Boston College Athletics
Volleyball Heads to Art Charmichael Invitational
September 08, 2011 | Volleyball
Sept. 8, 2011
Who: Boston College, Columbia, Rhode Island, Wisconsin
What: Art Charmichael Invitational
When: Friday, September 9 – Saturday, September 10
Where: Kingston, R.I.
GameTracker: BC vs. UW ; BC vs. Columbia ; BC vs. URI
Notes: Notes 
Chestnut Hill, Mass. -The Boston College volleyball team travels south to the Art Charmichael Invitational hosted by the University of the Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. The Eagles (1-4) will meet Wisconsin (3-3) on Friday at 3 p.m., before returning Saturday for matches against Columbia (2-1) an URI (5-1).
Senior Tsvetelina Dureva leads the BC with 54.0 points on the year. The Sofia, Bulgaria native is averaging 2.82 kills and 2.88 digs per set. Last weekend, Dureva posted two double-doubles to bring her career tally to 11 - seventh most for BC since 2002.
Senior Brennan Clark currently ranks third in the ACC with 4.65 digs per game. With 1,353 career digs, the captain looks to surpass Lauren Schwer (1,377) for second place on BC’s all-time digs list. Clark delivered 24 pure passes in two of three matches last weekend.
The Boston College middle hitters aim to continue their rhythm from a week ago. Junior Krystle Higgins and sophomores Alex Fitzmorris and Melissa McTighe combined to average more than 16 kills per match.
Scouting the Badgers
Wisconsin is coming off a 2-1 weekend at the NC State Invitational. In Raleigh, N.C., the Badgers swept Campbell and Western Carolina, but fell to the Wolfpack in five sets.
UW senior Elle Ohlander and freshman Crystal Graff were named to the All-Tournament team. Ohlander averaged 1.60 blocks per set, while Graff hit for 3.33 kills per game. On the year, Graff is leading the Badgers with 61 kills (2.90 kpg) ans is third with 46 digs (2.19 dpg) and 13 blocks (0.62 bpg).
Most of the offense flows through freshman Courtney Thomas, 137 assists (5.96 apg), and senior Janelle Gabrielsen, 102 assists (4.43 apg). The duo also led UW in the back-row effort, with 98 digs between them.
Thomas and junior Alexis Mitchell top the squad with an identical five solo blocks and 14 assisted stops.
This will be the first meeting ever between Boston College and Wisconsin. The Eagles are 0-8 against Big Ten members since 1990.
Scouting the Lions
The Lions opened their season at the San Francisco Tournament, falling in straight sets to the host before topping Memphis, 3-1, and Providence, 3-0.
Senior Cindy Chen and junior Megan Gaughn each rattled off 28 kills to lead the attack for Columbia. Senior Monique Roberts was also efficient, striking 22-of-44 shots (.432) for kills with only three errors.
The Lions out-blocked their opponents, 23-12, as Roberts and Heather Braungel combined for 17 denials over the weekend.
Junior Kelsey Musselman and sophomore Colleen Brennan were the most utilized passers. Musselman totaled 58 assists in seven sets (8.29 apg), while Brennan turned in a solid 6.88 apg with 55 assists in eight games.
Chen (3.70 dpg) leads the Lions defensively with 37 digs, while Charlee Dyroff narrowly trails her teammate with 36 scoops (4.00 dpg).
BC is 29-30 against the Ivy League since 1990. The Eagles are 0-1 against the conference this year. Boston College and Columbia have not met on the court since 1990.
Scouting the Rams
Last weekend, Rhode Island won three matches and had a trio of players named to the All-Tournament team at the Holiday Inn Express Invitational at Stony Brook.
Kayla Wilson averaged 18 kills and 12 digs per match, tallying three double-doubles, en route to beinig named MVP and Atlantic-10 Co-Player of the Week.
Britta Baarstad racked up 37 kills on the final day and Annie Nelson properly set 84 kills to receive all-tournament accolades.
URI is averaging 14.4 digs, 12.1 kills, 11.4 assists and 1.1 blocks per set.
Wilson and Baarstad led Rhody with 97 and 81 kills. The duo also average 3.73 and 3.12 kpg, respectively. Baarstad also leads URI with 10 aces, while Nelson and Lindsay Potts each have nine.
Nelson has 214 assists, averaging 8.92 per game, on the year.
With three players - Wilson, Katherine Kolodziej and Lindsay Potts - over 50 digs already this season, the Rams are out-digging their opponents 14.35-12.25 each game. URI only trails its opponents in blocking, having been denied 45.0 times and only stopped its foes 29.
BC holds 3-2 advantage over Rhode Island since 2004, but trails the all-time series 3-9. Boston College aims to improve its 11-14 record against the Atlantic-10.
