The Youngstown State volleyball team will start its longest home stand of the season this weekend with matches against Valparaiso and UIC at Beeghly Center. Friday's match against the Crusaders will start at 7 p.m., and Saturday's affair versus the Flames will begin at 4 p.m. Live video and live stats for both matches will be available on YSUsports.com. The Penguins will also be home next weekend against Green Bay and Loyola to conclude the regular season.
Youngstown State is coming off a 3-1 non-conference win at Chicago State last Saturday. The Penguins dropped the opening set 25-18 before rebounding to win the next three 25-21, 25-23 and 26-24. Missy Hundelt had team highs with 23 kills, 13 digs and five blocks, and freshman Alexis Egler also posted a double-double with 15 kills and 10 digs. Fellow freshman Shannon Watson was also strong with 10 kills and four blocks, and Jackie Carlisle added 11 kills. Hundelt is averaging 3.52 kills and 0.35 sets, which rank fourth and second in the conference, respectively. She has a chance to surpass 500 career kills and 400 career digs this weekend.
Scouting Valparaiso
Valparaiso won seven of its first 10 Horizon League matches and currently sit in fourth place at 8-5. The Crusaders lost three straight matches to Green Bay, IUPUI and Butler before sweeping Wright State last Saturday. Valpo leads the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.157) and digs per set (18.31). Libero Taylor Root is second in the league with 5.25 digs per set, and Sarah Dooms is 10th with 3.16 per set. Katie Britton is the top attacker with 2.80 kills per set.
Last time vs. Valpo
Valpo had nine blocks and 52 digs to hold YSU to a .076 attack percentage in a 3-0 sweep on Oct. 9 (15-25, 19-25, 18-25).
Missy Hundelt had nine kills and 15 digs for YSU while seven Crusaders had at least four kills. Valpo ended the first set on a 9-4 run and polished off the third set on an 8-1 spurt.
Scouting UIC
UIC has lost five of its last seven matches, and the Flames were swept in matches at Wright State and Butler last weekend. The Flames started the year 11-5 but have cooled down to a 14-12 mark. All six of their losses in league play have been sweeps. Junior outside hitter Kelsey Safranek is a Horizon League Player-of-the-Year candidate. She is averaging a league-best 4.29 kills, and MaryKate Imrie averages a conference-high 10.98 assists per set.
Last Time vs. UIC
UIC hit .350 as a team and got 19 kills from Kelsey Safranek to sweep YSU 25-22, 25-14, 25-22 on Oct. 8 in Chicago.
Missy Hundelt had 12 kills and hit .281 while Shannon Watson had three blocks and Bri Kern had 12 digs for YSU.
YSU led 21-20 in the third before UIC scored five of the final six points.
Hundelt Near 500 Kills, 400 Digs
Sophomore Missy Hundelt has a very good chance of surpassing two big career milestones this weekend. She is 10 kills away from 500 and nine digs away from 400. Hundelt had 198 kills and 196 digs as a freshman, and she's up to 292 kills and 195 digs this year with four matches to go. Her 3.52 kills per set is the highest rate by a Penguin since Colleen Royer's 3.98 kills per set in 2003.
Egler, Watson Among League's Best Freshmen
Youngstown State has two freshmen who should receive consideration for spots on the Horizon League's All-Newcomer Team.
Among freshmen, outside hitter Alexis Egler ranks sixth in kills (179), seventh in aces (13) and eighth in digs (175). Also among freshmen, middle blocker Shannon Watson ranks fifth in blocks (61), eighth in aces (11), ninth in kills (116) and ninth in hitting percentage (.189).
Aces in the Hole
Youngstown State ranks second in the Horizon League with 1.46 aces per set. Leader Cleveland State, with 1.62 per set, is the only other team averaging more than 1.25. Missy Hundelt ranks second in the league with 0.35 per set. Casey D'Ambrose and Erika West rank just outside the top 10 with 0.20 per set. The last time YSU averaged at least 1.5 aces per set was 2005.
Up Next
YSU will wrap up the 2011 season next weekend with home matches against Green Bay and Loyola. The Penguins will celebrate "senior day" against Loyola next Saturday by honoring Bri Kern and Brittany Grove.
