2023-11-28 17:30:33
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Eastern Illinois (28-4, 14-3 OVC) vs. Marquette (20-10, 16-2 Big East)
Thursday, Nov. 30th
West Lafayette, Ind. | Holloway Gymnasium
3:30 p.m. CT
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ON TAP: After winning the OVC Championship last week, the Eastern Illinois volleyball team will continue postseason play against no. 6 seed Marquette in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The match will be hosted at Purdue and is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, November 30th.
SERIES HISTORY: EIU holds an all-time record of 10-2 against Marquette. The teams first met in 1982, which was the Panthers’ inaugural season of Division I play. Their last matchup was a 3-0 Marquette win in 2012.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES:
Marquette has an overall record of 20-10 with a 16-2 mark in the Big East. The Golden Eagles won the Big East regular season title before dropping the conference tournament championship to St. John’s.
The Marquette attack is led by senior outside hitter Aubrey Hamilton with 402 kills. Her 3.72 kills per set average is third best in the Big East.
With 864 total assists (9.39 APS), Yadhira Anchante sets the table for the Golden Eagles offense, which has a combined hitting percentage of .238.
Jenna Reitsma leads the Big East in service aces (47) and aces per set (0.44).
Libero Sarah Kushner leads the team in digs with 421 (4.05 DPS). There are four other Golden Eagles with over 200 digs on the season.
The duo of Murray Carsen and Hattie Bray lead Marquette in blocks, with both players having 93.0 rejections on the season.
MARQUETTE HEAD COACH:
Marquette is led by head coach Ryan Theis.
He is currently in his 10th season at the helm of the Golden Eagles and has compiled a 212-67 record with the program.
His career winning percentage of .746 (355-121) ranks him in the top 15 among active NCAA Division I coaches.
Theis was an assistant coach on EIU’s last NCAA Tournament team in 2001.
WEEK IN REVIEW:
The Panthers swept their way through the OVC Tournament last week to earn their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2001.
EIU’s dominant run culminated with a 3-0 defeat of SEMO in the conference championship match.
Giovana Larregui López, Catalina Rochaix, and Christina Martinez Mundo were selected to the All-Tournament team, with Martinez Mundo being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
In the title match, Martinez Mundo racked up 33 digs (11.0 DPS), which tied the season-high nationally for digs in three sets.
Larregui López recorded a double-double in each of Eastern’s three tournament contests.
Rochaix finished the week with a total of 118 assists (13.11 APS) as the Panthers combined for a team hitting percentage of .275.
TOURNEY EXPERIENCE: Natalie Mitchem is the only Panther with prior NCAA Tournament experience. A graduate transfer from Ball State, Mitchem helped the Cardinals to three tournament appearances during her time in Muncie, including in 2019, 2021, and 2022. Ball State faced Marquette in the first-round last season.
CONFERENCE LEADERS: At the end of conference play, Giovana Larregui López stands as the OVC leader in points per set (4.79), kills per set (4.02), service aces (67), and aces per set (0.59). Catalina Rochaix finished on top in assists (1,254) and assists per set (11.10), while Christina Martinez Mundo finished second in the conference in total digs (659) and digs per set (5.63).
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM: Four Panthers were named to the All-OVC First Team, including Giovana Larregui López, Catalina Rochaix, Christina Martinez Mundo, and Natalie Mitchem. Larregui López was also named the conference’s Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, while Catalina Roxhaix was named Setter of the Year.
NATIONAL LEADERS: Giovana Larregui López is fourth nationally in service aces and aces per set. Catalina Rochaix is third in total assists and seventh in assists per set, while Christina Martinez Mundo is fourth nationally in digs and fifth in digs per set. As a team, the Panthers are second nationally in kills and third in service aces, while having the 20th best hitting percentage in Division I.
HEAD COACH: Sara Thomas is in her fourth season as the head coach at Eastern Illinois. During her tenure, EIU’s record has improved each season, culminating in the 2023 OVC Championship. Thomas has led the Panthers to three consecutive OVC Tournament Appearances, the 2023 OVC Tournament title, and EIU’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2001. She currently holds an overall career record of 58-52.
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