Oct. 20, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

 

A LOOK BACK
Johns Hopkins lost its two matches last week to fall to 13-10 overall and 2-5 in the Centennial Conference.  Both matches were thrillers that went the full five sets.

The Blue Jays traveled to Franklin & Marshall on Wednesday night where the first three sets were decided by only two points.  Hopkins was on the winning side in the first two sets (25-23, 26-24) but fell (26-24) in an exciting third game.  F&M went on to win the next two sets (25-20, 15-4) and complete the come-from-behind victory.

Hopkins was led by senior Allison Cappelaere's 15 kills and Alex Zenoff's 14 kills.  Katie Buckheit and Amelia Thomas both had 23 digs and freshman Becky Paynter had 43 assists.

On Saturday the Blue Jays hosted Muhlenberg.  Hopkins again jumped out to a 2-0 lead by winning the first sets by scores of 25-19 and 25-20, respectively.  The Mules won the next two sets by identical 25-18 scores.  In the fifth and deciding set, Hopkins came out strong and took a 7-2 lead.  Muhlenberg then went on a 12-3 run, making the score 14-10.  Faced with match point, the Blue Jays battled winning the next three points, but lost the next rally, losing the set (15-13) and the match.  Zenoff led the Blue Jays with 12 kills, while Kristen Kozielski lead the team on the defensive side with 15 digs. 
   
THIS WEEK'S ACTION
The Johns Hopkins volleyball team has only one match this week when it hosts Bryn Mawr on Saturday, October 24 at 1:00 pm.  Bryn Mawr enters the week at 8-12 overall and 0-6 in the Centennial Conference.  This will be the 17th meeting between the Blue Jays and the Bryn Mawr Owls.

The Blue Jays lead the all-time series with Bryn Mawr 14-2, beginning back in 1993 with a 3-1 Hopkins win.  Hopkins has won the last 11 meetings with the last Bryn Mawr win occuring in 1997.  Last year the Blue Jays beat the Owls in three sets.
 
DIG FOR THE CURE
During the month of October, the 11 volleyball teams in the Centennial Conference are joining together for the conference's fourth annual "Digging for a Cure" campaign.

Prior to its designated "Digging for a Cure" match, each Conference school collected donations and pledges from friends, families, and team supporters for each dig the team recorded in selected match.
Saturday's match against Muhlenberg was Johns Hopkins "Digging for a Cure" match.  The Blue Jays recorded 76 digs.

Over the last three years, the 11 teams have raised over $26,000 in donations and pledges. Last year the money raised ($12,486) was donated to Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), a non-profit organization based in Haverford, PA, dedicated to empowering all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life.

For the 2009 campaign, the money raised by each team will go directly to LBBC. The donations will be collected by the end of October and the total amount raised by the eleven schools will be announced at the Centennial Volleyball Championships on November 7 and 8, 2009.

NO LEAD IS SAFE
Five matches this season have seen a team go up two-games-to-none and end up on the losing side at the end of the match.  Hopkins found itself on the losing side twice this week with the losses to F&M and Muhlenberg.  Hopkins also lost to Dickinson after having a 2-0 lead earlier this season, on September 30.

The Blue Jays have played the comeback role twice this season as well.  Hopkins rallied from a two-games-to-none deficit on October 8 at Swarthmore to win 3-2. It marked the second time this season that the Blue Jays had gone down 0-2 in a match and rallied to win the match. Hopkins also accomplished the task on September 12 against Wellesley. Prior to this season, Hopkins last rallied from a two-games-to-none deficit to win was September 13, 2003.

THREE-AND-OUT
Hopkins is 7-3 (.700) this season in matches decided by three games. Under head coach Greg Giovanazzi, the Blue Jays are 16-5 (.762) in three-game matches. Since the beginning of the 2007 season, Hopkins is 36-7 (.837) in the three-game matches.

A HELPING HAND
Freshman Becky Paynter has been racking up the assists this year and leads the Blue Jays with 565 helpers. Through October 20, she ranks eighth in the Centennial Conference in assists per game (6.52). Paynter has posted double-digit assist totals in 21 of the Blue Jays' 23 matches. And in 12 of those 23, she has had 25 or more assists.

200 AND COUNTING
The Blue Jays 3-0 win over visiting Stevenson on September 23 was the 200th career win for head coach Greg Giovanazzi.

MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
Senior Allison Cappelaere reached the 1,000 dig milestone Wednesday night at F&M. She is only the ninth player in program history with over 1,000 digs.  Cappelaere now has 1,025 career digs which places her eighth all-time at Johns Hopkins.  She also ranks eighth in JHU history with 895 career kills.  She is only the sixth player to rank in the top ten for both career kills and digs.

Senior Alex Zenoff has 200 career blocks entering this week, ranking her 10th in JHU history.  She needs just three more to move into ninth place.  Zenoff is also second for career hitting percentage at Hopkins with a percentage of .294.

SEEING DOUBLE
Freshman Becky Paynter has posted nine double-doubles (assists-digs) on the season, including three straight from September 29 to October 3. Senior Allison Cappelaere is right behind her with seven double-doubles (kills-digs) and now has 25 career double-doubles.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
The Blue Jays captured their second straight JHU Invitational title, under head coach Greg Giovanazzi. Hopkins defeated DeSales in its season opener, 3-0.  The Blue Jays then beat Goucher (3-1) and Edgewood (3-1) the second day of the tournament,  in route to capturing their third consecutive tournament championship.

Senior Allison Cappelaere was named tournament MVP and Alex Zenoff made the all-tournament team.

AT THE HELM
Greg Giovanazzi enters his second year at the helm of the women's volleyball program at Johns Hopkins and brings a wealth of experience to the program. He has been involved in volleyball for over 30 years as both an athlete and coach at the international, collegiate and professional levels.

Giovanazzi is now 33-17 (.660) in his one-plus season with the Blue Jays. Under Giovanazzi's leadership, the Blue Jays went 20-7 (8-2 CC) in his first season, reaching the Centennial Conference semifinals. Amanda Lewis also broke the Centennial Conference record for assists during his first season at Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays placed three players on the All-Centennial Team last season and three players also earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
The Blue Jays will be led by captains Allison Cappelaere, Alex Zenoff and junior Alica Diehl this season.

CENTENNIAL PRESEASON PICKS
JHU was picked to finish third in the Centennial Conference preseason vote of the conference's head coaches. The Blue Jays are searching for their first Centennial Conference title in program history. Hopkins is lookin to improve upon 20-7 record in 2008, which concluded with a loss in the conference semifinals to eventual champion Haverford.

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