Volleyball Plays Host To Providence Wednesday
Providence College Friars (6-10)
Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010 - 7 p.m.
Burt Kahn Court - Hamden, Conn.
Bobcats Play
Host To Providence Wednesday
The Quinnipiac University volleyball team plays host to
Providence Wednesday in a final tune-up before NEC play commences
on Sunday. The Bobcats won their second match of the year, sweeping
Lafayette on the Leopards' home court Saturday, while falling in a
pair of five-set decisions at the Lafayette Invitational.
Meanwhile, the Friars enter Wednesday's match the winners of five
of their last seven matches, including three victories against NEC
teams. The Friars lead the all-time series, 12-3.
Follow the
Bobcats
Live stats for Wednesday's match against Providence will
be available. To access the live stats, please click on the
appropriate link on the volleyball schedule at
www.quinnipiacbobcats.com.
Scouting the Providence Friars
Providence (6-10) is led by Lauren Fletcher, whose 223
kills and 64 blocks are both team highs. Fletcher's 21 services
aces are second only to Emily Morris's 24. Cassie Muzzonigro's 212
digs lead the Providence defense, while Carly Morrison has led the
offense with 430 assists. The Friars also feature a familiar face
to Quinnipiac fans in former Bobcat Shelagh Dolan. As a freshman in
2008, Dolan compiled 156 kills and 63 blocks for Quinnipiac.
Five-Set Sandwich
The Bobcats sandwiched a pair of 3-2 defeats to Delaware
State and La Salle around a 3-0 sweep of host Lafayette at the
Lafayette Invitational, Sept. 17-18. In the Lafayette match, the
Bobcats got progressively more dominant, winning the three sets,
25-21, 25-16 and 25-10, respectively.
2K-ayla Assists
With 44 assists in the Bobcats 3-2 defeat to Delaware
State on Sept. 17, junior Kayla Lawler (Louisville, Ky.) eclipsed
the 2,000-assist mark.
Earning Their Spots After Hart-Break
After sweeping the University of Hartford for their first
win in 12 tries against the Hawks at the Division I level, Sept.
11, in Hamden, the Bobcats swept Lafayette for their first victory
over the Leopards in four tries, Sept. 18.
Record Breaker
Just two weeks after setting a new personal four-set
single-match record with 46 assists against Fordham, Aug. 28, Kayla
Lawler compiled a new personal three-set single-match record with
43 assists against Hartford, Sept. 11. Her previous record four-set
record was 41, set twice in her freshman year of 2008. Meanwhile,
Lawler's prior three-set record was 40, set last Sept. 20 against
St. Francis (N.Y.). Her five-set record is 53, set last Oct. 9 at
St. Francis (N.Y.).
Good
To Biediger Back
Sophomore Stephanie Biediger (Houston, Texas) made her
return to the court after missing more than a year due to injury on
Sept. 10.
In her first tournament back, the outside hitter led the Bobcats
with 25 kills in three matches and added 34 digs, earning
Quinnipiac Invitational All-Tournament Team honors. Joining
Biediger on the all-tournament team was Lawler, who piled up 110
assists in three matches.
Grattan Grabbing Attention
In three matches during the Quinnipiac Invitational,
freshman Olivia Grattan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had team highs in both
kills (25) and blocks (10).
Riker's Versatility Rewarded
Logan Riker (Bowling Green, Ohio) was named to the Yale
Invitational All-Tournament Team after compiling 12 kills and 28
digs, Sept. 3-4. Riker took her customary position at libero to
rack up 23 digs in the first two matches of the weekend, before
moving outside to compile 10 kills against Stony Brook.
Starting Strong
A pair of newcomers to the Bobcats made impressive debuts
at the Beanpot Classic. Graduate student transfer Amanda Armstrong
(Waukesha, Wis.) was named to the All-Tournament Team after
totaling 30 kills on the weekend, including 15 against Fordham.
Freshman Tracey Wright (Fair Lawn, N.J.) had 44 digs on the
weekend, including 17 to conclude the weekend against Boston
College.
Sophomore Surge
Taylor Payne (Warwick, N.Y.) began her sophomore season
with a team-high 31 kills at the Beanpot Classic. At 3.10 kills per
set at the first tournament of the year, Payne showed marked
improvement from her 0.90 kills per set average as a freshman.
Returning Cast
Quinnipiac returns much of last season's core of
student-athletes, as well as its 2008 Team MVP. Junior setter Kayla
Lawler, who almost solely ran the Bobcats' attack, returns as team
captain after dishing out 785 assists in 2009. The team's leading
hitter, Kelby Carey (Surfside, Calif.), also returns for her junior
season, a year after piling up 317 kills. Sophomore libero Logan
Riker is also back for the Bobcats after compiling 406 digs as a
freshman. Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore outside hitter Stephanie
Biediger returns to the Bobcats after missing the 2009 season due
to injury. Biediger was named Team MVP as a freshman after
recording 233 kills, 244 digs, 31 blocks and 66 assists.
On
Deck
The Bobcats begin Northeast Conference play Sunday at
Bryant. The match is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Chace Athletic
Center.