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THIS WEEK'S MATCHES: The Blue Devils (0-4, 0-0 WIAC) travel to Hamline University (0-3, 0-0 MIAC), Wednesday, Sept. 7 for a 7 p.m. contest. Stout returns to St. Paul, Minn., to compete in the St. Catherine University Invitational. Stout will do battle Friday, Sept. 9 against Bethany Lutheran College (1-3, 0-0 UMAC) at 5 p.m. and host St. Catherine (3-1, 0-0 MIAC) at 7 p.m. The Blue Devils will meet Martin Luther College (2-3, 0-0 MIAC) Saturday, Sept. 10 at 11 a.m., then will meet Central College (0-0, 0-0 ARC), at 3 p.m. .
LOOKING AT UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils return 10 letter winners from last year's squad and five starters from 2021. Top hitters Sidney Hoverman, a 2021 all-WIAC honorable mention selection, and Jessica Barr return. Hoverman averaged 3.53 kills per contest and Barr 2.22. Barr and McCayla Thompson were Stout's top blockers, with Thompson averaging 0.55 and Barr 0.53 blocks per set. The Blue Devils will be looking to replace leading setter Lexie Nelson, who provided 80 percent of the assists, averaging 8.21 assists, put down 1.55 kills, averaged 2.94 digs and 0.47 blocks. Staci Meyer and Terrah Moshier alternated at the libero position and were among the team leaders in digs. Meyer led the team with 3.30 digs per set and Moshier averaged 2.90 digs. Anna Hansen saw action in 91 sets and Caroline Braun saw action in 62 sets. After a two-year absence, middle hitter Lydia Kneubuehl returns. Kneubuehl earned WIAC honorable mention selection in 2019 when she averaged 0.74 blocks per set and 2.45 kills per set. | Statistics
BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils went 0-4 at the loaded Trinity University Invitational in San Antonio, Texas., last weekend. Stout lost 3-1 to Texas Lutheran in the opener, Sept. 1, then lost 3-0 to 24th ranked Transylvania, Sept. 2, lost 3-0 to 6th ranked Berry College, Sept. 3 and closed out the tournament with a 3-1 loss to Edgewood College, Sept. 3. On the opening day, The UW-Stout volleyball team opened the season with a thrilling 28-26 first set win over Texas Lutheran University at the Trinity University Invitational, then dropped a second tight set, 25-23, to the Bulldogs. Stout could not bounce back and fell in the tournament's opening match, 3-1, Thursday, at Bell Center. Sidney Hoverman and Caroline Braun led Stout's offensive attack, with Hoverman pounding down 16 kills and Braun collecting a career-best 13 kills. UW-Stout hung tough with 24th-ranked Transylvania University for the first set, but the 2021 NCAA qualifying Pioneers put the Blue Devils on hold in the second and third sets for a 3-0 decision in Stout's second match at the Trinity University Invitational Friday. Senior Caroline Braun led the Blue Devils with seven kills. Sidney Hoverman and Alyssa Ihde each had five kills. Jessica Barr had a solo block and two block assists. Jessica Barr and Sidney Hoverman combined for 27 kills, but UW-Stout concluded their four games at the Trinity (Texas) University Tournament Saturday with a 3-1 loss to Edgewood College. Earlier in the day, the Blue Devils fell to sixth ranked Berry College. | Day One Game Story and Statistics | Day Two Game Story and Statistics | Day Three Game Story and Statistics
HAMLINE UNIVERSITY: The Pipers went 0-3 at the Macalester College Tournament last weekend, falling by identical 3-0 scores to Minnesota-Morris, UW-Platteville and Nebraska Wesleyan University. UW-Platteville's stellar hitting in the latter part of the first two frames engineered their efficient .333 attack percentage in the first set, and .242 figure in the second session. The Pipers were within striking distance of the Pioneers midway through each set. UW-Platteville broke an 11-11 tie in the opening set with a 6-0 run highlighted by two kills from Emma Carlson. It gave the Pioneers a 17-11 lead, which proved to be enough cushion in a 25-16 victory. Addie Thomas and Nyah Chambers were lethal in the opening set for Nebraska Wesleyan. Their five kills apiece in the frame highlighted a squad that hit .343 in the 25-19 win. The Prairie Wolves duplicated their .343 hitting mark in the second set, where they jumped to a 9-0 lead that gave them enough cushion in a 25-12 win. In the opener Friday against Minnesota-Morris, the Pipers held early leads in the opening two sets, which included a 7-5 edge in the opening frame and a 7-4 advantage in the second session. The Cougars, who led from start-to-finish in set three, registered an impressive .216 hitting percentage in the match en route to a 3-0 victory. Julianna Boyum paced Hamline with eight kills, followed by seven from Faith Johnson. Kaitlyn Kotek posted 28 assists in her collegiate debut for the Pipers, while Jenna Rubbelke paved the way with a team-high 16 digs and two service aces. The Pipers are coached by former Blue Devil player and assistant coach Maggie Meixl. | Platteville/Nebraska Wesleyan Story and Stats | Morris Story and Stats | 2022 Statistics
LAST TIME THEY MET: The teams met in the season opener last year in Menomonie, with Stout taking a 3-1 decision. After losing the first set, UW-Stout roared back to take the next three sets on their way to a 3-1 win over Hamline University. The Pipers captured the first set, 25-21, but Stout (1-0) captured the next three sets, 25-20, 25-15, 25-17. Sidney Hoverman led the way for the Blue Devils with 12 kills, spreading her points fairly evenly throughout the four sets. Elise Banitt and Anna Hansen each finished with 10 kills. | Match Story and Statistics
THE SERIES: Since the 2000 season, the Blue Devils hold a 12-6 lead in the series. Stout has won the last five matches. | History
THE ST. CATHERINE TOURNAMENT: Stout will compete in the St. Catherine University Invitational this weekend. Stout will do battle Friday, Sept. 9 against Bethany Lutheran College (1-3, 0-0 UMAC) at 5 p.m. and host St. Catherine (3-1, 0-0 MIAC) at 7 p.m. The Blue Devils will meet Martin Luther College (2-3, 0-0 MIAC) Saturday, Sept. 10 at 11 a.m., then will meet Central College (0-0, 0-0 ARC), at 3 p.m.
THE SERIES VS BETHANY LUTHERAN: Stout has won the last two meetings between the two teams. | History | Bethany Stats
THE SERIES VS ST. CATHERINE: Since the 2000 season, the Blue Devils hold a 9-4 lead in the series. Stout has won the last five meetings. | History | St. Catherine Stats
THE SERIES VS MARTIN LUTHER COLLEGE: Stout has won the last two meetings. | History | Martin Luther Stats
THE SERIES VS CENTRAL COLLEGE: Since the 2000 season, the team have a split record, with each teams having won three games. Stout won the meeting last year, 3-1, in Pella, Iowa. | History | Central Stats
THE SERIES: Since the 2000 season, Stout and Edgewood have met four times, with Stout holding a 3-1 lead. Stout won the last meeting between the two teams, a 3-0 win in Whitewater during the 2018 season. Edgewood captured a 3-1 win in Platteville during the 2010 season. | History
CONFERENCE & NATIONAL POLLS: The Blue Devils were picked to finish eighth in the WIAC, according to a preseason poll by conference coaches and sports information directors. | 2021 WIAC Preseason Poll | AVCA Top 25 Poll
UW-STOUT COACH BEN STAUPE: Coach Ben Staupe (16-92) is in his first year as the Blue Devil head coach, coming to Stout after four seasons as the head coach at NCAA Division I Western Illinois University, which was preceded by eight seasons as the associate head coach at Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) member UW-Whitewater. Before joining the Whitewater staff, Staupe was the head coach at Rock Valley College, a junior college in Rockford, Ill. A UW-La Crosse graduate, Staupe also served a stint as an assistant coach at NAIA Viterbo University, as well as coaching club volleyball and high school volleyball.
BLUE DEVIL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Week One: Offensive athlete of the week: Sidney Hoverman, Jr, St. Croix Falls, Wis..; Defensive player of the week: Jessica Barr, Sr, Bloomer, Wis.
WIAC PRESEASON POLL: The Blue Devils were picked to finish eighth in a WIAC preseason poll conducted by league coaches and sports information directors.
AWARDS: 2021: Lexie Nelson and Sidney Hoverman were selected all-WIAC honorable mention...Lexie Nelson and Sidney Hoverman were selected to the all-tournament team at the UW-Oshkosh Polito's Invitational...Lexie Nelson and Jessica Barr were selected to the all-tournament team at the Grinnell College/Central College Invitational..
DOWN THE ROAD: : The Blue Devils open conference play by traveling to UW-Stevens Point, Sept. 14, for a 7 p.m. contest. Stout will be at the UW-Eau Claire-hosted Sandy Schumacher Invitational, Sept. 16-17. The Blue Devils will meet Lakeland University, Friday, Sept. 16 at 7 pm.., followed by Finlandia University at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 17 at 11 a.m. and will close out the tournament at 1 p.m. against the College of St. Benedict.
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