Volleyball Preview: Blue Devils head to Duluth to take on St. Scholastica

St. Scholastica Live Video | St. Scholastica Live Stats

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (11-11, 2-2 WIAC) will be at the College of St. Scholastica (12-8, 3-2 UMAC), Tuesday, Oct. 13, then will be at the UW-Eau Claire Sandy Schumacher Invitational, Oct. 16-17, where they will face Concordia-Moorhead (11-5, 4-2 MIAC), Buena Vista University (14-8, 4-1 IIAC), the College of St. Benedict (12-6, 5-2 MIAC) and the University of Minnesota-Morris (14-8, 4-0 UMAC).

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: UW-Stout split a pair of conference matches over the weekend, falling 3-0 to 12th ranked UW-Whitewater, Oct. 9, but turning around and taking UW-Platteville in five games the following day.  | Whitewater Story and Stats | Platteville Story and Stats

A LOOK AT STOUT: The Blue Devils this year are led offensively at the net by sophomore Ashley Pratt, who is averaging 2.67 kills per set, and freshman Kennedy Strain, who is averaging 2.08 kills. Carly Troudt is averaging 1.95 kills per contest and Molly Brion and Laura Reiter are both averaging 1.88 kills. Pratt is currently ranked 10th in the WIAC in kills and seventh in hitting percentage (.270).  The Blue Devils utilize a two setter offense, with Emily Bialka averaging 5.47 assists per set, ranking seventh in the WIAC, and Maddie Phyle averaging 4.91 kills per set. Pratt and freshman Kennedy Strain are leading the team at the net defensively, with Pratt averaging 0.83 blocks to 0.73 for Strain.  Strain has 15 solo blocks with 43 block assists, while Pratt has 12 solo blocks and 64 block assists. Pratt ranks fifth in the league in total blocks and Strain 10th.  | 2015 Stats

STOUT LAST SEASON: With 20 wins, the 2014 Blue Devils put together more wins in a single season since the 2004 season. The Blue Devils will need to replace three players that loomed large last year and throughout their careers. Morgan Denny, a first team all-WIAC middle hitter pick, was the team's leading hitter the last two seasons. Karley Wiensch, an honorable selection for the last two years, is the only setter the Blue Devils have had for the last four years. Nicole Bradford, playing at the libero spot, led the team in digs. Molly Brion, an honorable mention all-WIAC pick, finished 12th in the WIAC in digs with 3.38, and finished with 1.87 kills per set. Sophomore middle hitter Ashley Pratt chipped in, with 2.23 kills per set, ranking 20th in the league, and ranked fourth in the WIAC in hitting percentage (.294). Outside hitter Laura Reiter contributed 2.57 kills per set, second on the team and 11th in the league. As a team, Stout finished third in the WIAC in hitting percentage (.209), fourth in assists (11.43), fourth in kills (12.16), sixth in blocks (1.62), fourth in service aces (1.32) and fifth in digs (16.72). | 2014 Stats

CLIMBING THE LADDER: Molly Brion needs 24 digs to reach 1000 digs for her career...

A LOOK AT ST. SCHOLASTICA: The Saints have won three of their last four games and two of three matches in the month of October. Scholastica is getting 3.32 kills from Kortney Morrin, 2.52 kills from Noelle Elvehjem and 2.45 from Amanda Belden.  Kariana DeYoung  leads the Saints at the net defensively, averaging .71 blocks per set. Nikki Kienzle is averaging 0.54 blocks.   |  2015 Stats

ST. SCHOLASTICA LAST TIME OUT: The Saints swept Martin Luther College on the road on Saturday … Kortney Morrin led the team with 15 kills, while Amanda Belden and Kariana DeYoung added six kills apiece … Alex Barsody had a team-high 15 digs and Emily Kessler added 20 assists … The Saints held the Knights to a .000 hitting percentage. Noelle Elvehjem continues to lead the UMAC with a .294 hitting percentage … The Saints lead the conference with 17.8 digs per set and are currently the Saints are tied for fourth in the UMAC standings.  | Story and Statistics

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND ST. SCHOLASTICA MET:  UW-Stout dispatched St. Scholastica in 75 minutes, taking the early homecoming week win, 25-16, 25-15, 25-19, Oct. 7, 2014, at Johnson Fieldhouse. The Blue Devils got 12 kills from Morgan Denny and 10 from Ashley Pratt  to lead the assault. Laura Reiter had nine kills and Molly Brion finished the night with eight kills. The Saints had five kills from Kortney Morrin. UW-Stout last traveled to Duluth in 2007, which resulted in a Saints victory in four sets … CSS is 2-0 all-time at home against the Blue Devils..Stout leads the series, 13-5. | Story and Statistics


A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS AT THE UW-EAU CLAIRE INVITE: UW-Stout will be at the UW-Eau Claire Sandy Schumacher Invitational, Oct. 16-17, where they will face Concordia-Moorhead (11-5, 4-2 MIAC), Buena Vista University (14-8, 4-1 IIAC), the College of St. Benedict (12-6, 5-2 MIAC) and the University of Minnesota-Morris (14-8, 4-0 UMAC). |  2015 Concordia-Moorhead Stats | 2015 Buena Vista Stats | 2015 College of St. Benedict Stats | 2015 UM-Morris Stats


TEAM CAPTAINS: Captains for the 2015 season are seniors Laura Reiter and Molly Brion and sophomore Maddie Phyle. Reiter and Brion were both captains for the 2014 season.

UW-STOUT COACH LAURA EVANS: Coach Laura Evans (31-21) is in her second year as the Blue Devil coach. In her first season, the Blue Devils posted 20 wins, the first 20-win season since 2004. Evans, the former Laura Hegerle, played her college volleyball at Southwest State University in Marshall, Minn. She has been an assistant coach at Colorado Christian, Augsburg College and Luther College.

QUICK HITS: The Blue Devils last season posted a 20-10 overall record, finishing with 20 wins for the first time since the 2004 season and finished fourth in league play, again their best finish since the 2004 season...Stout improved in the WIAC final statistics in hitting percentage, assists, kills, blocks and service aces from the previous year...Stout was picked to finish fifth in the WIAC in a preseason poll conducted by conference coaches and sports information directors.

AWARDS: Molly Brion was selected to the UW-Whitewater all-tournament team, Sept. 26...Ashley Pratt was selected to the Loras College Invitational all-tournament team...Ashley Pratt was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the Week, Sept. 8...Carly Troudt and Ashley Pratt were named to the Pacific Coast Classic all-tournament team...2014 Awards: Morgan Denny was a first team all-WIAC selection, while Karley Wiensch was an honorable mention selection for the second time, while Molly Brion was an honorable mention selection for the first time...Nicole Bradford was the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the Week after Stout went 3-1 from Oct. 6-11...Laura Reiter was selected to the all-tournament at UW-La Crosse, Oct. 4....Morgan Denny was the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the Week after her performance at the St. Kate's Invitational, Sept. 19-20...Morgan Denny and Karley Wiensch were named to the St. Kate's Invitational all-tournament team, Sept. 20...Morgan Denny was named to the Macalester College all-tournament team, Sept. 6...Kaylee Jacobs was selected to the all-tournament team at the St. Olaf/Carleton Invitational, Aug. 29..the entire 2013 squad was honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) with the Team Academic Award for the fourth time in five years.

DOWN THE ROAD: The Blue Devils return to conference play, Wednesday, Oct. 21, when they travel to UW-Eau Claire for a 7 p.m. contest. Stout will be at the Coe College Mabel Lee Invitational, Oct. 23-24 to face host Coe, the University of Dubuque and Luther College.