NCC Title on the Line This Weekend for Volleyball
Nov 9, 2005 | Volleyball
The North Central Conference title will be on the line this weekend as the 24th-ranked University of Nebraska at Omaha volleyball team (18-6, 9-1 NCC) will close out the regular season with matches at fifth-ranked Minnesota Duluth (23-4, 9-1 NCC) on Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. and at Minnesota State (11-14, 5-5 NCC) on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. The Mavericks are currently tied for first in the NCC standings with Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs will close out the regular season by hosting North Dakota on Nov. 12.
The Record:
UNO is currently 18-6 overall and 9-1 in the NCC after sweeping St. Cloud State 30-19, 30-16, 30-16 last Saturday in the Mavericks' final regular-season home match of the season.
The Mavericks, who have won 14 out of their last 16 matches, are ranked No. 24 in the latest AVCA top 25 poll.
UNO is ranked No. 2 in the most recent NCAA II North Central Region rankings. The top eight teams in the Region will advance to the NCAA II North Central Regional on Nov. 17-19. The Mavericks will be looking to make their second-consecutive NCAA post-season appearance and their seventh NCAA Tournament in the Rose Shires' era.
Probable Starters:
L - #10 Chelsea Miller (5-9, Sr., Aurora, Neb.)
"C/ Starting libero in every match in 2005
"C/ Career-high 37 digs in five-game win over Wayne State on Oct. 11
"C/ Leads team with 4.88 digs per game
"C/ Ranks 4th in the NCC in digs per game (4.55 dpg)
"C/ Recorded 20-or-more digs in 6 matches
"C/ Ranks No. 7 in school history with 1,321 career digs
OH - #8 Ashley Freeman (6-0, Sr., Council Bluffs, Iowa)
"C/ Leads team with 3.58 kills per game
"C/ Seventh in the NCC in kills per game (3.73)
"C/ NCC player of the week on Oct. 24 and Nov. 7
"C/ Has led the Mavericks in kills in 12 of 24 matches
"C/ Registered double-figure kills in 19 matches
OH - #5 Christina Reicks (5-10, Jr., Bellevue, Neb.)
"C/ Second on the team with 3.30 kills per game
"C/ Leads the team with 36 service aces
"C/ Tied for 1st in the NCC in service aces (0.48 sapg); 6th in kills (3.91 kpg); 7th in hitting percentage (.275)
"C/ NCC player of the week on Sept. 12 and Oct. 3
"C/ Recorded double figure kills in 17 matches
"C/ Team-high eight double-doubles on the season
MB - #17 Carlie Christensen (6-0, So., Omaha, Neb.)
"C/ Leads the team with a .329 hitting percentage and 1.27 blocks per game
"C/ Second in the NCC with 1.33 blocks per NCC game
"C/ Third on the squad with 2.98 kills per games
"C/ Third in the NCC in hitting percentage (.320)
"C/ Tallied double-figure kills in 13 matches
"C/ Career-high 9 blocks in UNO's upset over No. 2 Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 21
MB - #1 Briana Ritter (5-11, Sr., Elkhorn, Neb.)
"C/ Second on the team with 1.21 blocks per game
"C/ Third on the squad with a .263 attack percentage
"C/ Leads the NCC with 1.42 blocks per NCC game
S - #1 Christie Johnson (5-8, Sr., Lincoln, Neb.)
"C/ Leads the team 12.35 assists per game
"C/ Ranks 2nd in the NCC with 13.85 assists and tied for 7th with 0.30 aces per game
"C/ NCC setter of the week on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31
"C/ Ranks 6th in school history with 2,862 career set assists
"C/ 2004, all-NCC; academic all-NCC
RS - #11 Heather Hainline (6-2, Sr., Papillion, Neb.
"C/ Leads the NCC with .418 hitting percentage
"C/ Fourth on the team with 2.55 kills per game
"C/ Third on the team with 0.76 blocks per game
"C/ Double-figure kills in eight matches
"C/ Registered a career-high 19 kills with a .667 hitting percentage in UNO's win over Augustana on Oct. 1
Scouting Minnesota Duluth:
Minnesota Duluth is currently tied with UNO for first place in the NCC standings with an 9-1 conference record and a 23-4 overall mark. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 5 in the latest AVCA top 25 poll and No. 3 in the most recent NCAA II North Central Region rankings.
The Bulldogs are led by sophomore All-American Vicky Braegelmann who is averaging 4.20 kills and 0.72 blocks per game while hitting a team-high .358. UMD has a balanced attack with five Bulldogs averaging at least 2 kills per game. Senior middle blocker Alicia Meger leads UMD in blocking at 1.20 stuffs per game. One of the best liberos in the NCC, senior Allison Boddy is averaging 5.17 digs per game.
This will the 39th meeting between Minnesota Duluth and UNO with the Mavericks holding a 28-10 advantage in the series. The Mavericks handed UMD their only conference loss of the season and snapped a 17-match Bulldog winning streak with a three-game sweep over UMD on Oct. 21 in Omaha.
Scouting Minnesota State:
Minnesota State is currently in third place in the NCC standings with a 5-5 league record and an 11-14 overall mark. The Mavericks have lost six out of their last eight matches. MSU is currently ranked ninth in the latest NCAA North Central Region rankings.
The Mavericks are led by senior middle blocker Tiffany Graham who is averaging 3.29 kills and 1.11 blocks per game while hitting .278. Junior outside hitter Mandy Reuter is averaging 2.96 kills and a team second-best 3.29 digs per game. Freshman outside hitter Ashley Nachreiner is second on the team with 2.97 kills per game. Sophomore Stef Sandstrom, who started the season as a defensive specialist, is the team's setter, averaging 9.01 assists and 2.61 digs per game.
This will the 42nd meeting between Minnesota State and UNO with the Mavericks holding a 32-9 advantage in the series. UNO has won the last three meetings between the two schools. The Mavericks defeated MSU in four games on Sept. 30 in Omaha.
The Record:
UNO is currently 18-6 overall and 9-1 in the NCC after sweeping St. Cloud State 30-19, 30-16, 30-16 last Saturday in the Mavericks' final regular-season home match of the season.
The Mavericks, who have won 14 out of their last 16 matches, are ranked No. 24 in the latest AVCA top 25 poll.
UNO is ranked No. 2 in the most recent NCAA II North Central Region rankings. The top eight teams in the Region will advance to the NCAA II North Central Regional on Nov. 17-19. The Mavericks will be looking to make their second-consecutive NCAA post-season appearance and their seventh NCAA Tournament in the Rose Shires' era.
Probable Starters:
L - #10 Chelsea Miller (5-9, Sr., Aurora, Neb.)
"C/ Starting libero in every match in 2005
"C/ Career-high 37 digs in five-game win over Wayne State on Oct. 11
"C/ Leads team with 4.88 digs per game
"C/ Ranks 4th in the NCC in digs per game (4.55 dpg)
"C/ Recorded 20-or-more digs in 6 matches
"C/ Ranks No. 7 in school history with 1,321 career digs
OH - #8 Ashley Freeman (6-0, Sr., Council Bluffs, Iowa)
"C/ Leads team with 3.58 kills per game
"C/ Seventh in the NCC in kills per game (3.73)
"C/ NCC player of the week on Oct. 24 and Nov. 7
"C/ Has led the Mavericks in kills in 12 of 24 matches
"C/ Registered double-figure kills in 19 matches
OH - #5 Christina Reicks (5-10, Jr., Bellevue, Neb.)
"C/ Second on the team with 3.30 kills per game
"C/ Leads the team with 36 service aces
"C/ Tied for 1st in the NCC in service aces (0.48 sapg); 6th in kills (3.91 kpg); 7th in hitting percentage (.275)
"C/ NCC player of the week on Sept. 12 and Oct. 3
"C/ Recorded double figure kills in 17 matches
"C/ Team-high eight double-doubles on the season
MB - #17 Carlie Christensen (6-0, So., Omaha, Neb.)
"C/ Leads the team with a .329 hitting percentage and 1.27 blocks per game
"C/ Second in the NCC with 1.33 blocks per NCC game
"C/ Third on the squad with 2.98 kills per games
"C/ Third in the NCC in hitting percentage (.320)
"C/ Tallied double-figure kills in 13 matches
"C/ Career-high 9 blocks in UNO's upset over No. 2 Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 21
MB - #1 Briana Ritter (5-11, Sr., Elkhorn, Neb.)
"C/ Second on the team with 1.21 blocks per game
"C/ Third on the squad with a .263 attack percentage
"C/ Leads the NCC with 1.42 blocks per NCC game
S - #1 Christie Johnson (5-8, Sr., Lincoln, Neb.)
"C/ Leads the team 12.35 assists per game
"C/ Ranks 2nd in the NCC with 13.85 assists and tied for 7th with 0.30 aces per game
"C/ NCC setter of the week on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31
"C/ Ranks 6th in school history with 2,862 career set assists
"C/ 2004, all-NCC; academic all-NCC
RS - #11 Heather Hainline (6-2, Sr., Papillion, Neb.
"C/ Leads the NCC with .418 hitting percentage
"C/ Fourth on the team with 2.55 kills per game
"C/ Third on the team with 0.76 blocks per game
"C/ Double-figure kills in eight matches
"C/ Registered a career-high 19 kills with a .667 hitting percentage in UNO's win over Augustana on Oct. 1
Scouting Minnesota Duluth:
Minnesota Duluth is currently tied with UNO for first place in the NCC standings with an 9-1 conference record and a 23-4 overall mark. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 5 in the latest AVCA top 25 poll and No. 3 in the most recent NCAA II North Central Region rankings.
The Bulldogs are led by sophomore All-American Vicky Braegelmann who is averaging 4.20 kills and 0.72 blocks per game while hitting a team-high .358. UMD has a balanced attack with five Bulldogs averaging at least 2 kills per game. Senior middle blocker Alicia Meger leads UMD in blocking at 1.20 stuffs per game. One of the best liberos in the NCC, senior Allison Boddy is averaging 5.17 digs per game.
This will the 39th meeting between Minnesota Duluth and UNO with the Mavericks holding a 28-10 advantage in the series. The Mavericks handed UMD their only conference loss of the season and snapped a 17-match Bulldog winning streak with a three-game sweep over UMD on Oct. 21 in Omaha.
Scouting Minnesota State:
Minnesota State is currently in third place in the NCC standings with a 5-5 league record and an 11-14 overall mark. The Mavericks have lost six out of their last eight matches. MSU is currently ranked ninth in the latest NCAA North Central Region rankings.
The Mavericks are led by senior middle blocker Tiffany Graham who is averaging 3.29 kills and 1.11 blocks per game while hitting .278. Junior outside hitter Mandy Reuter is averaging 2.96 kills and a team second-best 3.29 digs per game. Freshman outside hitter Ashley Nachreiner is second on the team with 2.97 kills per game. Sophomore Stef Sandstrom, who started the season as a defensive specialist, is the team's setter, averaging 9.01 assists and 2.61 digs per game.
This will the 42nd meeting between Minnesota State and UNO with the Mavericks holding a 32-9 advantage in the series. UNO has won the last three meetings between the two schools. The Mavericks defeated MSU in four games on Sept. 30 in Omaha.
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
L
/ Volleyball
OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballTuesday, September 01
Wednesday, August 26
Friday, August 21
Tuesday, April 21
