Live Video vs. UW-Eau Claire | at La Crosse: Live Stats
THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (12-10, 2-2 WIAC) will host 25th ranked
UW-Eau Claire (20-6, 3-1 WIAC) , Wednesday, Oct. 19, in a Dig Pink contest, then head to La Crosse where they will take on13th ranked
UW-La Crosse (17-3, 3-1 WIAC) and
Carroll University (6-17, 0-5 CCIW), Saturday, Oct. 22.
ON-LINE: All home Blue Devil matches are available in a
live video stream.
BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: After a sub-par performance earlier in the week, the UW-Stout volleyball team bounced back to pick up a pair of wins at the College of St. Catherine's Invitational Saturday. But the Blue Devils had to work hard for the wins. Stout started off the day with a 3-0 decision, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22, win over Macalester College to open the tournament, then needed to come all the way from behind to take a 3-2 win, 18-25, 18-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-12 win over the host Wildcats. |
Story and Stats
A LOOK AT STOUT: The Blue Devils have had their ups and downs throughout the season, but a 2-1 record last week brings them into the week on a positive note.
Ashley Pratt continues to lead the Blue Devils in attacks, averaging 3.40 kills per set, fourth in the WIAC, with an attack average of .264, sixth in the WIAC. Pratt recorded a career-high 20 kills in a five-set win over St. Catherine.
Kennedy Strain has been solid on both sides of the net, averaging 2.42 kills and leads the team in blocks, averaging 0.80 per set. She has recorded 23 solo blocks, the most of any player in the WIAC, and 38 assisted blocks for an average of 0.80 per set, ranking 10th. Freshman
Jessica DuVal has been the Blue Devils' primary setter this season, averaging 7.78 and freshman
Anna Panning leads Stout in digs at 4.42, fourth in the WIAC. |
Statistics
The Blue Devils return six players to the roster - one senior, two juniors and three sophomores - including both starting middle hitters from last season. All-WIAC honorable mention pick
Ashley Pratt (Jr, Lakeville) led the team in kills last season at 2.59 per set and was the team's leader in total blocks with 109 as a sophomore. Pratt recorded 18 solo blocks and 91 block assists.
Kennedy Strain (So, Elk River, Minn) had a strong freshman season, securing the middle opposite Pratt, finishing with 2.14 kills per set and led the team in solo blocks with 29. Strain finished with 106 total blocks. Beginning her third year as the Blue Devil head coach,
Laura Evans will look to Pratt and Strain to anchor the team in the middle.
Olivia Jung (Andover, Minn), the lone senior on the team, will play either outside or on the right side. Jung saw limited action last season, playing in 43 sets, but still finished sixth on the team in total blocks with 23. Junior
Becky Bradshaw (Oak Lawn, Ill) returns at outside hitter and she too saw limited action last year, but when she is on the court, she is capable of playing front and back row and averaged 1.83 kills per set. Outside hitter
Steph Cannon will need to recover from an injury and is not expected to be back for the season after playing in 118 sets last year. Sophomore setter
Emily Bialka (Cottage Grove, Minn) gained valuable experience after playing in 139 of 141 possible sets last year. Bialka was part of a two-setter system - Stout played three different offenses throughout the year - for much of last season and led the team in assists with 742 (5.34), ranking eighth in the WIAC. Bialka can also get off the ground. She put down 50 kills and recorded 36 total blocks, fourth on the team. Defensive specialist
Carissa Hilgers played in 73 sets last season and returns. Defensive specialist
Hallie Locher comes in as a junior after transferring from UW-La Crosse, where she played for two seasons. Last season, Locher played in 88 sets for the Eagles, averaging 2.33 digs and tallied 14 service aces. The Blue Devils will look to a large freshman class to fill needs. The recruiting class includes three setters who will compete with Bialka. "Our incoming setters coming in can, and will need to, compete at a high level," Evans said. The coaching staff will need to concentrate on fundamentals early in the preseason "With so many new kids, we will need to focus on the ball control piece," Evans said. "Our serve, receive and defense will be key." |
2015 Stats
A LOOK AT UW-EAU CLAIRE: The Blugolds are currently in a first place tie with UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater and are ranked 25th in the Oct. 18 AVCA Division III Coaches Poll. The Blugolds shook off a three-game losing streak to win the final two matches of their own invitational last weekend. Junior Heather Sawchuk leads the WIAC in kills and is 28th nationally, averaging 4.04 kills per set. Madelyn Pashibin averages 2.21 kills and Katrina Raskie averages 2.20 kills. Mackenzee Pierog is third in the WIAC in blocks with 1.04 per set. |
Statistics
BLUGOLDS LAST TIME OUT: Day two of the Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament saw the Blugolds get back to their winning ways, ending their three-match skid. UW-Eau Claire started out the day with a sweep of Martin Luther College, 25-15, 25-14, and 25-20. The second match of the day was more of the same as Eau Claire topped UW-Superior in straight sets, 25-20, 25-22, and 25-18. |
Story and Statistics
THE LAST TIME STOUT AND EAU CLAIRE MET: Trailing 24-12 in the fourth set and facing an almost certain match point, the UW-Stout volleyball team put on a rally that came up just short as the Blue Devils lost, 3-1, at UW-Eau Claire Oct. 21, 2015. After the Blugolds jumped out to a huge 20-9 lead in the fourth set, Stout clawed their way back and when
Steph Cannon put down a kill to make the score 24-13, it gave Stout the side out and put
Emily Bialka to the serving line. Bialka served flawlessly for the next 10 points, and was aided by four block assists pairings by
Rachel Tschumperlin and
Kennedy Strain to pull to with 24-23.A ball handling error ended the night with a 25-23 loss, but the Blue Devils showed their mettle by hanging onto the match until the end. |
Story and Statistics
A LOOK AT UW-LA CROSSE: The Eagles are in a tie for first place in the WIAC and moved up to 13th in the Oct. 18 AVCA Division III Coaches poll. The Eagles lead the WIAC in hitting percentage at .230 as a team. Junior Stephanie Henk is the Eagles' top hitter, putting down 3.73 kills per set to rank third in the WIAC. Maddie Entinger is tops in the WIAC in assists with 11.28. Jessica Jablonski is averaging 1.04 blocks per set. |
Statistics
EAGLES LAST TIME OUT: The Eagles are coming off a 3-1 win over UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 8 to make noise on the national scene, then have been idle until they host UW-River Falls Wednesday. |
Story and Statistics
THE LAST TIME STOUT AND LA CROSSE MET: UW-Stout started out strong, but the tide turned after the first set and 19th ranked UW-La Crosse won the final three sets to defeat the Blue Devils, 21-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-16, in Stout's home opener Sept. 28 at Johnson Fieldhouse. |
Story and Statistics
A LOOK AT CARROLL UNIVERSITY: Carroll's wins have come in streaks. Starting the season off with a four match losing streak, the Pioneers evened their record by winning the next four. But since then, they have gotten only two wins. Dana Voltolina leads Carroll in kills, averaging 2.44. Erika Dunnam has 11 solo blocks and 58 block assists for an average of 0.91 blocks per set. |
Statistics
PIONEERS LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers will try to shake a three-match losing streak when they take on North Central College, Oct. 18. Before that match, the Pioneers lost 3-2 at North Park University. | Story and Statistics
THE LAST TIME STOUT AND CARROLL MET: Carroll holds a 2-1 advantage in the series, but the teams have not met since the 1980s. | Story and Statistics
UW-STOUT COACH LAURA EVANS: Coach
Laura Evans (48-38) is in her third 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.
AWARDS: Defensive specialist
Anna Panning was selected to the WIAC/CCIW Crossover all-tournament team, Sept. 25...Middle hitter
Ashley Pratt was selected as the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the Week, Sept. 13...Middle hitter
Kennedy Strain was named to the Northland College all-tournament team, Sept. 10...Setter
Jessica DuVal and middle hitter
Ashley Pratt were selected to the University of Northwestern all-tournament team, Sept. 3
DOWN THE ROAD: The Blue Devils will host three matches during the final week of the regular season. Stout will host St. Scholastica, Tuesday, Oct. 25, followed by two conference contests – UW-Oshkosh, Friday, Oct. 28 and UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Oct. 29. Devils will host UW-Eau Claire, Wednesday, Oct. 19, then head to La Crosse where they will take on UW-La Crosse and Carroll University, Saturday, Oct. 22.
