University of Houston Athletics
Volleyball Heads to Maryland for Season Opener
8/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Houston Volleyball Game Notes Week 1
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Aug. 24, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston volleyball team kicks off the 2006 season this weekend at the Towson Invitational. The Cougars face off against host Towson, No. 23 Ohio State and Robert Morris during opening weekend.
"Our opening weekend is very challenging, and we're going to have to be ready to play right out of the gate," head coach Bill Walton said. "Ohio State speaks for itself as No. 23 in the nation and a solid Big Ten program. Towson and Robert Morris are both solid programs coming off of strong seasons."
Houston has won 13 of 20 season openers and three of its last four opening acts under Walton. The Cougars lost a 3-0 decision against Wichita State (Aug. 26) last season but have won its last two openers away from Space City USA against Wyoming (2003) and Louisiana Tech (2002).
This weekend marks the first time that Houston faces Towson and Robert Morris on the volleyball court. The Cougars have won all seven previous meetings against Ohio State. Even though the Buckeyes took the 1999 contest, Houston received credit for the victory because OSU had to forfeit all of its matches during the 1999 season.
Walton enters the weekend three wins shy of reaching 400 career victories at Houston. Walton has racked up 397 of the program's 791 victories since 1972. The Illinois native is attempting to become the third coach in UH history to reach 400 wins at Houston joining former basketball coach Guy V. Lewis and current baseball coach Rayner Noble.
In conjunction with the Conference USA Preseason poll in which the Cougars were picked to finish second, Becca Sartori and Justine Farmer were also named to the All-Conference USA Preseason Team.
Sartori earned C-USA Second Team, AVCA All-Midwest and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention accolades a season ago after powering home 390 kills at a 3.45 per game clip, just outside of C-USA's Top 10. The Houston native took her game to a new level in conference play, connecting on a .355 attack percentage in league matches.
As a C-USA All-Freshman selection last season, Farmer was eighth in the league, tallying 3.71 kills per game. She headlined the team, racking up 15 double-doubles. The El Paso native was the only Cougar to average over three kills and three digs per game a season ago.
Kelly McAnelly paced the Houston offense during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, registering a combined 1,014 kills. She spent most of 2005 battling a foot injury but is back at full strength for her senior season.
McAnelly enters the season 35 kills away from breaking into the Top 10 in program history. She is also 149 kills shy from reaching the Top 30 all-time in Conference USA.
Kelsey King comes to Houston after playing one season at Birmingham Southern. She will be counted on to replace Jennifer Hohl at setter. The San Antonio native posted 13 double-doubles and one triple-double for the Panthers
King was named to the Big South Conference All-Freshman squad in 2005 after starting 27 matches for the Panthers. She was third in the Big South, averaging 11.83 assists per game. She also added 272 digs and 59 total blocks.
Sunshine Misa-Uli joins the Houston volleyball team after earning NJCAA All-America Second-Team honors at Barton County Community College in Kansas last season. She was also All-Jayhawk Western Conference Player of the Year and an All-Region First-Team selection in 2005.
Misa-Uli compiled 10 double-doubles and two triple-doubles and was named NJCAA Player of the Week (Oct. 12, 2005). She paced her squad with 518 kills, while her 4.32 per game clip was seventh most in the nation. In the front row, Misa-Uli notched 227 total blocks, good enough for eighth nationally.
Ashley Calhoun and Kinsey Cave were two players that signed during the early period last November and will be looking to make an instant impact for the Cougars.
Calhoun won her fair share of accolades as an All-Conference and All-State selection at Xavier High School (2002-03) and Neenah High School (2004-05) in Wisconsin, while Cave was an All-CIFSS selection and Century League First-Team honoree in both 2004 and 2005 at El Dorado High School in California.
This is the first of three weekends that Houston will spend away from the Bayou City. The Cougars have trips to Waco and Nacogdoches on the horizon before the home opener against Texas-San Antonio (Sept. 14). First serve is slated for 7pm against the Roadrunners at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
