UMBC

Printer Friendly  Email This Page
News Release

UMBC Volleyball News and Notes:

10/5/2006

The UMBC women’s volleyball team returns home this Friday evening to host Maine in the Retrievers conference home opener.  Maine currently sits at the top of the league standings with a 2-0 mark while UMBC is 1-1 after splitting last weekend in two league games. 

This Week

Date                             Opponent                           Time                     

Fri. Oct. 6                     Maine                                 4:00 pm

Last Week

Date                      Opponent                   Final Score                                   

Fri. Sept. 29           at Hartford                    W, 3-0 (31-29, 30-19, 30-27)

Sun. Oct. 1            at Albany                      L, 2-3 (20-30, 30-28, 30-28, 23-30, 13-15)

Tue. Oct. 3             at St. Francis (Pa.)       W, 3-1 (30-24, 24-30, 30-23, 30-15)

Dawg Bites

UMBC Returns To RAC Arena For Home Conference Opener

UMBC returns to UMBC RAC Arena on Friday for its America East Conference home opener against Maine at 4 p.m.  UMBC has only played two home matches this season and have not been in the confines of RAC Arena since Sept. 13, a span of seven road games.  UMBC has lost the last two season in its home conference opener and has a 1-2 career record since joining the America East Conference. 

America East Conference Opens Action

The America East Conference began play last week as UMBC went 1-1 in its opening weekend against league foes.  The Retrievers defeated Hartford in three sets before Albany rallied from a set deficit to beat the Retrievers, 3-2.  Maine has jumped out to the early lead with wins over Hartford and New Hampshire.  Binghamton and Stony Brook each had a bye day but won their respective opening matches to start out with a 1-0 record.  The Retrievers and Great Danes are each 1-1 currently while Hartford and New Hampshire have yet to tally a win at 0-2.  After playing Maine, UMBC will have their first bye on Sunday with the remaining six teams in action. 

Wylie Controlling Back Line As UMBC Ranks 23rd In Nation In Digs

UMBC senior Jennifer Wylie has been a force on the Retriever back line this year, taking over the duties of libero and taunting opponent hitters with a 5.54 digs per game, tops in the America East Conference.   After being ranked in the top-30 in the nation the previous three weeks, Wylie dropped out this past week for game through Oct. 1.  UMBC as a team is recording 18.47 digs per game, ranking 23^rd in the nation.  Wylie as the team libero has been the biggest force but has received a lot of help from Sarah Ball at 3.62 dpg, Kira Giles at 2.93 dpg, Mallorie Clary at 2.36 dpg and Pam Jarrett at 1.53 dpg.  

Ashley Oscars Named America East Rookie Of The Week For Fourth Consecutive Time

UMBC women’s volleyball freshman Ashley Oscars was named America East Conference Rookie of the Week for the fourth consecutive week.  Oscars in two matches recorded 5.38 kills per game (kpg), including setting a career high for the second consecutive week with 25 kills against preseason favorite Albany.

Oscars hit .241 on the week with 43 kills and 17 errors on 108 total swings. She opened the week with 18 kills at Hartford in a three-set win for UMBC. Oscars went on to conclude the week with a 25-kill performance in a five-set loss to Albany. Against Albany she added a service ace to tie her career high of 26 points in the match.

Stacey Carroll Takes Full Advantage Of First Start

UMBC junior Stacey Carroll took full advantage of her first state at setter on the season, recording a career-high 62 assists against Morgan State.  Carroll averaged 12.40 assists per game in the five-set match while adding one kill and seven digs.  Carroll, who had four 50-plus assist matches last season, has been used sparingly this season but flourished in her first opportunity as her 62 digs is the most by a UMBC setter since former Retriever Megan Gross tallied 63 assists in a four-set match on Aug. 30, 2003.

Ashley Oscars Claims Third Consecutive Rookie of the Week Award

UMBC freshman Ashley Oscars captured her third consecutive America East Conference Volleyball Rookie of the Week award for the week ending September 24, 2006.  Oscars set career highs in UMBC’s lone match of the week, tallying 24 kills, 26 points and a .407 hitting percentage.  Oscars tallied her best match to date this season as the rookie outside hitter tallied 4.80 kills per game and a .407 hitting percentage in a five-set loss to Morgan State. Oscars recorded 24 kills on 54 attacks with just two errors. She added a service ace, six digs and a solo block in the match, scoring 26 points. Oscars now has double-figure kills in her last eight matches and is averaging for the season 4.00 kills per game, 4.47 points per game and 1.47 digs per game.  Oscars won the award for a third straight week has UMBC has swept the rookie of the week award in all four weeks of the season.  Teammate Kira Giles won in week one. 

Retrievers Take Second in Villanova Classic

With a 2-1 record in the Villanova Classic, UMBC took second place overall and placed two members on the All-Tournament team, as freshman Ashley Oscars and sophomore Ashley Hargrove earned the honors.  Oscars averaged 4.00 kills per game and hit .223 for the weekend.  Hargrove recorded 27 kills on 51 attacks with four errors for a .451 hitting percentage at the tournament. 

Two Retrievers Claim Weekly Honors

Two of UMBC’s freshman collected weekly honors by the America East Conference as Kira Giles was named America East Conference Setter of the Week and Ashley Oscars was tabbed America East Conference Rookie of the Week for the week ending September 17, 2006. 

Oscars earns the award for the conference's top rookie for the second-straight week as she garnered a spot on the Villanova Classic All-Tournament team last weekend after leading UMBC with 4.00 kills per game and 4.61 points per game. Oscars, who has double figure kills in her last seven matches, recorded 13 kills against Sacred Heart, 14 against Holy Cross and 13 against Villanova. Oscars had three service aces and two assisted blocks for 17.0 points in the UMBC win over Sacred Heart. Against Villanova, Oscars hit .281 with four errors on 32 attacks.

Giles continued to run the UMBC offense effectively last week as UMBC went 3-1 on the week, en route to winning her first-ever Setter of the Week award. Giles averaged 11.86 assists per game with 166 total assists on the week. Giles recorded 53 assists for her first 50-plus assist performance in UMBC’s 3-1 win over Loyola (Md.). Giles placed three Retrievers in double-figure kills in the match and recorded four kills on her own, with no errors on nine attacks (.444 hitting percentage).

Giles in the Retrievers’ three-set win over Sacred Heart handed out 32 assists to go with nine digs before setting a new career high against Holy Cross, handing out 54 assists to top her 53 mark earlier in the week. With 13 digs to go with her 54 assists, Giles tallied her seventh double-double of the year. Giles finished the week with 27 assists and eight digs against Villanova. For the season, Giles is averaging 10.91 apg, a pace that will place her third on UMBC’s single-season assists per game chart. She is adding 3.05 digs per game as well.

Retriever Travels Takes Them To Home Of National Champions

UMBC’s travels took them to the home of the 2005 National Champions as UMBC visited the University of Washington for four games in the Husky Classic.  UMBC went 0-4 in the classic, including a three-set loss to the reigning NCAA champions.  UMBC also faced Gonzaga, Portland State and North Dakota State

UMBC Wins Colgate Classic With Best Start Since 2001

UMBC went 3-0 to start the season with wins over La Salle, Rider and Colgate, capturing the Colgate Classic title and posting its best start since the 2001 season.  UMBC swept all three teams as Sarah Ball and Kira Giles each made the all-tournament team of the invitational.  In 2001 UMBC went 5-0 to start the season before losing its next seven matches.  That year UMBC went 8-1 in the Northeast Conference regular season. 

Ashley Oscars Captures Second Rookie of the Week Honors For UMBC

UMBC freshman Ashley Oscars (Bakersfield, Calif./Liberty) was named America East Conference Rookie of the Week for the week ending September 10, 2006.  The award is the second consecutive for UMBC as fellow freshman Kira Giles (Winnipeg, Canada/Glenlawn) won the honor the first week of the season. 

Oscars emerged as an outside hitter last week, averaging 3.73 kpg and 4.10 ppg in five matches last week. Oscars entered in the second game of a three-game match with Delaware, recording seven kills, eight digs and two service aces over the final two sets. Used as a reserve against Washington, Oscars once again recorded seven kills over the final two sets of the match.

Oscars joined the starting line up the final three matches of the week, recording double-digit kills in each match. She began with 15 kills against Gonzaga, recording three errors on 38 attacks for a .316 hitting percentage. She added 14 kills against Portland State and 13 against North Dakota State. Oscars added 1.47 digs per game and 0.33 blocks per game as well on the week.

Kira Giles Earns First Rookie of the Week Accolade of the Season

UMBC freshman Kira Giles (Winnipeg, Canada/Glenlawn) was named America East Conference Rookie of the Week for the first weekly awards of the 2006 season.  The Retriever freshman recorded 11.69 assists per game in the opening four matches en route to winning the league honors.  Giles earned a spot on the Colgate Classic All-Tournament team after leading UMBC to three sweeps and the tournament title with a double-double and a 12.65 assist per game mark.  

Giles opened the season with 37 assists, seven digs and two service aces against La Salle.  She went on to record 17 digs and 43 assists against Colgate and followed that up the same day with 33 assists, four digs and a service ace against Rider.  Giles against Towson recorded her second double-double of the season with 16 digs and 39 assists. In her first four games, she averaged 11.69 apg, 3.38 dpg and 0.54 bpg.

Retriever Stat Pak

UMBC’s 2006 America East Weekly Honors

Week                                                     Athlete                                                   Award

Aug. 25-Sept. 3                                    Kira Giles                                              Rookie of the Week

Sept. 4-10                                             Ashley Oscars                                      Rookie of the Week

Sept. 11-17                                           Ashley Oscars                                      Rookie of the Week

Sept. 11-17                                           Kira Giles                                              Setter of the Week

Sept. 18-24                                           Ashley Oscars                                      Rookie of the Week

Sept. 25-Oct 1                                      Ashley Oscars                                      Rookie of the Week

2006 Double-Doubles

Name                           Total 1                Total 2                      Opponent        

Sarah Ball                     12 Kills                11 Digs                      St. Francis (Pa.)

Sarah Ball                     11 Kills                10 Digs                      Albany

Stacey Carroll                59 Assists            15 Digs                      Albany

Stacey Carroll                37 Assists            10 Digs                      Hartford

Kira Giles                      54 Assists            13 Digs                      Holy Cross

Sarah Ball                     15 Kills                23 Digs                      Holy Cross

Sarah Ball                     14 Kills                15 Digs                      Sacred Heart

Sarah Ball                     14 Kills                17 Digs                      Loyola (Md.)

Ashley Oscars               16 kills                 11 Digs                      Loyola (Md.)

Kira Giles                      43 Assists            10 Digs                      North Dakota State

Sarah Ball                     19 Kills                18 Digs                      North Dakota State

Kira Giles                      32 Assists            10 Digs                      Portland State
Kira Giles                      35 Assists            11 Digs                      Gonzaga

Kira Giles                      32 Assists            14 Digs                      Delaware

Kira Giles                      39 Assists            16 Digs                      Towson

Sarah Ball                     14 Kills                15 Digs                      La Salle

Sarah Ball                     15 Kills                10 Digs                      Rider

Kira Giles                      43 Assists            17 Digs                      Colgate

Sarah Ball                     17 Kills                13 Digs                      Colgate

UMBC In America East Charts

America East Charts (as of games thru 10-4-06)

Hitting Percentage (Min. of .200/3.0 attacks per game)

      Name                     Mark

6.   Ashley Oscars         .231

Kills (per game)

      Name                     Mark

3.   Ashley Oscars         4.28 kpg

9.   Sarah Ball               3.18 kpg

10. Sarah Fillmore          3.15 kpg

Assists (per game)

      Name                     Mark

3.   Kira Giles                10.43 apg

Digs (per game)

Name                           Mark

1.   Jennifer Wylie          5.54 dpg

5.   Sarah Ball               3.62 dpg

Blocks (per game)

      Name                     Mark

4.   Amanda Willey        0.95 bpg

Points (per game)

Name                           Mark

4.   Ashley Oscars         4.71 ppg

10.  Sarah Ball               3.72 ppg

Service Aces (per game)

      Name                     Mark

8.   Jennifer Wylie          0.39 sapg

20-Dig Game Club

Name                           Digs                    Opponent

Jennifer Wylie                32                        Holy Cross

Jennifer Wylie                31                        Towson

Jennifer Wylie                30                        St. Francis (Pa.)

Jennifer Wylie                25                        Albany

Jennifer Wylie                25                        Delaware

Sarah Ball                     23                        Holy Cross

Jennifer Wylie                21                        Morgan State

Jennifer Wylie                21                        Colgate

Jennifer Wylie                20                        Portland State

Jennifer Wylie                20                        Rider

Jennifer Wylie                20                        Sacred Heart

UMBC Single Season Digs Chart

      Name                     Year                 Assists

1.   Tracey Cullins          1990                 537

2.   Joy Figueredo          1990                 516

3.   Judy Jackson          1993                 474

4.   Christine Skala        2005                 466

5.   Tracey Cullins          1989                 441

6.   Kelly O’Brien           1990                 439

7.   Lanae Baker            1996                 425

8.   Kelly O”Brien           1993                 424

9.   Megan McNamara    1996                 418

10.  Megan McNamara    1997                 416

11.  Jen Jewell               1993                 414

      Jennifer Wylie       2006                 338

UMBC Career Assists Chart

      Name                     Assists

1.   Lanae Baker            4722

2.   Megan Gross           3647

3.   Heather Hollidge      3034

4.   Joy Figueredo          2501

5.   Judy Jackson          2481

6.   Stacey Pirotte         1272

7.   Tracey Cullins          1153

8.   Stacy Carroll          816

9.   Carla Miala              570

10.  Bola Afolabi             493

      Kira Giles               480

UMBC Career Total Blocks Chart

      Name                     Total Blocks

1.   Dana Eberly            426

2.   Rehena Rentuma     365

3.   Kara Welniak           364

4.   Jennifer Davis          258

5.   Kelly O’Brien           251

6.   Jessie Folk             245

UMBC Career Assisted Blocks Chart

      Name                     Assisted Blocks

1.   Kara Welniak           299

2.   Jen Davis                227

3.   Jessie Folk             222

4.   Dana Eberly            191

5.   Jocelyn Teoh           180

6.   Rehena Rentuma     129

7.   Anna Gibbs             124

      Lisa Cline                124

9.   Ashley Hargrove    111

      -bold denotes active player