Nov. 15, 1999

Illinois (14-8/10-6)
At Michigan/Michigan State
Nov. 19-20 ? 7 p.m.

Illini Back on Winning Track: The Fighting Illini volleyball team broke out of a four-match losing streak with a sweep of Indiana and Northwestern last week. After fighting through a poor performance at Indiana to escape with a five-game win, Illinois swept past Northwestern in three games. This weekend marks Illinois? final regular season road trip. The trip is pivotal to Illinois? NCAA hopes as the Illini face rematches with Michigan State and Michigan.

Scouting the Wolverines: Michigan is 12-13 overall and 4-12 in the Big Ten. The Wolverines started the season 8-1, with their only loss coming to Pepperdine, and were ranked as high as 18th in the nation before faltering during the conference season. Still, Michigan has picked up three of its four conference wins while at home. Illinois won the first meeting between the two schools at Huff Hall. In that match, Illinois took four games to beat the Wolverines. Betsy Spicer had a team-high 16 kills in that match while Michigan?s Sarah Behnke had 19 kills to lead the way for the Wolverines.

Scouting the Spartans: Michigan State is 18-10 overall and 8-8 in the Big Ten conference. MSU is coming off a weekend that saw the Spartans fall on the road to both Ohio State and Penn State. Illinois will be looking for redemption in this match as MSU is one of only three teams to beat Illinois in Huff Hall this season, having swept Illinois in three games earlier this year. MSU is led by Sarah Gustin and Erin Hartley who average 4.25 and 3.98 kills per game, respectively.

Beitz Sets Career Mark in Bloomington: Senior setter Melissa Beitz became Illinois? all-time assists leader after collecting a season-high 66 assists at Indiana. Beitz entered the match needing 45 to break Disa Johnson?s mark of 5,550 assists in a career. Beitz, this year?s team captain and a four-year starter, now has 5,619 assists over her career.

Marshall Threatening Career Digs Record: Now that Melissa Beitz has set the career assists record, it?s time to turn the record watch to senior outside hitter Tracey Marshall, who needs only 31 digs to break Mary Coleman?s career digs record. Marshall, who currently has 1,362 digs in her career, is chasing former teammate Coleman?s mark of 1,393 digs over four years.

TV Date Added: Illinois? rematch with Minnesota on Nov. 26 has been added to the Big Ten volleyball television package. Fox Sports Chicago will air the match on a tape delay basis on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 4 p.m. central time. Illinois? match earlier this season at Minnesota was also broadcast on Fox Sports. Dave Loane will provide play-by-play with Angie Kammer handling the color commentary duties.

Webber Sees Increased Playing Time: True freshman Sue Webber has shown she has the talent to play right away every time she?s had the opportunity this year. She did so once again at Indiana, getting starts in both games four and five against the Hoosiers and responding with a 10-kill night. Webber?s previous high was six kills against Louisville.

Spicer in the Big Ten Rankings: For the season, MB Betsy Spicer ranks sixth in the Big Ten conference with a .339 overall hitting percentage and she?s fifth in blocking with 1.29 blocks per game. In conference games only, Spicer ranks eighth in attack percentage (.313) and sixth in blocking (1.37 blocks per game).

Haddad?s Streak Broken: Sophomore Shadia Haddad had her streak of 18-consecutive matches with at least 10 kills broken in Illinois? three game loss to Ohio State Nov. 5. It was the first time this season she has failed to reach double digits. Haddad is also the only player to reach the 20 kill plateau. Haddad tallied 26 kills in Illinois? five-game win at OSU.

Spread Out Offense: Setter Melissa Beitz is doing a great job of spreading out the Illini attack. Five Illini average more than two kills per game and only one Illinois player, Shadia Haddad, has notched 20 or more kills in one night. Haddad has had 20 kills only once, in a career-high 26 kill performance at Ohio State.

On the Tube: Illinois is 2-3 on TV so far this season. Illinois? matches at Wisconsin, Penn State and Ohio State were all telecast locally while its match at Minnesota was broadcast by Fox Sports Net and the Ohio State match at Huff was aired by espn2. Illinois is scheduled for one more broadcast this season, with its match against Minneosta at Huff Hall being picked up by Fox Sports Net.

Up Against the Best: Illinois is 3-3 against ranked opponents in 1999, having dropped its first match of the season to No. 11 Cal-Santa Barbara, three games to none and lost 3-0 to No. 2 Penn State before beating No. 25 Ohio State, 3-2, in Columbus, No. 18 Wisconsin, 3-0, at home in Huff Hall and No. 22 Minnesota, 3-1, in Minneapolis. Illinois snapped its winning streak against ranked opponents in a four game loss to No. 1 Penn State at home Nov. 6.

Spicer, Haddad Favorite Options: Junior Betsy Spicer and sophomore Shadia Haddad have been setter Melissa Beitz?s favorite and most successful options this season. Haddad is averaging a team-high 3.71 kills per game while Spicer is averaging 3.21 kills per game while hitting a team-high .337.

Argabright to Redshirt: The volleyball team has decided that freshman Lisa Argabright will redshirt the 1999 season. The 6?6? Louisville, Ky., native will not compete for Illinois until the 2000 season. She will continue to practice and travel with the squad.

The Huff Advantage: Illinois is 8-3 this year in Huff Hall and 5-3 in Huff against Big Ten competition. Overall, Illinois has a 180-41 (.814) record at Huff since the team began playing there in 1985.

Two Illini Earn Preseason All-Big Ten Honors: Seniors Melissa Beitz and Tracey Marshall were both named to the 1999 Preseason All-Big Ten team. Beitz is the returning assists leader in the Big Ten. She was named AVCA All-District a year ago after finishing second in the nation in assists. Marshall was a 1998 All-Big Ten pick.

Illinois Picked Third in the Big Ten: In a preseason coaches poll, Illinois was picked to finish third in the Big Ten (behind Penn State and Wisconsin). A year ago, Illinois was picked to finish fourth and stayed true to form. The Big Ten volleyball coaches predicted the following order of finish: 1. Penn State, 2. Wisconsin, 3. Illinois, 4(T). Michigan State and Ohio State, 6. Minnesota, 7. Indiana, 8. Iowa, 9. Purdue, 10. Michigan, 11. Northwestern.

Illinois Ranked 14th Preseason: Ending the 1998 season ranked 14th in the nation, Illinoisearned that same ranking to start 1999 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association/USA Today preseason poll, released on August 12. Illinois is one of four Big Ten schools ranked in the poll: the coaches voted Penn State No. 1, Wisconsin No. 9, Illinois No. 14 and Michigan State No. 22.

Illini Return Four Starters: Despite losing five seniors to graduation, Illinois is returning four starters who have all earned Big Ten recognition at one point in their careers. Seniors Melissa Beitz (S), Tracey Marshall (OH) and Sara Sorrell (OH) all return along with junior Betsy Spicer (MB), one of the most effective blockers in the conference.

Another Tough Schedule: Illinois, which played the toughest schedule in the nation in 1998, faces another grueling schedule in 1999. In addition to stiff Big Ten competition that includes national runner-up Penn State, the Illini have matches scheduled against 1998 NCAA tournament participants UCSB, UNC, Utah, Louisville and Illinois State.

Hardin Enters Fourth Year: Head Coach Don Hardin is entering his fourth year at the helm of the Fighting Illini volleyball team. Hardin, a graduate of Illinois and former assistant coach, has posted a 65-47 record in Champaign. In 1998 he took the team back to the NCAA tournament and Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1995.

Quick Sets: Illinois took game two from George Mason, 15-0, on Sept. 10. The last time Illinois took a game 15-0 was against Delaware on Sept. 29, 1997 . . . Illinois currently ranks 10th in the nation in home attendance with an average of 1,944 fans packing Huff Hall for each match.

AVCA/USA Today Top 25 (Nov. 8)

BIG TEN STANDINGS (as of November 15, 1999)

National Atendance Leaders

Illinois Volleyball Records to Watch

Career Kills

Career Attack Attempts

Career Attack Percentage

Career Digs

Career Assists