DULUTH, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica volleyball team opens its 2016 season this weekend when it takes part in the University of Northwestern Labor Day Tournament.
Where:
Ericksen Center – St. Paul, Minn.
When:
Friday
vs. Westminster (Mo.) – 1 p.m.
vs. Augsburg – 5 p.m.
Saturday
vs. Coe (Iowa) – 9 a.m.
vs. UW-Stout – 11 a.m.
Live Video vs. Augsburg only: http://www.tjsportsonline.net/
Westminster Live Stats: http://unweagles.com/sports/2012/11/7/gen_1107121456.aspx
Live Stats for Other Three Matches: http://unweagles.com/sports/2014/10/11/gen_1011140915.aspx
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/SaintsVball
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/csssaintsvball
St. Scholastica Saints
Roster | 2015 Stats
2015 Record: 16-13, 5-3 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
Key Returners:
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Noelle Elvehjem (Mora, Minn./Mora HS) –
Right-Side – Honorable mention All-UMAC the past two seasons … Second on the team with 244 kills and third on the squad with 48 total blocks last season … Finished fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.265).
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Amanda Belden (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) –
Outside Hitter - Played in all 29 matches last season … Finished third on the team in kills (241).
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Nikki Kienzle (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS) –
Middle Blocker – Played in all 29 matches last season … Finished second on the team with 52 blocks and fifth on the squad with 138 kills.
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Alex Barsody (Onamia, Minn./Onamia HS) –
Defensive Specialist – Played in all 29 matches last season … Led the team with 26 service aces … Was third on the squad with 3.01 digs per set.
-Setters –
Emily Jansen (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie-Grey Eagle HS) and
Emily Kessler (Grand Rapids, Minn./Greenway HS (Itasca CC)) each return at setter … Kessler led the team with 562 assists last season, while Jansen 484 assists in nine fewer sets played.
Key Losses:
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Kortney Morrin (Grantsburg, Wis./Grantsburg HS (Northern State)) –
Outside Hitter– A three-time First Team All-UMAC performer … Led the team in kills the previous three seasons … Only known Saint to record at least 1,200 kills and 1,100 digs in a career.
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Danielle Benusa (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) –
Defensive Specialist – First Team All-UMAC choice last season … Averaged 4.01 digs per set last season and finished with sixth-most digs in a career in program history (1,315)
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Kariana DeYoung (Deer River, Minn./Deer River HS) –
Middle Blocker – Honorable mention All-UMAC choice last season … Led the team with 73 blocks.
Coach Moore: Head Coach
Dana Moore enters her 20
th season leading the Saints … Under Moore, the Saints have finished in the top half of the UMAC every year.
Success in Season Openers: CSS has won six straight season opening matches, four of which by sweeps.
It's not How you Start, but How you Finish: The Saints have lost nine straight matches and were 0-6 last season in which the contest went to a fifth-and-deciding set … CSS lost two five-set matches at this tournament last season against Augsburg and Loras College (Iowa) … The last five-set victory for the Saints was on October 30, 2013 against UW-Superior.
Approaching 1,000: Emily Jansen (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie-Grey Eagle HS) is 66 set assists shy of 1,000 for her career.
Top 5 Matches to Watch
9/10 – at UW-Oshkosh
The Titans are ranked No. 25 in the preseason top 25 poll and shared the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular season title last season.
9/24 – vs. Minnesota Morris
The home and conference opener for the Saints … Morris has beaten the Saints six of the last seven meetings.
10/5 – vs. UW-Superior
The Saints will host Bridge Rival University of Wisconsin-Superior in what will likely be a key conference contest … UWS is picked to finish second in the league this season.
10/15 – vs. Saint Benedict
St. Ben's is also receiving votes in the preseason AVCA Top 25 poll … Saint Benedict are picked to finish second in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) this season … The Blazers have won six straight games against the Saints.
10/22 – at Northwestern
Northwestern has made six straight NCAA Tournaments and have won the UMAC Tournament the past four seasons … The Eagles are ranked No. 23 in the preseason AVCA poll after reaching the Sweet 16 of last year's NCAA Tournament.
UMAC Preseason Poll
1. Northwestern.......................................... 64 points (8 First Place Votes)
2. UW-Superior........................................... 53 points
3. St. Scholastica...................................... 50 points (1 First Place Vote)
4. Martin Luther........................................... 42 points
5. Minnesota Morris................................... 41 points
6. North Central.......................................... 25 points
7. Bethany Lutheran.................................. 23 points
8. Northland................................................. 15 points
9. Crown....................................................... 11 points
Upcoming Opponents
Westminster Blue Jays
2015 Record: 22-12, 16-2 SLIAC
The Blue Jays finished second in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) last season during the regular season and then runner-up in the SLIAC Tournament … Westminster is slotted to finish second again, according to the SLIAC preseason poll … The Blue Jays return SLIAC Player of the Year Hannah Marshall as part of six returning starters … Marshall, a junior outside hitter, as one of just two players in the SLIAC to finish with 400 or more kills last season (435) … First team all-conference senior setter Kayla Reeg returns after leading the league in assists the previous three seasons … Senior middle blocker, Amanda Kiso, is also a three-time all-conference performer.
Augsburg Auggies
2015 Record: 19-9, 5-6 MIAC
The Auggies finished last season tied for sixth in the MIAC after sharing the regular season title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 … Augsburg returns senior setter Courtney Lemke, who was an honorable mention AVCA All-American in 2014 … Also back is junior outside hitter Taylor Linn, who had 157 kills last season … Sophomore defensive specialist Macey Terhell finished in the top five of the MIAC last season with 528 digs … Augsburg will have to replace right-side hitter Ashley Peper, who was a three-time AVCA All-American, the first in program history to earn that accolades three times … The Auggies are picked to finish sixth, according to the MIAC Preseason Coaches' poll.
Coe Kohawks
2015 Record: 23-13, 4-3 IIAC
The Kohawks finished for a three-way tie for third in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) last season and were eliminated in the semifinals of the IIAC Tournament … Coe does not return an All-IIAC performer this season as it will have to replace honorable mention All-American setter Mackenzie Harbaugh and all-region right-side hitter Brianna Smith … Senior middle hitter Olivia Leisinger returns as she was an honorable mention All-IIAC choice last season, recording 301 kills … Junior defensive specialist Ali Arns returns after recording 497 digs and 28 service aces last season … The Kohawks are picked to finish sixth in the IIAC this season, according to the preseason coaches' poll.
UW-Stout Blue Devils
2015 Record: 16-18, 2-5 WIAC
The Blue Devils will return their top two hitters and blockers this season after finishing sixth in the WIAC last season … Stout returns only six players from last season, but two of those six were starting middle hitters last season … Junior Ashley Pratt was an honorable mention All-WIAC performer last season … She led the team in kills and blocks in 2015 … Kennedy Strain was second on the team in kills and blocks as a freshman last season … Defensive specialist Hallie Locher comes over from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where she averaged 2.33 digs per set last season … The Blue Devils are picked to finish sixth in the WIAC this season, according to the preseason poll.
Series Histories:
-First meeting vs. Westminster
-Augsburg leads CSS 9-5
-CSS leads Coe 3-1
-UW-Stout leads CSS 14-5
Last Meetings: Augsburg defeated the Saints at the UNW Labor Day Tournament last season in five sets … The Auggies have won three straight in the series … Coe swept the Saints at the UNW Labor Day Tournament last season … All four matches have been decided by sweeps … The Saints fell at home to UW-Stout in five sets last October.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will be at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Tournament on September 9 and 10.
