 11 letterwinners and five of six starters returning. Indiana’s top players include outside hitters Jen Magelssen and Ryann Connors, who is leading the team in kills.
The Indiana-Notre Dame all-time series currently stands at 6-4 in favor of the Irish who have won four of the last meetings from 1993-96. Welcome Wisconsin: This weekend’s tournament will mark a homecoming and a number of reunions for the Irish. First off, freshman Marcie Bomhack will be making her first trip back to Wisconsin. Bomhack’s hometown of Waukesha, Wis. is about an hour away from Madison. Along with her family and friends, Bomhack will be reunited with Catholic Memorial high school teammate Colleen Neels (Wisconsin) and Milwaukee Sting club teammates Laurie Gardner (Indiana), Hayley Jones, Jenny Mastricht and Marie Meyer (Wisconsin).
Reunion City
Marcie Bomhack will not be the only one who will be reunited with previous teammates. Denise Boylan (Lisle, Ill.) will be reunited with her Benet Academy teammate Kristina Sanderson (Indiana) and Sport Performance club teammate Jill Mudge. Mary Leffers (Tampa, Fla.) is scheduled to play against Ryan Connors (Indiana) who was a teammate at a national All-America match, while Christi Girton (Muncie, Ind.) should face Wisconsin’s Keylee Wright and Marisa Mackey who are both from Muncie but went to Burris High School. Adrienne Shimmel (Mission Viejo, Calif.) will also get a chance to see former club teammate Janae Henry (USC) even though the Irish will not face the Trojans.
Although she will not see action this weekend because of off-season back surgery, Notre Dame’s Lauren Stettin (Burr Ridge, Ill.) will get a chance to see Sports Performance club teammates Kelly Kennedy (Wisconsin), Melissa Rooney, Kristina Sanderson and Jill Mudge (Indiana).
Trading Coaches
Although it wasn’t planned, Indiana and Notre Dame actually ended up trading assistant coaches this season. Current Irish assistant coach Jessica Fiebelkorn-Kerr (Notre Dame ’93) was at Indiana for four seasons under coach Katie Weismiller before returning to her alma mater this year. Elaina Oden, a Notre Dame assistant coach in 1997, now is the first assistant under Weismiller at Indiana.
BIG IRISH Honors
Opening the 1998 season, the Irish were picked in a vote of the 12 BIG EAST coaches to win their fourth consecutive BIG EAST regular season title. Notre Dame received 10 of the 12 first-place votes. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own squads and also picked a preseason all-BIG EAST team. Leading the way for the Irish was sophomore setter Denise Boylan, who was chosen as the preseason BIG EAST player of the year and was the only unanimous selection. Also making the team for the Irish was junior middle blocker Mary Leffers who was named to the BIG EAST first team in ’97 and to the BIG EAST all-rookie team as a freshman.
Pre-season All BIG EAST TeamDenise Boylan (Notre Dame)*Kiran Gill (Georgetown)Janelle Koester (UCONN)Mary Leffers (Notre Dame)Annette Rynn (UCONN)Joi Thomas (St. John's)Paula Zemrowski (Pittsburgh)*=Unanimous selection