Volleyball Preview: Blue Devils hosts Saints, then WIAC action

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THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (14-11, 3-2 WIAC) will host three matches during the final week of the regular season. Stout will host St. Scholastica (10-14, 4-2 UMAC), Tuesday, Oct. 25, followed by two conference contests – UW-Stevens Point (24-6, 2-3 WIAC), Friday, Oct. 28 and UW-Oshkosh (23-6, 3-2 WIAC), Saturday, Oct. 29. The Blue Devils are working to secure a WIAC tournament berth and a home bid in the tournament. There are four teams tied for second with 3-2 conference records.  The quarterfinals are Tuesday, Nov. 1, the semi-finals Thursday, Nov. 3 and the championship, Saturday, Nov. 5.

ON-LINE: All home Blue Devil matches are available in a live video stream.

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils went 2-1 last week, upending 25th ranked UW-Eau Claire, 3-2, Oct. 19, then lost a non-conference contest, 3-1, at  13th ranked UW-La Crosse, Oct. 22 and came back with a 3-1 win over Carroll University in La Crosse. Ashley Pratt had a solid week, putting down 50 total kills over the 13 sets. | Story and Stats

A LOOK AT STOUT: The Blue Devils have had their ups and downs throughout the season, but have won five of their last seven games. Ashley Pratt continues to lead the Blue Devils in attacks, averaging 3.46 kills per set with an attack average of .270, both fourth in the WIAC. Pratt recorded 15, 17 and 18 kills across the three matches last week. Kennedy Strain has been solid on both sides of the net, averaging 2.55 kills and leads the team in blocks, averaging 0.83 per set. She has recorded 28 solo blocks, the most of any player in the WIAC, and 46 assisted blocks, ranking 11th. Freshman Jessica DuVal has been the Blue Devils' primary setter this season, averaging 8.10 assists, sixth in the WIAC, and freshman Anna Panning leads Stout in digs at 4.46, fourth in the WIAC. Over the three matches last week, DuVal averaged 10.0 assists per set. | 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 ST. SCHOLASTICA:  The Saints are currently tied for third place in the UMAC with two conference matches remaining. Each of the last six matches for the Saints have been decided in three sets, with the Saints going 3-3 in those matches. Scholastica is 5-4 in the month of October and 2-3 over the last five games. Amanda  Belden leads the attack with a 2.60 kills per set average. Noelle Elvehjem is second with 2.35 kills. Christaia Houser  averages 1.01 blocks per set, tallying 15 solo blocks and 54 assisted blocks. The Saints have three players averaging more than four assists, led by Emily Kessler's 5.12 assists.    | Statistics

SAINTS LAST TIME OUT: The Saints were swept at conference leader and No. 19-ranked University of Northwestern on Saturday.  Amanda Belden had seven kills to pace the offensive attack, while Christaia Houser had six blocks defensively. Scholastica was held to its lowest hitting percentage (.082) since early September.    |  Story and Statistics

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND ST. SCHOLASTICA MET: The teams met during a season-opening tournament at the University of Northwestrn and the Blue Devils came away with a 29-27, 25-19, 25-12 win. Ashley Pratt led the way for Stout, putting down 14 kills and had three block assists. Kennedy Strain had six kills, but also recorded two solo blocks and two block assists. Brooke Schermann had six kills for the Saints.  | Story and Statistics


A LOOK AT UW-STEVENS POINT: Heading into this week, the Pointers are in sixth place in the WIAC and are one match back of four teams tied for second. The Pointers were ranked 12th in the Oct. 18 AVCA Coaches Poll. Kelly Cefula is second in the WIAC in kills with 3.86 kills per set. Gabby Thomas is averaging 2.89 kills. Bri Piepenbrok is tops in the league in digs with 5.64.  | Statistics

POINTERS LAST TIME OUT: The Pointers host Concordia-Wisconsin Tuesday, Oct. 25 before traveling to Stout. The Pointers split a pair of games on the final day of the UW-Whitewater Invitational, falling to Elmhurst College, 3-2, but blanking Loras College, 3-0.   | Story and Statistics

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND STEVENS POINT MET: UW-Stevens Point made short work of UW-Stout, downing the Blue Devils in three sets, 25-19, 25-18, 25-10, Oct. 30, 2015 in Stevens Point. Neither team had any players in double-digit kills, but the Pointers had three players - Marie KRengel, Ellen Drewry and Gabby Thomas - put down nine kills. The Pointers recorded two solo blocks and 16 block assists. Ashley Pratt led Stout with eight kills. Stout was kept out of any type of block party, recording one solo block and only two block assists. | Story and Statistics


A LOOK AT UW-OSHKOSH: Heading into this week, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater, UW-Stout and UW-Eau Claire are in a four-way tie for second place. The Titans were ranked 22nd in the Oct. 18 AVCA Coaches Poll. The Titans lead the league in blocks, averaging 2.73 with Brook Brinkman leading the Titans at 0.93 blocks per set. Tina Elstner is fifth in the conference in kills, averaging 3.12.  |  Statistics

TITANS LAST TIME OUT: The Titans play Carroll University and Lakeland University, Wednesday, Oct. 26 before traveling to UW-Stout. The Titans are at UW-River Falls, Friday, Oct. 28. The Titans beat Elmhurst College, 3-1, at the UW-Whitewater Invitational Oct. 22. | Story and Statistics

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND OSHKOSH MET: The Titans clinched the top seed in the WIAC Tournament with a 3-0 win over the Blue Devils Oct. 31, 2015, in Oshkosh. Oshkosh swept Stout, 25-15, 25-22, 25-13 as the Blue Devils hit .037 for the day. Stout got seven kills from Molly Brion and a smattering of kills from the rest of the team. Katelyn Machalske had 12 kills for Oshkosh and Brianna Witter had 11 kills. Oshkosh had three solo blocks and 14 block assists. | Story and Statistics


UW-STOUT COACH LAURA EVANS: Coach Laura Evans (50-39) 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: Libero Anna Panning was selected as the UW-Stout/DIgiCopy Athlete of the Week, Oct. 25...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 are working to secure a WIAC tournament berth and a home bid in the tournament. There are four teams tied for second with 3-2 conference records.The quarterfinals are Tuesday, Nov. 1, the semi-finals Thursday, Nov. 3 and the championship, Saturday, Nov. 5.