Volleyball Preview: Top 25 Pointers, Eagles on tap this week

UW-Stevens Point Live Video | UW-Stevens Point Live Stats | WIAC Weekly Release

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (5-10, 1-0 WIAC) take to the road for a couple of conference matches, traveling to 23rd-ranked UW-Stevens Point (14-5, 0-1 WIAC), Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. and at UW-La Crosse (10-4, 1-0 WIAC), Saturday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. The Eagles received votes in the latest AVCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll. 

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

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils went 1-3 last week, downing UW-Superior, 3-1, dropping the home opener, 3-1, to Bethel University, Sept. 15, then losing two at the UW-River Falls Invitational, Sept. 16, falling 3-0 to the College of St. Benedict, and 3-2 to the University of St. Thomas. | Story and Stats

THE BLUE DEVILS IN 2017: Kennedy Strain is leading the Blue Devils' attack, averaging 2.79 kills and has 32 total blocks, with a team-high 17 solo blocks. After recording six solo blocks over the first 11 matches, Strain put down 11 solo blocks over the last four matches. Strain is third in the WIAC in hitting percentage at .336, and 10th in kills. Freshman Amber Riley and sophomore Kylie Hoff have both started to make their presence known. Hoff is averaging 2.33 kills, playing in 21 sets. Ripley has played in 53 sets, and is averging 2.17 kills per set. Senior Ashley Pratt is averaging 2.15 kills per set and has 24 total blocks with 21 block assists.After a season off due to injury, Steph Cannon has moved from an outside hitter to the libero position and is sixth in the WIAC in digs with 4.68 per set. Sophomore setter Jessica DuVal is fifth in the WIAC in assists with 7.88. | Statistics

A LOOK AT STOUT: The Blue Devils return strength up the middle by returning middle blockers Ashley Pratt and Kennedy Strain, both WIAC honorable mention selections last season. Pratt, a two-time All-WIAC honorable mention pick, has been at or towards the top of Stout's hitting game throughout her career, lasting year leading the team in both hitting percentage (.264) and kills (3.41). Pratt ranked seventh in the WIAC in hitting percentage and was fourth in kills. For her career, Pratt is averaging 2.75 kills per contest and hitting at a .268 clip. Pratt has played in 91 matches, tallying play in 335 sets. Opposite Pratt, Strain is the team's top returning blocker and trailed only Pratt in kills. Strain averaged 0.83 blocks last year, ranking 10th in the league, but topped all league players with 28 solo blocks. Strain also led the conference as a freshman in solo blocks with 29, ranking seventh in total blocks (0.85) in her rookie year. Emily Bialka contributed to the Blue Devils last season while moving to a different role. As a freshman, Bialka was one of the two setters in the Blue Devils' 6-2 offense. Bialka played a few sets last season as the setter, but was moved to the right side hitter position. Bialka finished by averaging 1.0 kills per contest and still managed to contribute just short of one assist per contest (0.80). Bialka trailed only Strain in blocks per set, averaging 0.59. Jessica DuVal secured the setter position last season as a freshman, and finished the season ranking sixth in the WIAC in assists, averaging 8.26 per contest. DuVal played in 105 sets last year, tops of any returning players. DuVal recorded 2.83 digs per set, the best of any returning players. Carissa Hilgers returns to the back row where she played in 99 of 107 possible sets and averaging 1.79 digs per set. Hilgers served up 19 service aces, second on the team, and the best of any returners. Following a good freshman season, Steph Cannon was forced to sit out the entire 2016 season due to injury. But Cannon returns in 2017 as an outside hitter. During her freshman year, Cannon averaged just shy of a kill per set, tallying 0.99 kills, seeing action in 118 of 141 sets. Cannon was second on the team in digs with 2.89 digs per set.


A LOOK AT UW-STEVENS POINT: The Pointers are ranked 23rd in the Sept. 26 AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 poll. After starting the season off 13-2, the Pointers have lost three of their last four games, including a 3-2 conference opening loss at UW-Whitewater.  April Gehl leads the Pointers, averaging 3.52 kills per contest, ranking third in the WIAC. Morgan Wirkus is right behind with 3.12 kills, ranking fifth. Kendra Kundinger leads the WIAC in digs, averaging 6.09. The Pointers have three players averaging more than four assists per game - Amber Majercik (5.57), Delaney McCreary (4.68) and Ellie Adams (4.25).  UW-Stevens Point head coach Abbey Sutherland has compiled 122 wins in her first four seasons – the best start of any coach in program archives. The Pointers will look to replace Bri Piepenbrok, who claimed WIAC Defensive Player of the Year recognition in 2016. | Statistics

POINTERS LAST TIME OUT: Stevens Point lost the conference opener to UW-Whitewater, 3-2, then went 1-2 at the WIAC/CCIW Crossover, losing 3-1 to North Central College, downing North Park University, 3-1, before bowing out with a 3-1 loss to Augustana College, Sept. 22-23.. | Story and Statistics

LAST TIME THEY MET: UW-Stevens Point swept past UW-Stout, but the Blue Devils had some fight left in them for the third set, coming back from a five point deficit to take the lead before succumbing, 25-22, 25-14, 26-24. The 17th ranked Pointers, who came into the match trailing the Blue Devils by one match in the conference standings, built a 22-17 lead in the final set and looked like they were going easily push the Blue Devils out of the way. | Story and Statistics


A LOOK AT UW-LA CROSSE: Stephanie Henk ranks second in the WIAC in kills, averaging 3.60 per set, and is also second in the league in service aces with 0.47. The Eagles lead the league in service aces, averaging 2.15 per set as a team. UW-La Crosse earned a piece of the regular-season crown last season with UW-Whitewater and UW-Oshkosh. It marked their second consecutive title and 11th in program history. The Eagles also made their second straight NCAA appearance and 14th overall. This year's roster features senior outside hitter Stephanie Henk – the reigning WIAC Offensive Player of the Year. In 2016, she was third in the conference with 418 kills and fourth with 476.5 points. Amber Dunn assumes the head coaching duties after holding the same role at The State University of New York at Geneseo the previous two seasons. She was also an assistant coach at UW-Stevens Point from 2012-14. | Statistics

EAGLES LAST TIME OUT: The Eagles have won four straight matches, including a straight set win over UW-Oshkosh, Sept. 20 to open the WIAC season. At the WIAC/CCIW Crossover at North Central College, the Eagles defeated Elmhurst College, 3-1, North Central College, 3-0, and Wheaton College 3-0. | Story and Statistics

LAST TIME THEY MET: Ashley Pratt pounded out 35 kills and Kennedy Strain contributed 28 as UW-Stout split a pair of matches at the UW-La Crosse Invitational Saturday, falling 3-1 to 13th ranked UW-La Crosse and coming back for a 3-1 win over Carroll University. Pratt put down 17 kills against the nationally ranked Eagles and Strain added 11. Strain had two solos blocks and four assisted blocks. The Blue Devils (14-11) won the first set over the Eagles, 25-22, but La Crosse knotted the tally with a 28-26 extra points win. The Eagles captured the final two sets, 25-20, 25-21. The Eagles got 16 kills from Stephanie Henk and 13 apiece for Jill Entinger and Ashley Entinger.The Eagles also took the conference contest between the two teams, 3-1, earlier in September. | Story and Statistics


UW-STOUT COACH LAURA EVANS: Coach Laura Evans (56-52) is in her fourth 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: Steph Cannon was selected to the UW-River Falls Invitational all-tournament team, Sept. 16...Kennedy Strain was selected to the UW-Oshkosh Pizza Hut Classic all-tournament team, Sept. 9..2016: The Blue Devil team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award...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: Stout will host Augsburg College, Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. in a Dig Pink contest with the Auggies. The Blue Devils will be at the UW-Eau Claire Sandy Schumacher Memorial Tournament, Oct. 6-7. Stout will meet Millikin University, Friday, Oct. 6 at 5 p.m., then the next day will have a rematch with the College of St. Benedict at noon and will close out the tournament with a 4 p.m. contest with the College of St. Scholastica.