DULUTH, Minn. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica volleyball team will have four more matches this weekend, when it takes part in the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Nike/Eastbay Fall Classic on Friday night and then begins conference play on Saturday as it hosts a conference triangular at the Reif Gymnasium.
Where:
Friday
McPhee Phy. Ed. Center – Eau Claire, Wis.
Saturday
Reif Gymnasium – Duluth, Minn.
When:
Friday
vs. Concordia-Moorhead – 3 p.m.
vs. Lakeland – 5 p.m.
Saturday
Martin Luther – 2 p.m.
Crown – 6 p.m.
Live Video vs. Concordia: https://www.uwec.edu/LTS/services/media/streaming/athletics2.htm
Live Video vs. Lakeland: https://www.uwec.edu/LTS/services/media/streaming/live2.htm
Live Video Saturday: http://www.csssaints.com/showcase
Live Stats Saturday: http://www.sidearmstats.com/css/wvball
Social Media:
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/SaintsVball
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/csssaintsvball
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/csssaints
St. Scholastica Saints
Stats
Record: 1-7, 0-0 UMAC
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference: Standings | Stats
Last Action: The Saints dropped four matches at the Augsburg University Invitational last weekend … The Saints fell in straight sets to the University of St. Thomas, No. 16 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Augsburg … The lone set won on the weekend was against the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Friday night … Senior
Christaia Houser (Esko, Minn./Homeschool) was named to the all-tournament team for the second straight week.
Tough Start: Three of the Saints' first seven losses have come against team that are currently ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III poll (UW-La Crosse-21, St. Thomas-23 & UW-Stevens Point-25) … A fourth loss has come against a team receiving votes in the poll (Augsburg).
Conference Triangulars: New this year around the conference is scheduling conference triangulars … Teams are playing 16 league matches this season and to allow for scheduling flexibility schools will be playing four UMAC triangulars during the first month of the season … Saturday's contests will be the only time the Saints will be hosting two UMAC programs … CSS has a triangular later in the year involving a non-conference opponent.
Houser Hits 200: Christaia Houser (Esko, Minn./Homeschool) recorded her 200
th career block last weekend at Augsburg … She is the 13
th Saint in program history to over 200 blocks in a career … She currently ranks fifth in the conference, averaging 0.74 blocks per set … Houser leads the team in kills (48) and blocks (20).
First Set Woes: The Saints have yet to win a first set this season (0-8) … Last season, CSS won 12 of 28 first sets
Upcoming Opponents
Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers
Record: 1-4, 0-1 MIAC
The Cobbers will enter Friday's matchup against the Saints on a three-match losing streak … After falling to CSS in the season opener, Concordia defeated Buena Vista University (Iowa) in five sets … Since then they were swept by Loras College (Iowa), University of Northwestern and fell in four to No. 23 University of St. Thomas on Wednesday … Haley Cuppett leads the team with 52 kills, while Brianna Carney had 43 kills and a team-high 17 blocks.
Lakeland Muskies
Record: 2-8, 0-1 NACC
The Muskies are on a seven-match losing skid entering Friday night's contest against the Saints … Lakeland started the season 2-1, but have been swept in six of the last seven matches … Shannon Bishop leads the squad with 66 kills and is tied for the team lead with 15 blocks … The Muskies were picked to finish fifth in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) this season.
Martin Luther Knights
Record: 5-5, 0-0 UMAC
The Knights are coming off a home sweep of Macalester College on Wednesday night … It marked the second win against a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opponent this season as they defeated Hamline University earlier in the year … Senior Jade St. Germaine leads the team with 96 kills this season … Fellow senior Kira Grev has recorded 70 kills … Martin Luther has allowed the fewest opponent kills in the league thus far (10.33 per set) … Rylee Weisensel is tied for third in the conference with 26 blocks.
Crown Storm
Record: 1-8, 0-1 UMAC
The Storm's lone win this season came against Faith Baptist Bible last Friday … Crown has been swept in six of its eight losses, including a conference-opening loss to the University of Northwestern on Wednesday … Christine Anderson has a team-high 61 kills and 18 blocks … Alayna Kohler has 51 kills … The Storm has the lowest hitting percentage and fewest kills thus far among conference teams.
Series Records:
-Concordia leads CSS 5-2-1
(Last Meeting: 3-1 CSS – 9/1/2017)
-First meeting vs. Lakeland
-CSS leads MLC 53-32
(Last Meeting: 3-0 CSS – 10/8/2016)
-CSS leads Crown 31-0
(Last Meeting: 3-0 Crown – 10/29/2016)
Series Histories: The Saints will have a rematch with Concordia-Moorhead on Saturday … CSS' lone victory of the year came in the season opener against the Cobbers, taking the match in four sets …It was the first win over Concordia since the 1981 season /// The Saints have won seven straight against Martin Luther … Six of those seven victories have come in straight sets /// The Saints have swept Crown in 28 of the previous 31 meetings.
Looking Ahead: The Saints will be across the bridge on Tuesday when they take part in a UMAC triangular at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The Saints will face Northland College at 3 p.m. and UW-Superior at 5 p.m.
