FSU Volleyball At A Glance - The Ferris State University women’s volleyball team will play three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) matches this week. The Bulldogs will visit the Lake Superior State Lakers this Tuesday (Oct. 1) for a 7 p.m. (EDT) encounter at LSSU’s Bud Cooper Gymnasium in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. FSU will then host the Ashland Eagles this Friday (Oct. 4) in a 7 p.m. (EDT) match at FSU’s Ewigleben (pronounced A-VAH-glave-in) Sports Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. Ferris squares off against the Findlay Oilers in a home match this Saturday (Oct. 5) at 3 p.m. (EDT).

Bulldogs Remain Unbeaten In GLIAC Play - Ferris State improved to 4-0 in GLIAC play with two home wins last weekend (Sept. 27-28). The Bulldogs defeated Northwood, which was ranked 17th nationally in the latest (Sept. 24) American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II national poll, by a score of 3-0 last Friday (Sept. 27) at FSU’s Ewigleben Sports Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. FSU then handed Saginaw Valley State a 3-0 setback last Saturday (Sept. 28). Ferris, presently 13-2 overall, snapped a seven-match losing streak versus NU with last Friday’s win.

Last Season - Ferris State concluded the 2001 campaign with a 21-11 overall record, which included a second-place tying 12-6 GLIAC North Division finish. The Bulldogs advanced to the GLIAC Tournament championship match (11/10/01) for the third time in the last four seasons and dropped a 3-0 decision versus Northwood.

The 30th Season Of Bulldog Volleyball - The 2002 campaign marks the 30th anniversary of the Ferris State women’s volleyball program. Since the program’s inception in 1972, the Bulldogs have compiled a 641-371 (.633) overall record. Ferris has won eight GLIAC titles, made 10 NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and registered 22 winning seasons in its previous 29 campaigns.

Home Sweet Home - Ferris State is 205-55 (.788) at Ewigleben Sports Arena since 1981 and sports a 119-39 (.753) conference home mark during that span. The Bulldogs are 106-39 (.731) overall at home since 1990, which includes a 72-35 (.673) conference mark. Ferris improved to 22-8 (.733) all-time in home openers with last Friday’s win. The Bulldogs are now 7-3 in their last 10 home openers.

Olds Closing In On Century Mark - Senior middle hitter Alaina Olds (Kingsley) presently has 940 career kills and is 60 shy of becoming the 12th player in school history to record 1,000 career kills. Olds, a 2001 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II All-Great Lakes Region First-Team selection, has registered at least one kill in 63 consecutive appearances. The 2001 FSU Bulldog Award recipient has garnered 10 or more kills in 10 consecutive matches and has recorded a double-double (kills & digs) in six of her last 10 contests. She currently has eight double-double performances in 15 outings this season. The 5-11 Olds, a second-team 2001 Daktronics All-Great Lakes Region pick, is both Ferris’ kills (4.25 kpg) and blocks (1.33 bpg) leader this season. She currently ranks fourth among FSU’s career leaders in attack percentage (.270). Olds is eight blocks shy of notching her 400th career block and needs 10 digs to register her 500th career dig.

Head Coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm - FSU head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm presently ranks second among Ferris’ all-time coaching victory leaders with a current 257-90 (.741) career mark. A 1990 Alma graduate, Brandel-Wilhelm guided the Bulldogs to an NCAA-II Tournament appearance in 1999. She previously spent three seasons as head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan (1993-1995) in Buckhannon, W.Va., where she led the Bobcats to a fifth-place finish at the 1995 NCAA-II Championships. Brandel-Wilhelm entered the 2002 season ranked 11th among NCAA-II’s winningest active coaches.

Bulldog Bites - Senior middle hitter Angie Desmarais (Jackson/Lumen Christi) attained her 350th career dig versus Northwood .......... Sophomore middle/outside hitter Karla Fairbanks (Rogers City) has registered 10 or more kills in 14 consecutive matches to date. She needs six kills to notch her 400th career kill ........... Senior outside hitter Stephanie Speed (Bothell, Wash.) garnered her 400th career kill against Northwood .............. Sophomore setter Ashley Green (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) tallied her 300th career dig against Saginaw Valley State and recorded her 100th career kill in Ferris’ win over Northwood. Green is 11 assists shy of recording her 1,600th career assist ........... Freshman libero Brittny Godlewski (St. Clair Township/Marysville) registered her 100th career dig last Saturday versus SVSU ........ Alaina Olds leads the GLIAC in kills per game (4.25 kpg) while Green ranks second overall in assists (11.77) .......... Freshman right-side hitter Sarah Miller (Bay City/John Glenn) posted a personal career-high four kills versus Saginaw Valley State ......... Thirteen Bulldog players saw action in last Saturday’s win ......... Ferris has presently won 10 of its last 11 GLIAC regular season matches dating back to last season ........... Olds currently has 392 career blocks and needs 51 more to move into a tie for fifth place with Laura Lee (443; 1986-89) on Ferris’ career blocks leaders list.

Against The Competition - Ferris State will face three league opponents this week.

Lake Superior State: FSU holds a 47-17 advantage entering this Tuesday’s 65th series meeting with Lake Superior State. Ferris head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm has a current 13-1 career coaching mark against LSSU and led the Bulldogs to a 3-1 win in the last meeting (10/2/01) at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. LSSU is presently 7-8 overall and 0-4 in conference play this campaign after dropping a 3-0 decision versus Mercyhurst last Saturday (Sept. 28) in Erie, Pa. Last season, the Lakers compiled a 16-13 overall record. The Bulldogs are 22-13 all-time versus Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie.

Ashland: Ferris and Ashland will square off for the ninth time this Friday with FSU holding a 7-1 series advantage. In the last meeting (9/28/01), the Bulldogs recorded a 3-0 win at Ashland. Brandel-Wilhelm currently has a 5-1 career coaching record against the Eagles. FSU, which has won the past four contests, holds a 3-0 all-time record versus AU at Big Rapids. The Eagles registered an 8-23 overall record during the 2001 campaign. Ashland improved to 12-6 overall and 2-3 in GLIAC action this season as a result of claiming a 3-1 home decision last Saturday versus Wayne State. The Eagles are slated play at Tiffin (Ohio) this Tuesday (Oct. 1) and at Grand Valley State this Thursday (Oct. 3) before heading to Big Rapids.

Findlay: FSU maintains a 3-2 series edge heading into this Saturday’s meeting against Findlay, which is ranked 21st in the latest AVCA poll. However, the Oilers defeated Ferris 3-2 in the last meeting (9/29/01) at Findlay, Ohio. Brandel-Wilhelm currently holds a 3-2 career coaching mark versus UF. The Bulldogs own a 1-0 series edge in Big Rapids. Findlay is presently 16-3 overall and 5-0 in GLIAC action heading into this Friday’s (Oct. 4) match at Grand Valley State after recording a 3-1 victory over Hillsdale last Saturday (Sept. 28) in Findlay. The Oilers recorded a 29-7 overall record during the 2001 campaign and advanced to the Great Lakes Regional Tournament championship match.

Between The Lines - FSU head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm will make regular appearances throughout the season on “Between The Lines,” a weekly half-hour television show devoted to Ferris State Athletics. The program, which is hosted by Ira Childress and produced by FSU’s media productions department, airs each Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) on WFQX-Fox 33.

FSU On The Internet - Ferris State University Athletics’ official web site can be found at www.ferris.edu/sports. The site features information on all of FSU’s varsity athletics programs including rosters, schedules and the latest results.

Looking Ahead - Ferris will play three league matches next week. The Bulldogs will face the nationally-ranked Grand Valley State Lakers Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. (EDT) in FSU’s Ewigleben Sports Arena at Big Rapids, Mich. FSU will then battle the Gannon Knights in a 7 p.m. (EDT) encounter Friday, Oct. 11, at GU’s Hammermill Center in Erie, Pa. Ferris will square off against the Mercyhurst Lakers Saturday, Oct. 12, in a 1 p.m. (EDT) match at MC’s Athletic Center in Erie.