Volleyball Hosts Six Matches in Holly Young Invitational (Sept. 11-12)

DURHAM, N.H. -- The University of New Hampshire volleyball team is set to host the annual Holly Young Invitational, welcoming the University of Delaware (Sept. 11; 7 p.m.), Michigan State University (Sept. 12; 12:30 p.m.) and Boston College (Sept. 12; 7 p.m.) to Lundholm Gymnasium.

The yearly tournament is a long-standing tradition at UNH and is named after Holly Young, a former member of the Wildcat volleyball team who in 2008 lost her battle with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: The four-team tournament opens with Boston College and Michigan State clashing Friday, Sept. 11 (4:30 p.m.). Day one action concludes with New Hampshire rekindling its rivalry with Delaware at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 12, the day starts with Delaware and Boston College squaring off at 10 a.m. UNH takes the court for the second match of the day at 12:30 p.m. against MSU. Michigan State and Delaware are set to tussle at 4:30 p.m. The tournament finale features New England foes Boston College and UNH battling at 7 p.m.

PACK THE ARENA: Saturday night's match against Boston College marks the 15th straight "Pack the Arena Night" at Lundholm Gymnasium. In that span, attendance at the event has averaged over 1,200, with an all-time high of 2,415 coming in 2005 against PAC-12 foe Stanford University. The original attendance record was established in 2000 when 1,949 people packed into the gym in the inaugural event. UNH hopes to eclipse the mark of 2,415 in this year's event.

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Wildcats opened their home slate of the 2015 season against Bryant University on Tuesday, Sept. 8. UNH shook off a first frame loss to top Bryant in four sets, extending its unbeaten streak to six matches (19-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-21).

Junior middle blocker Demi Muses (Orangevale, Calif.) factored in the victory over the Bulldogs, turning in a double-double performance of 18 kills and 11 digs accompanied by a team-high .436 hitting percentage.

Muses powers the UNH offense this season with an America East high .326 hitting percentage, hammering 3.10 kills per set. Senior outside hitter Tori Forrest (Powder Springs, Ga.) contributes to the attack, notching 2.92 kills per set. Junior setter Keelin Severtson (Delray Beach, Fla.) leads the conference with 18 service aces and dishes out 7.58 assists per set. Senior defensive specialist Madison Lightfoot (Clarkston, Mich.) scoops up 3.87 digs per set to patrol the backline. UNH records 10.52 kills per set and holds opponents to a league-low .169 attack percentage.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: Michigan State, receiving 21 votes in the AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll, enters the Holly Young Invitational with a 3-3 record, most recently falling to Miami University (Sept 5; 0-3; 22-25, 23-25, 23-25) and Virginia Tech (Sept 4; 1-3; 25-27, 21-25, 25-21, 21-25).

On the offensive front, junior middle blocker/opposite hitter Allyssah Fitterer leads the team in kills with 77, averaging 3.35 kills per set. Junior outside hitter Chloe Reinig is second on the team with 3.26 kills per set. Senior defensive specialist Kristen Muir anchors the Spartans' backcourt with 3.87 digs per set. Sophomore setter Rachel Minarick orchestrates the offense, dishing out 10.68 assists per set. As a team, Michigan State is averaging 14.91 kills and 14.74 digs per set. Cathy George is in her 11^th season as head coach for the Spartans.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans and Wildcats meet for the third time in the lifetime series. MSU, earning an at-large bid in the tournament last season, has won the last two meetings, most recently in a four-set decision on Sept. 8, 2008.

SCOUTING DELAWARE: Delaware opens up the season with a 2-4 overall record. The Blue Hens played in the North Carolina State University Tournament, compiling a 1-2 record on the weekend. Delaware results included a four-set triumph against Jacksonville State University (Sept. 4; 12-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-21) to begin the tournament. The Blue Hens were swept in decisions against the University of Mississippi (Sept. 5; 3-0; 25-23, 25-16, 26-24), and North Carolina State (Sept. 5; 3-0; 25-21, 25-14, 25-14).

Delaware is led by junior outside hitter Autumn Jenkins who is second on the team with 3.04 kills per set and second on the team with 2.72 digs per set. Junior setter Julia Anderson leads the team with 9.42 assists per set. Senior outside hitter Katie Hillman paces the Blue Hens attack with 3.12 kills per set on the strength of a .291 hitting percentage. Senior libero Ariel Shonk leads the team with 5.48 digs per set. Head coach Bonnie Kenny enters her 14th season as the head coach of Delaware.

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Wildcats and Blue Hens meet for the 20^th time in the all-time series. Delaware, a member of the Colonial Athletic Conference (2001-present), is a former affiliate of the America East Conference (1991-2001). UNH fell in the last tilt Delaware, dating back to Sept. 5, 2008 in a five-set decision (25-15, 21-25, 15-25, 25-19, 15-9).

SCOUTING BOSTON COLLEGE: Boston College starts the young season with a record of 4-2. The Eagles compiled a 1-2 record at the Fairfield Invitational, pulling out a sweep against Stony Brook University to begin the tournament (Sept. 4; 25-22, 25-21, 25-23). However, BC was on the losing end of marathon matches against Fairfield (Sept. 4; 3-2; 18-25, 25-22, 14-25, 25-19, 15-8) and Marshall (Sept. 5; 3-2; 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 23-25, 15-11).

Senior outside hitter Katty Workman leads the offense with 4.67 kills per set and an attack percentage of .283. Workman also ranks second on the team in digs per set with a 2.11 average. Senior setter Mallori Moffat pilots the offense to a .249 hitting percentage, distributing 9.00 assists per set. Junior libero Madisen Lydon leads the team with 3.76 digs per set. Chris Campbell is in his sixth season at the helm of the Eagles volleyball program.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. BOSTON COLLEGE: The Wildcats have an impressive 24-7 record against the Eagles. However, the Eagles were victorious in the last meeting, downing the Wildcats in a five-set battle (22-25,25-17, 25-18, 23-25, 15-17) on Sept. 3, 2010.

DEFEND DURHAM: New Hampshire boasts a 23-5 record at Lundholm Gymnasium dating back to the start of the 2013 season. Additionally, the Wildcats are 27-8 when hosting America East teams since 2011.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: After dropping its first two decisions, UNH engineered a six-match unbeaten streak. New Hampshire is off to its best eight-match start since 2007. The Wildcats started their win streak in a four-set victory over Wake Forest University on Aug. 31 (15-25, 25-19, 25-21, 29-27). It marked the first win against an ACC opponent since Sept. 21, 2002 against North Carolina State University.

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 and 25-13). UNH has won its 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 if 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 win at UNH when the team captured a four-set win over Binghamton University on Nov. 2, 2014.

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 five double-doubles through eight matches. In four of the last five contests, Forrest has turned in a double-double performance. Severtson and Muses (have also achieved a pair of double-double efforts this season. UNH is 5-1 this season when someone records a double-double.

DUE NEXT: The Wildcats visit Harvard University on Tuesday, Sept. 15 (7 p.m.) to resume non-conference play. UNH returns home to begin its title defense against the University of Hartford on Friday, Sept. 25 (7 p.m.).

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