University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware Volleyball Set To Take Part in Final Non-Conference Tournament at Pittsburgh
9/15/2011 6:44:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The University of Delaware volleyball team will look to build off its previous match as the Blue Hens head into their final non-conference tournament this weekend at the University of Pittsburgh Blue and Gold Tournament Friday and Saturday.
Delaware is coming off its first sweep of the season, defeating Temple in straight sets on Tuesday night on Viera Court. The win was also the team's first home victory of 2011.
They will open the Pitt Blue and Gold Tournament on Friday night against Kent State at 5 p.m. On Saturday, they will face New Mexico and Pittsburgh before returning home.
Scouting the University of Delaware Blue Hens (3-8):
Delaware used a balanced attack to defeat its I-95 Rival Temple on Tuesday at home. Solid play at the net by Karina Evans and Chelsea Lawrence opened the outside hitters, as Katie Hank and Kim Stewart led the team with nine and eight kills, respectively.
Evans totaled seven block assists while Lawrence tallied four of her own. Alissa Alker stuffed the stat sheet with five kills, 13 digs, six block assists, a career high four aces, and an assist to lead the Blue Hens. In all, Delaware out blocked the Owls, 11-3.
This season, Hank has collected 130 kills (3.17 per set) followed closely by Alker's 124 (3.02 per set). Renee Tomko (above right) has been running the offense, dishing out 410 assists in 41 games.
Defensively, Cara Rosehill carries the back line with 197 digs (4.80 per set). The Blue Hens have four players with over 100 digs, as Alker (138), Tomko (124), and Stewart (120) have all kept balls off the ground at an alarming rate.
Evans is the lone Hen averaging over one block per game (1.07) but is just ahead of Lawrence's 0.95 blocks per game pace.
New Mexico is the fifth of six teams on the Blue Hens tough non-conference schedule that participated in the NCAA Tournament a season ago.
Delaware vs. Kent State: Second meeting; UD leads 1-0,
Delaware vs. New Mexico: Fourth meeting: UNM leads 2-1
Delaware vs. Pittsburgh: 13th meeting; Pitt leads 10-2
Scouting the Kent State University Golden Flashes (7-6):
The Golden Flashes complete their non-conference schedule this weekend as they square off against IPFW Thursday night before traveling to Pittsburgh to take on the Blue Hens on Friday.
The Flashes are coming off yet another five-set victory after rallying from a 2-0 deficit to down Canisius on Tuesday. Kent State is now 5-2 in five-set matches this season.
Maigan Larsen led the comeback with a match-high 19 kills, marking the 11th time she has hit double digits kills, and third straight. Jenny Buczek tallied 14 kills while fellow freshman Liz Reikow contributed a career best 13 kills and a match-high six blocks. Kathy Krupa and Tinuke Aderemi-Ibitola also reached double figures with 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
Larsen is averaging 3.80 kills per set, leading the Flashes. Krupa is the only other member with over 100 kills, collecting 139 (2.53 per set).
Aleksandra Nowak quarterbacks the offense, tallying 523 assists (9.69 per set), while Hanna Herc and Brooke Zeigler hold the back line, each collecting 151 digs this season.
Scouting the University of New Mexico Lobos (5-2):
The Lobos are riding a three-match winning streak after capturing the Comcast/Sheraton Lobo Invitational last weekend.
New Mexico defeated UC Irvine, 3-2, Portland State, 3-0, and Montreal, 3-0, to claim its host tournament. Chantale Riddle, Mariah Agre, Allison Buck and Ashley Rhoades were named to the all-tournament team for their performances.
Buck was named the tournament's MVP after setting a new career-high in digs with 34 in the win over UC Irvine. For the tournament, she totaled 67 digs.
Rhoades leads the Lobos offensively, averaging 3.96 kills per set and 4.78 points per game. She set a career single game high for kills with 26 against the Anteaters to open the tournament.
Riddle recorded seven block assists along with one block solo against UC Irvine. Riddle is second on the team in blocks with 22, closely following Rhoades who has recorded 28 in 2011.
Agre sets the attack for the Lobo, as she has 263 helpers (9.74 per game). She also leads the team with nine service aces and contributes 2.67 digs a set.
Scouting the University of Pittsburgh Panthers (8-3):
The Panthers are coming off a five-set setback against Ohio on Tuesday night. The loss was the teams third in its last six matches after opening the season by winning its first five contests.
Kiesha Leggs recorded a career and match high 22 kills on a .559 hitting percentage. She also added three blocks in the contest. Monica Wignot also recorded a career high, chipping in with 20 kills. She also tallied five assists and two digs for the match.
Wignot and Leggs are the only Panthers with triple digit kills, led by Wignot's 132 (3.57 kills per set). Leggs is close behind with 120 kills in 2011.
Lindsey Zitzke averages 10.27 helpers per game at the setting position, and leads the team with 22 aces.
Defensively, Brenea White dominates the net for the Panthers, averaging 1.21 blocks per game. On the back line, Margy Acton has 168 digs to lead the team.
Blue Hen Charity Efforts in 2011:
The Delaware coaching staff has announced its main areas of concentration to the community this season. The team will focus its efforts towards the tornado victims in Alabama and across the south over the summer.
The Blue Hens will also continue to welcome and support Princess Olivia and she continues to help raise awareness to fight childhood cancer. Olivia has been an honorary member of the Blue Hen team since 2008.
More information about each community event will come at a later date.
AGATE:
Friday, September 16
Delaware vs. Kent State, 5 p.m.
Saturday, September 17
Delaware vs. New Mexico, 1 p.m.
Delaware at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
