Complete Release | Loyola Live Stats | Milwaukee Live Stats | Western Michigan Live Stats
Utah State volleyball will wrap up its tournament slate this weekend, playing at the Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Aggies will open play against Loyola (Chicago) on Friday, Sept. 7, at 10:30 a.m. (MT), before playing a pair of matches on Saturday, Sept. 8. USU closes out the final day of the tournament against Milwaukee at 10:30 a.m. (MT), followed by Western Michigan at 5 p.m. (MT).
How to Watch
Fans can follow each of the matches via live stat links on the volleyball schedule page online at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Scouting the Ramblers
Loyola (Chicago) enters the weekend with an overall mark of 4-2 and riding a four-match winning streak. The streak includes three consecutive sweeps over Furman, Georgia State and Marshall. The match marks the second time the teams will have met on the volleyball court with the Ramblers leading the series 1-0 with a win in the lone meeting during the 1994 season.
The Ramblers are hitting .213 (253-107-686) this season and led on the attack by junior outside Quinn Spieker with 55 kills, averaging 2.75 per set and hitting a team-best .341 (55-10-132). Junior setter Delilah Wolf directs the attack, totaling 197 assists this season and averaging 9.85 per set.
Defensively, Loyola is led on the back row by senior libero Alex Nunez with 78 digs, averaging 3.90 per set. Redshirt junior right side Heather Kocken leads the Rambler block with 21 total blocks this season, averaging 1.11 per set. Opponents are hitting .200 (266-121-724) against the Ramblers.
Scouting the Panthers
Milwaukee enters the weekend with an 0-7 record. The Panthers and Aggies have met once on the volleyball court with Utah State coming away with a 3-0 victory in Pullman, Wash., during the 1992 season.
Milwaukee is hitting .119 as a team and led by sophomore middle Makenzie Mroczenski with 51 kills, averaging 2.43 per set and hitting a team-best .252 (51-17-135). The Panthers have shared setting duties with freshman Rylie Vaughn leading the way with 121 assists, averaging 4.48 per set, followed by junior Jenn Dore with 119 assists, averaging 4.41 per set.
Freshman libero Jess Grabowski leads the Panther back row with 113 digs, averaging 4.19 per set. Mroczenski also paces the Milwaukee block, averaging 1.00 per set, while freshman middle Kleja Cerniauskaite has totaled the most blocks with 24 on the season. Opponents are hitting .198 (355-165-962) against the Panthers this season.
Scouting the Broncos
Western Michigan enters the weekend 5-2 on the season and winners of five straight. The match between the Broncos and Aggies will mark the first in program history.
WMU is hitting .222 (346-130-972) on the year and led on the attack by sophomore outside Rachel Bontrager with 116 kills, averaging 4.30 per set. Freshman middle Sammi LaBolle is the most efficient hitter for the Broncos, hitting .316 with 45 kills on 98 swings with 14 errors. Senior setter Mary Murphy directors the WMU attack, totaling 253 assists and averaging 9.73 per set.
Junior libero Kathleen Reilly leads the Bronco back row with 140 digs, averaging 5.19 per set. LaBolle is the top blocker for Western Michigan, totaling 21.0 on the year and averaging 0.84 per set. Opponents are hitting .191 (360-162-1,034) against the Broncos this season.
