Oct. 19, 2011
UVU vs. NJIT and Chicago State Notes
OREM, Utah -- The Utah Valley women's volleyball team will stay on the road this week for its final conference road matches of the season when it travels to Newark, N.J., to play NJIT Thursday and Chicago, Ill., to face Chicago State Saturday. The match with the Highlanders will begin at 5 p.m., while Saturday's versus the Cougars will start at 12 p.m.
Live stats from Thursday's showdown with NJIT can be found by visiting NJITHighlanders.com.
The Wolverines (15-7, 4-1 GWC) had their five-match win streak ended last Saturday when Houston Baptist handed them their first conference loss of the year. UVU is now currently tied atop the Great West standings with HBU and North Dakota. Before the loss the Wolverines five consecutive wins came over UND, Chicago State, NJIT, Boise State and Texas-Pan American.
Out of 327 NCAA Div. I teams, UVU is currently ranked 107th on the RichKern.com Regional Rankings (RKPI). As a team the Wolverines also currently ranked 19th in the nation in aces per set with an average of 1.69 and 30th in blocks per set (2.56).
UVU is led offensively on the year by senior Chelsey Heaps and her 220 kills and 2.72 kill per set average. Junior Erica Nish leads the Wolverines and the GWC in blocks, as she has 98 on the year and averages 1.23 per set. Nish is also third in the Great West in attack percentage with a .303 clip, while her teammate senior Sarah Clement is second at .307.
About NJIT
The Highlanders are 7-13 overall on the year and 2-3 in conference play. NIJT is coming off a 3-2 road conference victory at Chicago State this past Saturday. Two weeks ago, UVU swept the Highlanders 3-0 in Orem. On the season Janet Snell leads NJIT and the GWC offensively with 251 kills and a 3.35 kill per set average. Defensively her sister Audrey Snell is tops on the squad in digs with 315 (4.20 dps average). The Wolverines hold a 6-1 all-time series advantage over NJIT, which includes a 2-1 record in Newark.
About Chicago State
The Cougars are 1-20 overall entering the weekend and 0-5 in conference play. Currently CSU has dropped its last 16 matches and will welcome the Fighting Sioux to town on Thursday before UVU comes to the Windy City on Saturday. Overall Chicago State is led offensively by Mazvita Maziveyi who has 154 kills and a 2.14 kill per set season average. Her running mate Mysta Townsell leads CSU from the back row with 316 digs (4.39 dps average).
All-time the Wolverines hold a perfect 9-0 series advantage over the Cougars.
Next up for the Wolverines
UVU will come home for two more conference matches next week. On Oct. 27, the Wolverines will welcome HBU and on Oct. 29, UTPA will come to town.
