Omaha Tangles With North Dakota State, Denver
Oct 2, 2014 | Volleyball
This Week
The Omaha volleyball team returns to action this Friday, Oct. 3, hosting North Dakota State at Sapp Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. The Mavericks then travel to Denver on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. CT. Links to live stats will be available for both matches on OMavs.com, and live video will be linked for Friday's match, for which Jon Green will provide commentary.
Scouting the North Dakota State Bison
North Dakota State enters the week with a record of 6-10 (1-2 Summit League) after defeating South Dakota State in five sets on Tuesday night in Brookings, S.D. The Bison are tied with Omaha for sixth in the Summit League standings with identical records.
NDSU is led offensively by All-Summit junior outside Jenni Fassbender, who averages 3.13 kills per set. The Bison revolve defensively around an All-Summit Honorable Mention selection in sophomore middle blocker Emily Miron, who averages 0.77 blocks a set. Sophomore middle blocker Emily Minnick also owns the fourth-best hitting percentage in the conference at .319. Head coach Kari Thompson is in her fifth season at NDSU and holds a career record of 60-61.
This weekend marks the 77th meeting all-time between Omaha and North Dakota State, and the Mavericks lead the series, 39-37. The two squads last met in Fargo, N.D. on Nov. 9, 2013, with NDSU sweeping the match 3-0. Omaha's last victory against NDSU came on Oct. 11, 2013 at Sapp Fieldhouse, with the Mavericks taking a 3-0 win.
Scouting the Denver Pioneers
Denver enters the weekend on a roll, holding an eight-game winning streak that dates back to Sept. 13, 2014. DU sits in second place in the Summit League standings with a record of 13-3 (2-0 Summit League). The Pioneers were picked to win the Summit in the preseason coaches' poll after finishing as runner-up in the regular season and at the conference tournament a year ago.
Denver is led on the offensive end by sophomore outside hitter Moni Corrujedo, a returning All-Summit Honorable Mention pick who averages 3.29 kills per set. Senior setter Bailey Karst currently sits third among league setters with 10.18 assists per set. On defense, Denver is charged by junior All-Summit Honorable Mention middle blocker Sarah Schmid, who averages 1.06 blocks a set, while senior middle hitter Erica Denney gets 1.05 stops per set. Head coach Jesse Mahoney enters his third season with Denver with a record of 47-29 and a career mark of 139-67.
The weekend match in Denver will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Pioneers, and Denver leads the series 3-0. The two teams last met on Nov. 17, 2013, with Denver sweeping Omaha at Sapp Fieldhouse.
Quick Hits
•Within the Omaha-North Dakota State series, the Bison have held an 8-2 advantage in the last 10 matches. The two schools were previously NCC peers until 2003, and the series was halted until 2011, when UNO moved to Division I. In 2011 and 2012, NDSU won three straight 3-0 sweeps, but UNO stopped that streak last fall with a 3-0 win at home.
•When pushing its opponents to 30 or more attack errors in a match, UNO is 3-2 this season.
•Junior outside hitter Kelley Wollak picked up her team-leading seventh double-double of the year against Western Illinois on Sunday.
•Freshman setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy tied Wollak for the team lead in double-doubles on Tuesday, finishing with 11 assists and 13 digs against South Dakota.
•Four Mavericks were named to all-tournament teams earlier this season: junior defensive specialist Kimberly Bailey at the Emerald Beach Islanders Classic, O'Shaughnessy and junior middle blocker Megan Schmale at the Billiken Invitational and Wollak at the Omaha Classic.
Arriving at the National Block Party
Omaha's blocking corps has been outstanding during the 2014 season, and the statistics say it all. The Mavericks have outblocked their opponents a combined 173-94 and have tallied double-digit team blocks in 11 matches. As such, the Mavericks, who may not officially be listed in the NCAA Division I stats release, are unofficially ranked third in the country with 173 total blocks, and they are 21st nationally with 2.75 blocks per set. Individually, junior Megan Schmale is ninth among Division I blockers with 78 total blocks.
The Block Party: Summit League Style
Omaha claims three of the top five spots on the Summit League's individual blocking leaders list. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Amanda Conlin is second with 1.27 blocks per set, junior middle blocker Megan Schmale is third (1.24) and junior setter/rightside hitter Michaela Schimmer is fifth (1.08).
As a team, Omaha is the Summit League's top blocking team with 2.75 blocks per set, 173 total blocks and 308 block assists.
Last Time Out: Coyotes Get Past Mavericks, 3-1
Omaha welcomed conference-leading South Dakota to Sapp Fieldhouse on Tuesday night, where the Coyotes took a 3-1 win over the Mavericks.
Junior outside hitter Kelley Wollak was Omaha's catalyst on the offensive end, recording a game-high 16 kills.
Freshman setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy recorded her third straight double-double with 11 assists and 13 digs, and junior setter/rightside hitter Michaela Schimmer added another double-double with a team-high 24 assists and 10 digs.
As a team, Omaha continued to dominate its opponent on the block. The Mavericks outblocked USD 10-6, marking the fifth consecutive match that Omaha has outblocked its opposition. Schimmer and junior middle blocker Diane Banderas led the Maverick blocking machine with five stops apiece, and junior middle blocker Megan Schmale added four blocks herself.
Up Next
Omaha returns to action on Sunday, Oct. 12, hosting Fort Wayne. The match is slated for a Noon start at Sapp Fieldhouse, and links to live stats and live audio will be available on OMavs.com.
The Omaha volleyball team returns to action this Friday, Oct. 3, hosting North Dakota State at Sapp Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. The Mavericks then travel to Denver on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. CT. Links to live stats will be available for both matches on OMavs.com, and live video will be linked for Friday's match, for which Jon Green will provide commentary.
Scouting the North Dakota State Bison
North Dakota State enters the week with a record of 6-10 (1-2 Summit League) after defeating South Dakota State in five sets on Tuesday night in Brookings, S.D. The Bison are tied with Omaha for sixth in the Summit League standings with identical records.
NDSU is led offensively by All-Summit junior outside Jenni Fassbender, who averages 3.13 kills per set. The Bison revolve defensively around an All-Summit Honorable Mention selection in sophomore middle blocker Emily Miron, who averages 0.77 blocks a set. Sophomore middle blocker Emily Minnick also owns the fourth-best hitting percentage in the conference at .319. Head coach Kari Thompson is in her fifth season at NDSU and holds a career record of 60-61.
This weekend marks the 77th meeting all-time between Omaha and North Dakota State, and the Mavericks lead the series, 39-37. The two squads last met in Fargo, N.D. on Nov. 9, 2013, with NDSU sweeping the match 3-0. Omaha's last victory against NDSU came on Oct. 11, 2013 at Sapp Fieldhouse, with the Mavericks taking a 3-0 win.
Scouting the Denver Pioneers
Denver enters the weekend on a roll, holding an eight-game winning streak that dates back to Sept. 13, 2014. DU sits in second place in the Summit League standings with a record of 13-3 (2-0 Summit League). The Pioneers were picked to win the Summit in the preseason coaches' poll after finishing as runner-up in the regular season and at the conference tournament a year ago.
Denver is led on the offensive end by sophomore outside hitter Moni Corrujedo, a returning All-Summit Honorable Mention pick who averages 3.29 kills per set. Senior setter Bailey Karst currently sits third among league setters with 10.18 assists per set. On defense, Denver is charged by junior All-Summit Honorable Mention middle blocker Sarah Schmid, who averages 1.06 blocks a set, while senior middle hitter Erica Denney gets 1.05 stops per set. Head coach Jesse Mahoney enters his third season with Denver with a record of 47-29 and a career mark of 139-67.
The weekend match in Denver will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Mavericks and Pioneers, and Denver leads the series 3-0. The two teams last met on Nov. 17, 2013, with Denver sweeping Omaha at Sapp Fieldhouse.
Quick Hits
•Within the Omaha-North Dakota State series, the Bison have held an 8-2 advantage in the last 10 matches. The two schools were previously NCC peers until 2003, and the series was halted until 2011, when UNO moved to Division I. In 2011 and 2012, NDSU won three straight 3-0 sweeps, but UNO stopped that streak last fall with a 3-0 win at home.
•When pushing its opponents to 30 or more attack errors in a match, UNO is 3-2 this season.
•Junior outside hitter Kelley Wollak picked up her team-leading seventh double-double of the year against Western Illinois on Sunday.
•Freshman setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy tied Wollak for the team lead in double-doubles on Tuesday, finishing with 11 assists and 13 digs against South Dakota.
•Four Mavericks were named to all-tournament teams earlier this season: junior defensive specialist Kimberly Bailey at the Emerald Beach Islanders Classic, O'Shaughnessy and junior middle blocker Megan Schmale at the Billiken Invitational and Wollak at the Omaha Classic.
Arriving at the National Block Party
Omaha's blocking corps has been outstanding during the 2014 season, and the statistics say it all. The Mavericks have outblocked their opponents a combined 173-94 and have tallied double-digit team blocks in 11 matches. As such, the Mavericks, who may not officially be listed in the NCAA Division I stats release, are unofficially ranked third in the country with 173 total blocks, and they are 21st nationally with 2.75 blocks per set. Individually, junior Megan Schmale is ninth among Division I blockers with 78 total blocks.
The Block Party: Summit League Style
Omaha claims three of the top five spots on the Summit League's individual blocking leaders list. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Amanda Conlin is second with 1.27 blocks per set, junior middle blocker Megan Schmale is third (1.24) and junior setter/rightside hitter Michaela Schimmer is fifth (1.08).
As a team, Omaha is the Summit League's top blocking team with 2.75 blocks per set, 173 total blocks and 308 block assists.
Last Time Out: Coyotes Get Past Mavericks, 3-1
Omaha welcomed conference-leading South Dakota to Sapp Fieldhouse on Tuesday night, where the Coyotes took a 3-1 win over the Mavericks.
Junior outside hitter Kelley Wollak was Omaha's catalyst on the offensive end, recording a game-high 16 kills.
Freshman setter Sydney O'Shaughnessy recorded her third straight double-double with 11 assists and 13 digs, and junior setter/rightside hitter Michaela Schimmer added another double-double with a team-high 24 assists and 10 digs.
As a team, Omaha continued to dominate its opponent on the block. The Mavericks outblocked USD 10-6, marking the fifth consecutive match that Omaha has outblocked its opposition. Schimmer and junior middle blocker Diane Banderas led the Maverick blocking machine with five stops apiece, and junior middle blocker Megan Schmale added four blocks herself.
Up Next
Omaha returns to action on Sunday, Oct. 12, hosting Fort Wayne. The match is slated for a Noon start at Sapp Fieldhouse, and links to live stats and live audio will be available on OMavs.com.
Players Mentioned
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S/RS
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OH
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