Drive For Five Begins Nov. 17 vs. Binghamton

2017 America East Championship
Semifinals • Friday, Nov. 17 • University Gym • Albany, N.Y.
#3 UNH (13-13, 8-4 America East) vs. #2 Binghamton (11-14, 8-4 America East), 4 pm
#4 Stony Brook (16-12, 6-6 AE) at #1 UAlbany (11-13, 11-1 AE), 7 pm

Final • Saturday, Nov. 18 • University Gym • Albany, N.Y. • Ticket & Parking Information
Semifinal winners, 5 pm

America East Championship Central (includes links to video and stats)

PATLOVICH WINS BACK-TO-BACK WEEKLY ROOKIE HONORS

Freshman setter Emma Patlovich (Lake Bluff, Ill.) was named America East Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week – and third time this season – on Monday.
Patlovich averaged 7.67 assists per set and 2.33 digs per set in leading the Wildcats to straight-set victories at Hartford and UMBC and a berth in the conference tournament.
She recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 23 assists and 12 digs in the regular-season finale at UMBC.
Patlovich also had 23 assists against Hartford to help quarterback the 'Cats to a .320 hitting percentage, which is the second-highest mark of the season.

UNH vs. BINGHAMTON

UNH has a 20-15 lifetime record against Binghamton with a 7-3 edge the past 10 meetings. The Bearcats have the 3-2 edge the past five matchups and that includes this year's season sweep.
This is the third consecutive year New Hampshire and Binghamton will meet in the semifinals. The Wildcats prevailed on its home court in both 2015 and 2016.
Nov. 18, 2016 (25-18, 26-24, 25-20) • Recap • Box
2015 • Box Score • Recap
Binghamton defended its home court for the second consecutive year with a 3-1 victory Oct. 1, 2017 at West Gym (Vestal, N.Y.).
The set scores were 21-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22. • Recap • Box
The Bearcats won in four sets at Lundholm Gym on Oct. 27. The set scores were 25-20, 25-22, 22-25, 25-17. • Recap • Box

PLAYING THE FIELD

New Hampshire had a 3-3 regular-season record against the 2017 America East Championship tournament field.
The Wildcats swept Stony Brook, split against UAlbany and lost both matches to Binghamton.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

New Hampshire has won each of the last four America East tournament titles and seven overall; the Wildcats also won it all in 1998, 2002 and '03.
This is the first time since 2012 that UNH is not the top seed and tourney host.
UNH has a 17-8 overall record in the tourney with a 9-5 record in semifinals and 7-3 in title matches.
New Hampshire has a 2-1 postseason record against Binghamton. UNH has ousted the Bearcats from the semifinals each of the past two years. Binghamton won the 2009 semifinal matchup.
The Wildcats have a 5-2 tourney record vs. Albany; UNH has defeated the Great Danes each of the last three years in the title game. Albany recorded semifinal wins in '07 and '12, whereas the 'Cats were semifinal winners in '02 and '03.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK

New Hampshire extended its winning streak to three matches with straight-set road wins against Hartford (Nov. 9) and UMBC (Nov. 12). With those pair of 3-0 victories, the Wildcats have won eight consecutive sets.
UNH recorded its second-highest hitting percentage of the season (.320) at Hartford with marks of .344 in Set 2 and .371 in the third set. The 'Cats also limited the Hawks to a .165 hitting percentage.
New Hampshire 3, Hartford 0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-18) • Recap • Box
In the regular-season finale last Sunday, UNH fended off a pair of set points in Set 1 and outlasted UMBC, 30-28. The 'Cats led wire-to-wire in the second set, then captured a hard-fought third set.
With 73 digs and five blocks, UNH stymied the Retrievers to a .128 hitting percentage.
New Hampshire 3, UMBC 0 (30-28, 25-20, 25-22) • Recap • Box

'CAT NIPS

Junior middle blocker and captain Gabri Olhava (Mount Prospect, Ill.) had another outstanding week at the net. In the two matches against Hartford and UMBC, Olhava recorded 23 kills (3.83 per set) on a .429 hitting percentage; she also tallied eight blocks.
Sophomore Hannah Petke (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) also had 23 kills last week.
Sophomore Kennedi Smith (The Woodlands, Texas) continued her excellence on the attack and on defense. She recorded 22 kills (3.67/set) and five service aces as well as a team-high 29 digs (4.83/set).
The rotation of using both setters continued last weekend. Freshman Emma Patlovich recorded a team-high 23 assists in both matches, while junior Mali Jereczek (Green Bay, Wis.) has a split of 17 vs. UMBC and 15 against Hartford. Both setters recorded two service aces and combined for 27 digs.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

UNH enters the 2017 America East Championships with a 13-13 overall record that includes 8-4 in America East, 1-5 in neutral-site matches and 5-5 on the road.
New Hampshire is the only America East team to defeat UAlbany this season. The Wildcats overcame a 2-0 deficit on the Great Danes' home court Sept. 29.
UNH ended the regular season on a three-match winning streak – the team's second-longest win streak of the season – and the 'Cats have won eight straight sets.
UNH is averaging 12.1 kills per set on a .189 attack percentage while the opposition is at 12.0 kills/set at a .201 clip.
UNH Volleyball web page

INSIDE THE WIN STREAK

UNH averaged 14.9 kills per set with a .255 hitting percentage in the last three regular-season matches.
The Wildcats limited the opposition to a .175 hitting percentage and 11.6 kills/set.
New Hampshire racked up 17 service aces in comparison to the opponents' nine.
Hannah Petke led the way with 47 kills (4.27/set) on a .354 hitting percentage.
Gabri Olhava tallied 39 kills (3.55/set) with a .369 hitting percentage. She also recorded 12 blocks.
Kennedi Smith also had 39 kills (3.55/set) with 43 digs (3.91/set) and six service aces.
The duo of Emma Patlovich and Mali Jereczek combined to produce 12.18 assists per set. Patlovich contributed 6.45 assists per set and 2.64 digs per set, while Jereczek's numbers were 5.73 assists per set and 2.00 digs per set. The duo also accounted for eight of the team's service aces.
Logan Welti (Middleton, Wis.) also led the defensive effort with 41 digs (3.73/set).

PUT ME IN, COACH

Junior middle blocker and captain Gabri Olhava is the only Wildcat who has played all 99 sets in 26 matches.
Sophomore defensive specialist Logan Welti has seen action in 98 of 99 sets.

FILLING THE STAT SHEET

Sophomore outside hitter Kennedi Smith has 10 double-doubles this season; the rest of the Wildcats have combined for 11 double-doubles.
Smith is UNH's leader in kills (301) and kills per set (3.34), as well as points (347) and points per set (3.86). She is also second in digs (2.66/set), third in blocks (32), and is fourth in service aces (26).
Smith has led the team (or tied for the team lead) in kills 16 of 26 matches, including eight consecutive matches spanning Aug. 26 – Sept. 12.
In the week of Sept. 12-16, Smith tallied 15 kills and a career-high 17 digs at Northeastern (Sept. 12), then surpassed that number with 18 digs and 11 kills vs. URI (Sept. 16); she recorded 17 kills and 13 digs against Dartmouth College (Sept. 16). Smith followed that with a career-high 21 kills and 10 digs at UMass Lowell (Sept. 22).

BLOCK PARTY

Gabri Olhava has a team-best 74 blocks (20 solo, 54 assisted).
She has led the team (or tied for the team lead) in blocks 16 times this season.
Olhava recorded a career high of 10 blocks at Fairfield on Sept. 9; the previous time a Wildcat reached double digits in blocks was Oct. 19, 2014 (Demi Muses, 11, at Hartford); Cassidy Croci also had 11 blocks Aug. 30, 2014.
In other stats, Olhava ranks second in kills (263) and kills/set (2.66) as well as points (341) and points/set (3.44), and service aces (31).

SMOKING ACES

New Hampshire recorded a high of 10 service aces five times during the regular season, and that included four consecutive matches Oct. 6-20 against Stony Brook, UMBC, Hartford and UMass Lowell. UNH has tallied nine aces three times and as many as eight in a match Nov. 5 at Stony Brok.
Mali Jereczek surged to the top of the aces leaderboard during conference play; she has a total of 34, 27 of which came against America East opponents.. She served six aces against UMBC to mark the highest total by a 'Cat since September 2007 (Alyse Lahti vs. Holy Cross).
Gabri Olhava ranks second with 31 service aces and she has led – or tied for the lead – in aces nine times.
She recorded five aces at Northeastern (Sept. 12); that total is tied for the second most by a Wildcat this season (established by Kennedi Smith at St. John's and matched by Hannah Petke at UAlbany).

DIG THIS

Logan Welti has a team-high 403 digs and is averaging 4.11 per set.
She has led UNH in digs in 17 of 26 matches, including a career-high 34 vs. UMBC on Oct. 13. It marked the highest total by a UNH Wildcat since November 2013 (Madison Lightfoot, 39 vs. Binghamton
Welti has tallied 20+ digs six times and she has three other matches with 19 digs.

GIVING ASSISTANCE

Freshman setter Emma Patlovich (Lake Bluff, Ill.) is UNH's leader in assists, with 547, and assists/set (6.36).
She has been UNH's top 'Cat in assists in 18 of 26 matches with 30-plus assists five times, including a career high 36 against Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Patlovich was a DNP for both matches on the Empire State road trip (Sept. 29 & Oct. 1).
She has four double-doubles including a 23-assist, 11-dig effort in the regular-season finale at UMBC. Patlovich's other double-doubles were against Butler (24a, 12d; at Michigan), at UMass Lowell (35a, 10d) and at Stony Brook (25a, 15d).
Patlovich's highlights include 35 assists, three kills, two service aces and six digs at Northeastern; she recorded a personal-best four aces at Fairfield and matched that vs. Hartford.
Mali Jereczek stepped into the starting role the Sept. 29-Oct. 1 weekend. She did so very admirably at UAlbany with a career-high 49 assists that quarterbacked the 'Cats to their fifth-highest hitting percentage of the season (.268). She also tallied a personal-best 15 digs to record her second career double-double.
Jereczek followed that with a career-high six kills (and .750 hitting percentage) at Binghamton. She also tallied three service aces and three blocks, as well as 29 assists.
In 86 sets, Jereczek has amassed 440 assists for an average of 5.12 per set.

CONFERENCE CALL

UNH leads America East in service aces with 168 and in service aces per set at 1.70.
Kennedi Smith is second in points per set (3.86) as well as kills (301) and kills/set (3.34). She is also sixth in service aces per set (0.29).
Gabri Olhava is third in hitting percentage (.296), fifth in service aces/set (0.31), seventh in points/set (3.44) and eighth in kills/set (2.66).
Logan Welti is fourth in digs/set (4.11).
Emma Patlovich is sixth in both assists/set (6.36) and service aces per set (0.35).
Mali Jereczek is second service aces (34) and aces/set (0.40).
Hannah Petke is ninth in hitting percentage (.238).

ANOTHER CONFERENCE CALL

In 12 America East conference matches, UNH's leaders were Kennedi Smith in kills/set (3.33), Gabri Olhava in hitting percentage (.335), Mali Jereczek in assists/set (6.02), Logan Welti in digs/set (4.00) and Olhava in blocks (34).
Hannah Petke elevated her play in conference play, where she ranked second on the team in kills (139), kills per set (3.02) and hitting percentage (.292).

SET-BY-SET

UNH has won the first set 14 times in 26 matches; the Wildcats have also won the second set 14 times.
The opposition has won Set 3 14 times.
UNH is 5-9 in Set 4, and the Wildcats are 5-2 in the decisive fifth set.
The 'Cats have a 8-4 record in matches decided by three sets; 0-7 in four-set matches; 5-2 in five-set matches.

HIRSCHINGER'S HISTORY

This is the 22^nd year as UNH head coach for Jill Hirschinger. She recorded her 750^th career victory when the Wildcats prevailed 3-1 at UMBC last October.
Of her 768 career wins, 359 have been at UNH's helm.
Hirschinger's 350^th win at UNH was a five-set victory against Rhode Island at the Holly Young Invitational on Sept. 16.
Hirschinger has been named America East Coach of the Year six times.

SCOUTING THE BEARCATS

Binghamton University (Vestal, N.Y.) enters Friday's semifinal with an 11-14 overall record that includes 8-4 in America East.
The Bearcats ended the regular season on a five-match win streak, which started with the four-set win at UNH on Oct. 27.
Last weekend, Binghamton won 3-1 at Stony Brook.
In conference play, the Bearcats lost to UAlbany (twice), UMBC and Hartford.
Binghamton is averaging 12.9 kills per set with a .201 hitting percentage and the opponents average 12.2 kills per set and hit at a .212 clip.
The Bearcats have won three America East tourney titles (2005, 2009, 2012).
Gabby Alicea leads the team and America East in both kills (354) and kills per set (3.69).
Sarah Ngo is top the conference leaderboard with 10.16 assists per set.
Lexi LaGoy leads all America East players in hitting percentage (.324).

SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES

UAlbany (Albany, N.Y.) enters the tournament with an 1-13 overall record that includes 11-1 in America East and 5-4 at home (5-1 in conference home matches).
The Great Danes ended the regular season on a 10-match win streak. Their last loss was Sept. 29 to UNH in five sets.
UAlbany is averaging 11.8 kills per set with a .168 hitting percentage while the opponents average 13.1 kills/set with a .213 mark.
The Great Danes' most recent America East tourney title was in 2011.
Akuabata Okenwa leads the team in both kills (268) and kills per set (3.31). Chloe Evering (192; 2.34) and Tatiana Tiangco (183; 2.44) are the other top attackers.
Okenwa and Taylor Robinson are tied atop the blocks leaderboard with 57.
Kelly Cameron quarterbacks the attack with 653 assists (8.95 per set).
Nicole Otero averages 4.80 digs per set.

SCOUTING THE SEAWOLVES

Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, N.Y.) enters Friday's semifinal vs. UAlbany with a 16-12 overall record that includes 6-6 in America East.
The Seawolves lost their last three matches of the regular season, including 3-1 to both UAlbany and Binghamton last weekend.
Prior to that, SBU had won three consecutive matches.
Stony Brook is averaging 12.8 kills per set with a .217 hitting percentage while the opponents average 12.9 kills on a .203 hitting percentage.
Emily Costello leads five Seawolves who have topped 200 kills this season with 284. She is followed closely by McKyla Brooks (279), and then Maria Poole (241), Jordan Gels (202) and Cydney Bowman (201).
LeAnne Sakowicz orchestrates the offense and has tallied 1,160 assists.
Bowman and Brooks rank 1-2 in blocks with 86 and 84, respectively.

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