Volleyball Preview: Blue Devils host UW-Superior Monday

Live Video vs. UW-Superior

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (10-9, 2-2 WIAC) play a rare Monday night contest when they host UW-Superior (6-16, 2-3 UMAC), Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. Stout will be at the St. Catherine Invitational Saturday, Oct. 15 when they face Macalester College (7-11,1-5 MIAC) and St. Catherine (11-12, 0-6 MIAC).

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

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: Stout went 2-1 last week, downing Gustavus Adolphus, 3-1, at home, then lost to nationally ranked UW-Whitewater, 3-0, and rebounded with a 3-2 win over UW-Platteville Saturday. The 3-2 win was only Stout's second five set match this season. Ashley Pratt recorded a career-high 17 kills in the five set match with the Pioneers. | 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 with an attack average of .277. Kennedy Strain has been solid on both sides of the net, averaging 2.38 kills and leads the team in blocks, averaging 0.85 per set. She has recorded 22 solo blocks and 24 assisted blocks. Freshman Jessica DuVal has been the Blue Devils' primary setter this season, averaging 7.70 and freshman Anna Panning leads Stout in digs at 4.28. | 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-SUPERIOR:  The Yellowjackets got back into the win column with a 3-0 win over Crown College Saturday.  Alexis Landherr is averaging 3.24 kills per set and Brylee Colligan is averaging 2.97 kills per set. Emily VerWay leads the team in assists, averaging 8.72 per set. The Yellowjackets have won two of their last four matches. | Statistics

YELLOWJACKETS LAST TIME OUT: The Yellowjackets hit .267 as a team, never collecting more than five attacking errors in any set with just 13 total on the day, on their way to a Parents' Day 25-12, 25-17, 25-19 win over Crown College Saturday. Alexis Landherr had 13 kills to lead the Yellowjackets, while freshman outside hitter Brylee Colligan had eight and junior Leah Nightingale seven. Landherr and freshman middle hitter Ashley Runck each played a role in two blocks on the day.  | Story and Statistics

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND SUPERIOR MET: The Blue Devils were able to nearly clear their bench in a 25-22, 25-20, 25-16 win over the Yellowjackets when the teams met Sept. 9 at the Northland College Invitational. Ashley Pratt and Kennedy Strain each had nine kills and Olivia Jung put down eight. Strain had a pair of solo blocks and Jung contributed one. Pratt teamed up for two block assists. Alexis Landherr and Leah Nightingale each had six kills for the Yellowjackets.  | Story and Statistics


A LOOK AT MACALESTER:  The Scots will meet Crown College, Oct. 10 and Gustavus Adolphus, Oct. 12, before meeting the Blue Devils.   | Statistics

SCOTS LAST TIME OUT: INFO COMING. | Story and Statistics

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND MACALESTER MET: INFO COMING | Story and Statistics


A LOOK AT ST. CATHERINE: The Wildcats will play Concordia-Moorhead, Oct. 12, and Buena Vista, Oct. 14 before meeting the Blue Devils.   | Statistics

WILDCATS LAST TIME OUT: INFO COMING. | Story and Statistics

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND ST. CATHERINE MET: INFO COMING | Story and Statistics


UW-STOUT COACH LAURA EVANS: Coach Laura Evans (46-37) 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.

QUICK HITS: The Blue Devils posted a 20-10 overall record during the 2014 season, 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. But the Blue Devils picked up the competitive level of their schedule in 2015 and finished at 16-18 overall...Stout was picked to finish sixth in the WIAC in a preseason poll conducted by conference coaches and sports information directors.

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 Kennedy Strain were selected to the University of Northwestern all-tournament team, Sept. 3.

DOWN THE ROAD: The Blue 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.