Press Release

SEPTEMBER 21, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: CHRISTINE FRANCIES, ASST. SID
260-481-6646

IPFW Women’s Volleyball Invitational presented by U.S. Cellular Preview

Fort Wayne, IN - The IPFW Mastodons will host the DePaul Blue Demons, St. John’s Redstorm, and the University of Evansville Purple Aces this weekend for the 2004 IPFW Women’s Volleyball Invitational presented by U.S. Cellular at the Gates Sports Center.

The Mastodons are coming off of a loss to Georgia Tech at the Miami, OH Invitational on Saturday and are now 7-4 for the season. Junior Fabiana Souza leads the Mastodons with 205 kills in 11 matches. She is averaging 5 kills per game and is currently 21st in the nation in kills per game. Freshman Cynara Martins has recorded 112 kills for the season. Junior Ashlee Roth has recorded 443 assists as the starting setter for the Dons this season. In blocking, Souza leads the Dons with 42 total blocks so far this season. Sophomore Claire Jackson follows with 38 total blocks and senior Lindsay Brammer has 37 total. Freshman Peachy Jankowski has settled nicely into the libero position and has recorded 126 digs for the season. Martins has also been of assistance in the digs department with 129. The Dons returned five starters and nine letterwinners from last year’s squad which finished 20-11.

The DePaul Blue Demons are 6-6 for the season and just completed their Blue Demon Invitational this past weekend. DePaul finished the invitational with a win over Western Illinois. Junior Mandy Moorberg leds the Blue Demons with 165 kills in 12 matches this season. Senior Janet Goreham is not only attacking well, but blocking also. She has posted 158 kills, 14 block solos and 40 block assists for the season thus far. The Blue Demons returned five starters and ten letterwinners this season from a squad that finished 11-20.

The Purple Aces of Evansville are hosting Southern Illinois tonight and are looking for their first conference win of the season. They are 6-4 for the season heading into tonight’s game. The Purple Aces finished last year 7-23 with five starters and six letterwinners returning this season. Sophomore Megan Spurlock leads the Purple Aces with 136 kills in 34 games. Spurlock is averaging 4 kills per game. She is also assisting in blocking (19 block assists) and service aces (12). Sophomore libero Sarah McClellan has recorded 124 digs for the season.

St. John’s Redstorm is coming off a four game win streak to play Hofstra tomorrow night before they head to the Invitational. The Redstorm are currently 6-3 for the season. They are returning three starters and six letterwinners with nine newcomers this year. Last year they finished 26-9 for the season. Junior Jackie Ahlers has recorded 174 kills, averaging 5.61 per game, and 17 total blocks in nine matches so far this season. Freshman Lisa Tedder has 385 assists, 5 service aces, and 13 block assists for the season. Sophomore Nicole Colaluca has already recorded 14 services aces for the season.

The 2004 IPFW Women's Volleyball Invitational presented by U.S. Cellular begins on Friday, September 24 at 5:00 p.m. with DePaul facing Evansville. The Mastodons are in action following versus St. John’s at 7:30 p.m. The tournament schedule is as follows:

Friday	September 24	DePaul vs. Evansville	5:00 p.m.
		IPFW vs. St. John's	7:30 p.m.
Saturday	September 25	St. John's vs. DePaul	11:00 a.m.
		Evansville vs. IPFW	1:30 p.m.
		St. John's vs. Evansville	4:30 p.m.
		IPFW vs. DePaul	7:00 p.m.

 

 

 

~Dons~