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Sept. 23, 2002

WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON: The Butler volleyball team will kick off the Horizon League portion of its schedule this weekend by hosting UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee at Hinkle Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs (7-9) welcome the Phoenix on Friday (Sept. 27) for a 7 p.m. meeting and will battle it out against the Panthers on Saturday (Sept. 28) at 4 p.m.

SCOUTING THE PHOENIX: Junior Janelle Tomlinson will be leading UW-Green Bay into action this weekend, as the 6-1 middle blocker was recently named Horizon League Player of the Week. Tomlinson leads the Horizon League in service aces per game (0.54) and ranks second in kills per game (4.26). The Phoenix (5-8) have lost four of its last five matches, but four of the team's five wins have come in the three-game fashion. UW-Green Bay beat Butler for the first time in the program's history last season, but the Bulldogs dominate the overall series lead 17-1.

NOTES ON THE PANTHERS: UW-Milwaukee enters into league play this weekend with a 3-9 record, after starting out the season 1-7. The Panther lineup includes a pair of freshman to go along with standout setter Lindsey Spoden who has neared the triple-double mark on numerous occasions. UWM, which has earned berths to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, has not lost to Butler in the regular season since the 1997 campaign (0-9).

TOURNAMENT TESTED: The Bulldogs made it through the tournament portion of their September schedule with a 6-7 mark in tournament action. The Bulldogs went 2-1 at both Saint Louis University's Billiken Classic and the University of San Francisco's Molten Golden Gate Classic. Butler posted a 1-2 record at the IU Credit Union Classic and recorded a 1-3 mark at the Mortarboard Purdue Premier. Tournament action for the Bulldogs isn't over yet, though, as Butler will participate in the New Mexico University Albuturkey Tournament on Nov. 29-30, a week following the Horizon League Tournament.

TOUGH COMPETITION: For the second week in a row, the Butler volleyball team had to go up against top-notched competition. The Bulldogs faced No. 30 Louisville in the first match of IU's Credit Union Classic over the weekend, falling to the Cardinals in a hard-fought, four-game match (22-30, 15-30, 30-27, 26-30). The previous weekend, the Bulldogs had to battle it out against No. 25 Washington, which they lost in three games (16-30, 24-30, 25-30), at USF's Molten Golden Gate Classic.

BIG TEN TROUBLE: The Bulldogs almost pulled out a win over instate rival Indiana, but the Hoosiers managed to overcome a 2-1 deficit and win the decisive fifth game, 15-13. This was the second five-game loss to a Big Ten member this season for Butler, as the Bulldogs fell to Purdue in five (losing the fifth game 15-12) at the Mortarboard Purdue Premier. The last time Butler defeated a Big Ten school was in the 1998 season when the Bulldogs captured a 3-1 win over Purdue.

CHALLENGING THE CHIPPEWAS: Butler's lone victory in the IU Credit Union Classic came against Central Michigan on Saturday. The Bulldogs pulled off a four-game win (30-19, 22-30, 30-27, 30-28) over their Mid-American Conference foes, fending off the Chippewas comeback attempt in the third and fourth games.

KALI KEEPS ON GOING: Sophomore Kali Carter has been on a roll lately, leading the team in kills over the last four matches. The 6-0 outside hitter garnered a double-double of 17 kills and 11 digs against No. 30 Louisville. Her 17 kills on the match tied a career-high, which she had set the previous match against IPFW. Carter then bettered her personal-best with an 18-kill, 19-dig performance in Butler's five game loss to Indiana. Carter saved her best for last, though, as she tallied a career-high 20 kills, to go along with 12 digs, in the Bulldogs' four-game win over Central Michigan. On the week, she averaged 4.23 kills and 3.23 digs per game.

AREAL ASSAULT: Sophomore Areal Bienemy continued to display her offensive and defensive talents with a trio of solid outings over the weekend. Bienemy recorded a double-double of 12 kills and 12 digs against Louisville and then followed that up with a 14-kill, seven dig performance against Indiana. The 6-0 outside hitter then led the Bulldogs' defensive efforts with 15 digs against Central Michigan to go along with her seven digs.

TOURNEY HONORS: Junior Amanda Matthews earned all-tournament honors at the IU Credit Union Classic, marking the second time in her career she had received such an award. Matthews, who was named to Butler/Double Tree Invitational all-tournament team last season, collected 138 assists (10.62 pg), 36 digs (2.77 pg) and 18 kills throughout the tournament. Senior Keely Norris was not named to the IU Classic All-Tournament team, but was named to all-tourney teams at Saint Louis, Purdue and San Francisco for her efforts on the court.

MOVING ON UP: Amanda Matthews' 138 assists over the weekend moved her into fifth place all-time in assists with 2,339 career dishes. Keely Norris continued her climb up the Bulldogs' career ladder, moving into sixth place in block assists (286) and total blocks (348). Norris also stands at ninth place all-time in kills with 1,152 tallies.

OH SO CLOSE: Amanda Matthews came close to recording her first career triple-double on a pair of occasions over the weekend. The Fishers, Ind. native recorded 58 assists, 14 digs and eight kills against Indiana and then followed up that performance with a 39-assist, 14-dig, nine-kill match in Butler's win over Central Michigan. Matthews was one-kill shy of a triple-double last season when she tallied 65 assists, 20 digs and nine kills against the Lady Govs at the Butler/Double Tree Invitational.

DIG IN: Sophomore Kamy Peters posted a pair of 22-dig performances over the weekend, recording the double-deuce mark against Louisville and Indiana. Those matches marked the third time this season that Peters has recorded a 20+ match, as she set a career-high with 27 digs against Montana State earlier in the season. She has led the team in digs on five occasions this season.

OUCH!: Freshman Megan Knightly suffered a fracture to her right hand on the last point of the last match in last weekend's USF Molten Golden Gate Classic, rendering her inactive over the weekend in the IU Credit Union Classic. Knightly, who is listed as questionable for this weekend's upcoming matches, fractured her hand when she ran into teammate Keely Norris while diving for a ball against IPFW. Fortunately, the Bulldogs ended up winning the match point, capturing the three-game win over the Mastodons. Knightly, who has earned a starting assignment in 10 matches this season, is averaging 1.85 kills and 3.02 digs.

IN NEED OF BETTER SERVICE: The Bulldogs struggled from the service line this weekend at IU, tallying 34 service errors to go against nine aces. Butler's 14 errors against Indiana, tied a season-high.

CONFERENCE COMPARISON: While Butler has yet to meet its first Horizon League foe of the season, a few Bulldogs are already among the league leaders in several categories. Keely Norris ranks in the top ten in hitting percentage (.325 - 2nd), and blocks (0.94 bpg - 8th) and classmate Laura Klancnik is in the top ten in hitting percentage, ranking eighth at .296. Setter Amanda Matthews ranks fifth in assists with 10.76 apg and Kamy Peters ranks second with 3.43 digs per game.

ALMOST THERE: Four of Butler's nine losses have come in the five-game fashion this season. The Bulldogs dropped five-game matches to Saint Louis, Montana State, Purdue and Indiana, while their only five-game triumph came against Indiana State.

REACHING A MILESTONE: Senior Keely Norris became just the 11th player in school history to record 1,000 career kills. She achieved the feat in the first game against Saint Louis in the Billiken Invitational.

REWRITING THE BOOKS: Senior Laura Klancnik set a Butler single match record with a 1.000 (12-0-12) hitting efficiency against Providence. That mark places her in a tie for fifth place in the NCAA record book for a three-game match (10-14 attempts).

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will take to the road in two weeks to battle it against their Chicago league foes. Butler will lock horns with UIC on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. and will face Loyola, on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 3 p.m.