FSU Improves To 9-5 Overall

September 17, 2001

Last Weekend - Ferris State won two of three home matches to open conference action during Parents Weekend activities at the Ewigleben Sports Arena this past weekend. On Friday (Sept. 14), FSU defeated Lake Superior State 3-0. The Lakers had entered the contest with an 11-1 overall mark. The Bulldogs upset 24th-ranked Michigan Tech by a score of 3-2 on Saturday (Sept. 15) as they claimed a 16-14 win in game five. FSU fell to 16th-ranked Northern Michigan 3-1 on Sunday (Sept. 16).

Olds Overpowers Tech - Junior Alaina Olds led Ferris State to a 3-2 win over 24th-ranked Michigan Tech on Saturday as she recorded the first triple-double performance of her career. Against the Huskies, Olds totaled 20 kills, 16 digs and 10 total blocks. In three weekend matches, the 5-11 Olds compiled 46 kills, 25 digs and 18 total blocks. In Friday night's win over Lake Superior State, Olds had 13 kills. She added 13 kills and six blocks in Sunday's 3-1 loss to Northern Michigan.

After 14 matches, Olds leads the Bulldogs with 182 kills (3.57 kpg) and 69 total blocks (1.35 bpg). She needs four kills to notch her 500th career kill. She has reached double-figures in kills in each of the past seven matches and has recorded 10 or more kills in 11 matches this season. Olds needs only 32 kills to better her entire offensive output of a year ago. During the 2000 campaign, she compiled 215 kills in 29 matches (2.13 kpg).

Minnis Records 600th Dig - Senior Erin Minnis recorded her 600th career dig in Friday night's win over Lake Superior State as she totaled 14 kills and 13 digs. On Saturday, Minnis nearly had a triple-double in the win over Michigan Tech as she posted 19 kills, 12 digs and nine total blocks. A regular throughout her career, Minnis has appeared in 290 of the past 291 Bulldog games and ranks second on the squad with 165 kills (3.17 kpg) and 119 digs (2.29 dpg). Minnis needs 123 kills to become the 11th player in school history to record 1,000 career kills. She has six double-double performances (kills and digs) this year.

Speed On Top of Her Game - Junior Stephanie Speed has recorded 10 or more digs in nine of the past 10 matches. On Saturday, Speed had 16 digs in the win over Michigan Tech. She added 10 digs in Sunday's loss to Northern Michigan and had six digs in the three-game win over Lake Superior State. Speed leads the Bulldogs with 154 digs (2.91 dpg) this season. She is 28 digs away from earning her 400th career dig. In two seasons at Ferris State, Speed has compiled 372 digs in 155 games (2.40 dpg).

Fairbanks Solid In First Start - Freshman Karla Fairbanks made her first career start on Sunday against Northern Michigan and recorded 10 kills, 15 digs and five total blocks. Fairbanks had seven kills on Friday against Lake Superior State. In 44 games this season, the 5-11 Fairbanks has compiled 70 kills (1.59 kpg) and 29 total blocks (0.66 bpg). She ranks fifth on the squad in total kills.

Bulldog Bites - Ferris State has won the first game in all 14 matches this season........With a pair of wins at home this past weekend, the Bulldogs need two home wins to record their 200th victory at Ewigleben Sports Arena.............Head coach Tia Brandel improved to 12-1 overall against Lake Superior State with Friday's win............... Erin Minnis had her five-match double-double (kills and digs) streak end as she totaled 14 kills and nine digs in Sunday's loss to Northern Michigan............FSU is 22-6 in the first two games of matches this season.................Junior Kate Pickvet notched her 600th career kill in Saturday's win over Michigan Tech............FSU had a season-high 19 team blocks in the win over Tech.....................Minnis has 18 solo blocks this season and needs only six more to tie her team-high of 24 solo blocks during the 2000 campaign.

Big Weekend Ahead - Ferris State will travel East this weekend to face a pair of GLIAC North Division foes. The Bulldogs own a 20-12 mark in the all-time series against Northwood and are 34-8 versus Saginaw Valley State. FSU is 10-7 in Midland against the Timberwolves and has won 15 of 21 matches in University Center with the Cardinals. Head coach Tia Brandel is 5-8 against Northwood and has a 7-3 career mark in the series with SVSU. Last season, the Bulldogs fell 3-1 to both Northwood and Saginaw Valley State on the road swing. FSU came back to beat the Cardinals 3-1 in Big Rapids on Nov. 3. Northwood swept the series a year ago. Entering the week, Northwood ranked 17th in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll with a 10-2 mark. SVSU is 2-10 overall and 0-2 in the GLIAC.

Approaching Personal Marks - Several Bulldog players are closing in on career marks. Junior Angie Desmarais is two digs away from notching her 100th career dig. Senior Emily Williams is two assists away from her 200th career assist. Erin Minnis needs eight blocks to record her 350th total block while Alaina Olds needs four kills to record her 500th career kill.

Freshman Has Big Day - Freshman setter Ashley Green tied a career-high with 14 digs in the win over Michigan Tech. She also had 51 assists against the Huskies. On Sunday, Green recorded her fifth double-double outing (assists and digs) of the season as she had 42 assists and 10 digs versus Northern Michigan. Green recorded 29 assists in the win over Lake Superior State.

Next Week - Ferris State will visit archrival Grand Valley State on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs will travel to Ohio to face Ashland on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. and Findlay on Sept. 29 at 1 p.m.