University of Delaware Athletics
Looking to Extend Winning Streak, University of Delaware Volleyball Welcomes Georgia State and UNCW
10/20/2011 5:14:00 PM | Volleyball
NEWARK, Del. - - Looking to extend its longest winning streak of the season, the University of Delaware volleyball team returns to Viera Court to start a five-game Colonial Athletic Association home stand over the next three weeks, starting this Friday and Saturday night.
The Blue Hens will host Georgia State on Friday at 7 p.m. before welcoming UNCW on Saturday, also at 7 p.m.
Scouting the University of Delaware Blue Hens (12-11, 5-2 CAA):
The Blue Hens have won four straight and six of seven matches overall, getting their record above .500 for the first time since winning the first game of the season.
The four-match win streak started with home bouts against rivals James Madison and George Mason, and continued on the road last weekend against William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth.
Chelsea Lawrence had a career night against VCU, finishing with a career best 18 kills. She only needed 29 swings to reach the mark, committing one error on the night for a .586 hitting percentage. Her previous career high was 12 kills.
Katie Hank lead the Blue Hens with 293 kills on the year, averaging 3.53 kills a set which is good enough for fourth in the conference. Alissa Alker averages 2.94 kills per set on the year while Kim Stewart knocks down 2.63 sets a game.
Renee Tomko is third in the CAA averaging 10.61 assists per game, and ups that average to 11.17 in conference games.
Defensively, libero Cara Rosehill has accumulated 373 digs to lead the team while Stewart (3.30 per game) and Alker (270 per set) also average more than three digs a frame.
As a team, Delaware leads the conference in digs per set for the season, keeping 17.61 attacks off the ground a game. In CAA matches only, Delaware sets the pace for the league with a .242 attack percentage, as well as 16.79 digs per set. The Blue Hens are also third in assists (12.46 per set) and kills (13.58 per set).
Scouting the Georgia State University Panthers (10-13, 4-2 CAA):
The Panthers split their last four matches, but have won five of seven overall to sit a half-game out of first in the CAA.
Georgia State will look to repeat its performance form a year ago against Delaware, as the Panthers are the only CAA team to figure out the Blue Hens in 2010, defeating UD, 3-2, in the GSU Sports Arena.
Most recently, they defeated UNCW, 3-0, on Saturday, October 15 in Wilmington, N.C. This weekend will be the end of a five-game road sweep for the Panthers.
Junior Jamiee Freeman posted her seventh double-double of the season with 14 kills and 11 digs over UNCW. The 14 kills were the second highest of her career. CAA Pre-Season Player of the Year Vineece Verdun collected nine kills against the Seahawks.
Muki Kangwa leads the Panthers and is second in the conference averaging 3.84 kills a set. Verdun has tallied 207 kills, and is eighth in the CAA with a 3.23 average. Verdun also makes her attacks count, as she is second in hitting percentage, converting on .331 percent of her swings.
Kaylee McGrew sets the offense, as she has an even 600 assists on the year, averaging 8.96 helpers a game. Chelsea Perry is second on the team with 239 assists.
Defensively, Freeman leads GSU with 312 digs, while Emily Averbeck averages 4.12 digs a set as the libero. Freeman is now eighth in school history with 946 career digs, looking to become only the eighth player to accomplish the 1,000-dig mark in program history.
This is the 11th meeting between the two programs, dating back to 2005. Delaware leads the all-time series, 6-4. The teams split the season series a year ago.
Scouting the UNCW Seahawks (9-14, 2-4 CAA):
The Seahawks lost their most recent contest against Georgia State but have won two of their past three matches overall.
One of their victories was a monumental victory for UNCW, as they defeated Hofstra, 3-2, on the road in come from behind fashion. The win marked the first time the Seahawks posted a road conference victory since 2002.
They also defeated The Citadel in another five-set match before the setback against Georgia State in Hanover Hall.
Christi Laite leads the Seahawks with 262 kills, and is seventh in the CAA in kills per set (3.32). Jennifer Mallard is second on the team with 148 kill averaging 1.76 kills a game.
Kelsey Bendig is closing in on 2,000 assists for her career, totaling 521 this season. Natalie LaHaie has played in 18 matches this year, dishing out 259 assists as well.
Defensively, Haley Collins has accumulated 361 digs on the year, good enough for eighth in the CAA with a 4.10 digs per set average. Courtney Porter has only played in 30 sets this year, but would be second in the conference while blocking 1.30 balls per set, if eligible.
As a team, UNCW is third in the CAA, and second in CAA matches only, in service aces. The Seahawks average 1.45 aces per game, led by Mallard's 31.
This will be the 24th meeting between the two programs, dating back to 1992. Delaware leads the all-time series, 20-3, aided by winning the last 13 matchups.
