UMBC (Oct. 16; 7 p.m.) and Stony Brook (Oct. 17; 4 p.m.) on Tap for Volleyball

Friday, October 16

Durham, N.H.

7 PM

University of New Hampshire

University of Maryland Baltimore County

Photo by: Elise Austin-Washburn

UMBC (Oct. 16; 7 p.m.) and Stony Brook (Oct. 17; 4 p.m.) on Tap for Volleyball

10/15/2015 3:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

DURHAM, N.H. -- The University of New Hampshire volleyball team looks to stay atop the America East standings, hosting the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Friday, Oct. 16; 7 p.m.) and Stony Brook University (Saturday, Oct. 17; 4 p.m.).

FRIDAY NIGHT WHITES: The Wildcats are encouraging all fans to wear white and white out the stands for Friday's match against the Retrievers.

REAL 'CATS WEAR PINK: In honor of breast cancer awareness month, the Wildcats are encouraging all fans to wear pink for Saturday's contest against the Seawolves. UNH has teamed up with Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover and Medtronic Advanced Energy in Portsmouth to raise awareness in the state of New Hampshire for Real 'Cats Wear Pink. UNH will be giving out stickers and ribbons to show support and strength for breast cancer survivors, patients and their family and friends. Additionally, the Wildcat volleyball team will be collecting new and slightly used magazines to donate to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital at all home matches for the remainder of the 2015 season. The magazines will be placed in treatment and waiting rooms where they can be used by patients and their loved ones.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Wildcats enter the weekend with an overall record of 12-7 and 4-0 in America East play. UNH extended its unbeaten streak to six matches, sweeping the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Oct. 11 (25-12, 25-21, 25-7).

Junior setter Keelin Severtson (Delray Beach, Fla.) dished out 39 assists in the lone contest of the week. The Wildcats posted a season-high .402 hitting percentage in the match, registering 42 kills in the straight-set triumph over the River Hawks. Severtson garnered America East Setter of the Week honors for her performance.

Junior middle blocker Demi Muses (Orangevale, Calif.) leads the Wildcats with 3.00 kills per set. Senior outside hitter Tori Forrest (Powder Springs, Ga.) ranks second on the squad in the kills column, chalking up 2.94 per set. Severtson orchestrates the New Hampshire offense with 8.83 assists per set. Additionally, Severtson leads all America East players from the service line, ripping 34 aces. Senior defensive specialist Madison Lightfoot (Clarkston, Mich.) anchors the Wildcats' backcourt with 4.13 digs per set. As a team, UNH is holding its opponents to a conference-best .177 attack percentage.

SCOUTING UMBC: The Retrievers come into Friday's matchup with an overall record of 8-10 and 2-2 in league contests. UMBC was on the losing end of a five-set decision against the University at Albany at home. (Oct. 9; 25-21, 14-25, 25-23, 16-25, 12-15). The Retrievers bounced back in their Sunday contest against Binghamton in four sets (Oct. 11; 25-21, 25-20, 19-25, 25-17).

America East Rookie of the Week Makenzie Morgan is leading the team in the kills column, tallying 3.08 kills per set. She is also second in digs per set (2.05) tied for third in service aces (nine). Classmate Maddie Schneider is second on the team with 3.00 kills per set as well as locked in the tie for third in service aces with nine. On defense the team's leader in blocks per set is Marissa Duncan with 0.89. Carola De Jesus patrols the backcourt, scooping up 3.52 digs per set. UMBC paces conference members with a .197 hitting percentage. Head coach Ian Blanchard enters his 11th season in charge of the Retrievers.

SCOUTING STONY BROOK: The Seawolves enter the weekend with an overall record of 7-13 and 3-1 in America East play. Stony Brook posted a 1-1 record on the week, sweeping Binghamton (Oct. 9; 25-21, 25-18, 25-23) and fell to the UAlbany in a marathon match (Oct. 11; 23-25, 23-25, 25-14, 27-25, 15-9). Senior outside hitter Kathy Fletcher, who was named the conference's Player of the Week for Oct. 12, hit .382 with 5.50 kills per set over two matches

Fletcher leads the charge on the offensive end for Stony Brook, tallying an America East leading 3.53 kills per set on the season. Senior libero Lo Hathaway anchors the backline with 3.29 digs per set. Freshman setter Morgan Kath orchestrates the offense with an America East leading 9.13 assists per set. The Seawolves boast a league high 926 kills, landing 12.51 kills per set. Coley Pawlikowski is in her second season as Stony Brook volleyball head coach.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. UMBC: UNH leads the career series against UMBC with a 16-9 record. The Wildcats have prevailed in the last seven decisions, sweeping the Retrievers three times in that span. New Hampshire posted sweeps against UMBC last season.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. STONY BROOK: UNH boasts a five-match unbeaten streak against SBU and leads the all-time series, 18-14. New Hampshire swept the season series against the Stony Brook last year and topped the Seawolves in the America East quarterfinals in four sets (Nov. 21; 23-25, 25-13, 25-11, 25-20).

STREAKS: New Hampshire has won 15 straight matches over America East opponents, dating back to Oct. 12, 2014 as UNH swept UMBC. In that span, the Wildcats have only dropped six sets against conference members. New Hampshire posted 25-straight wins against league members between the 1998 and 1999 seasons. In league play this season, the Wildcats have yet to concede a set. UNH currently is unbeaten in its last six contests.

DEFEND DURHAM: New Hampshire boasts a 25-8 record in the confines of Lundholm Gymnasium, dating back to the start of the 2013 season. Additionally, the Wildcats are 29-8 when hosting America East teams since 2011.

ROLLING DOUBLES: Forrest racked up 10 double-doubles to lead the team in 2014. She looks to eclipse that figure as the co-captain has a team-high eight double-doubles through 19 matches. Muses (seven) and Severtson (three) have also tallied double-double performances this season.

CHART TOPPERS: UNH is among the upper echelon of America East in several statistical categories this season. The Wildcats lead the league in opponent hitting percentage (.177) and service aces per ser (1.71) while ranking second in hitting percentage (.187). Individually, Muses ranks fourth in kills per set with 3.00. Severtson ranks third in the conference in assists per set (8.83) and first in service aces (34). Additionally, Severtson's 34 aces rank ninth in the nation. Lightfoot's 4.13 digs per set is good for third in America East. In league matches, New Hampshire is atop the rankings in hitting percentage (.260), opponent hitting percentage (.038), service aces per set (2.67) and digs per set (16.42).

HONORS AND AWARDS:

Tori Forrest	Fairfield Invitational All-Tournament Team (Sept. 4-5)
	America East Player of the Week (Sept. 8)
	Big Orange All-Tournament Team (Sept. 19-20)
	America East Player of the Week (Sept. 21)
Madison Lightfoot	America East Defensive Specialist of the Week (Sept. 8, Oct. 5)
	Holly Young Invitational All-Tournament Team (Sept. 11-12)
Demi Muses	Rambler Classic All-Tournament Team (Aug. 29-30)
	America East Player of the Week (Oct. 5)
Keelin Severtson	Big Orange All-Tournament Team (Sept. 19-20)
	America East Setter of the Week (Sept. 21, Oct. 12)

LIGHTFOOT BECOMES ALL-TIME DIGS LEADER: With the Wildcats' victory over Buffalo on Sept. 20, Lightfoot became the program's all-time digs leader. The senior co-captain surpassed Jen Williams '05 on the career leaderboard, who recorded 1,398 digs in her career. Lightfoot now boasts 1,487 digs and counting in her illustrious career. Lightfoot owns two of the top 10 single-season school records for digs, which includes tying the single-season digs mark of 560 just a year ago.

LEADERBOARD WATCH: Forrest continues to ascend the UNH all-time kills chart, ranking sixth with 1,145. The two-time co-captain became the eighth Wildcat to reach 1,000 kills to reach the milestone in a four-set win (25-12, 25-18, 13-25, 25-16) against Marshall University on Sept. 4. The senior outside hitter is also closing in on the 1,000-dig plateau. Forrest currently has tallied 951 digs in her prolific career as a Wildcat.

FIVE-TIME CHAMPS: The Wildcats secured the America East title on their home court for the second straight year after defeating the University at Albany in four sets on Nov. 22, 2014 (25-22, 19-25, 27-25, 25-13). UNH has won the conference crown five times; all under the tutelage of head coach Jill Hirschinger. Additionally, all five titles of the program's titles have been won at Lundholm Gymnasium.

HIRSCHINGER BY THE NUMBERS: In 36 years as a head coach, Hirschinger is one of just 12 active coaches that have recorded 700 wins or more. She recorded win No. 700 on Sept. 20, 2014 against the University of Rhode Island in a five-set battle. Already the program's winningest coach, Hirschinger earned her 300th career victory at UNH when the team captured a four-set triumph over Binghamton University on Nov. 2, 2014.

DUE NEXT: UNH hits the road for a contest at the University of Hartford slated for Saturday, Oct. 24 (7 p.m.). UNH concludes its regular season home schedule against Binghamton University (Oct. 30; 7 p.m.) and the University at Albany (Nov. 1; 1 p.m.) for Senior Day.

Check out UNHWildcats.com or follow the Wildcats via social media on Facebook (www.facebook.com/UNHWildcats), Twitter (@UNHWildcats), YouTube (www.youtube.com/UNHAthletics), Instagram (@UNHWildcats) and Snapchat (@UNHWildcats) for the latest news and information on all 20 varsity sports. For additional information on the UNH volleyball team, like the squad on Facebook or follow the 'Cats on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @UNHVOLLEYBALL.