America East Conference Play Opens Sept. 22 at UMass Lowell

Friday, Sept. 22 • 7 pm • Costello Athletic Center • Lowell, Mass.
UNH (5-9, 0-0 America East) at UMass Lowell 3-8, 0-0 America East)

OLHAVA NAMED AMERICA EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Junior middle blocker and captain Gabri Olhava was honored by America East as the Player of the Week this past Tuesday (Sept. 19).
Olhava led UNH to a 3-1 week, including a perfect 3-0 at the Holly Young Invitational, by averaging 3.50 kills, 0.94 blocks and 0.62 service aces per set; she also recorded a .375 hitting percentage.
Olhava recorded 42 kills (3.82 per set) and a .440 hitting percentage to earn All-Tournament Team honors at the Holly Young Invitational. She also had five service aces and nine blocks in the three matches. In the tourney, Olhava recorded three of the Wildcats' top five attack percentages this season.

CONFERENCE OPENER

Friday night is the opening night of America East conference play.
In addition to UNH at UMass Lowell, UMBC is at Hartford and Binghamton is at Albany.

HOLLY YOUNG INVITATIONAL RECAP

New Hampshire won all three matches at its annual Holly Young Invitational (Sept. 15-16 at Lundholm Gym) to capture the tourney title.
The Wildcats defeated Siena College in straight sets (25-20, 26-24, 25-21) on opening night last Friday.
On Day 2 (Sept. 16), the 'Cats roared out to a 2-0 lead against the University of Rhode Island and prevailed in five sets (25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 15-7), then concluded the tournament with a sweep of Dartmouth College (25-19, 25-23, 25-17).
URI placed second with a 2-1 record, followed by Dartmouth (1-2) and Siena (0-3).

HOLLY YOUNG HIGHLIGHTS

Three Wildcats – Gabri Olhava, sophomore outside hitter Kennedi Smith and freshman setter Emma Patlovich – were named to the Holly Young Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Olhava recorded 42 kills and a .440 hitting percentage in the Holly Young Invitational. Her other numbers included five service aces and nine blocks.
Smith recorded her fourth double-double of the season – fifth of the career – with the 17 kills and 13 digs vs. Dartmouth. She finished the tournament with 37 kills, 37 digs and seven blocks.
Patlovich tallied 75 assists for an average of 6.82 per set in the tourney and led the Wildcats to three of the team's top four attack percentages in the 2017 season – .252 vs. Siena, .199 against URI and .193 vs. Dartmouth.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

UNH travels to UMass Lowell with a 5-9 overall record that includes 0-4 on the road and 4-6 in September.
The Wildcats are on a three-match win streak after capturing last weekend's Holly Young Invitational.
New Hampshire played both of its five-set matches in a five-day span. The 'Cats were edged in the fifth set (15-12) at Northeastern University on Sept. 12, then UNH outlasted Rhode Island (15-7 in Set 5) on Sept. 16.
UNH is averaging 11.5 kills per set on a .158 attack percentage while the opposition is at 12.3 kills/set at a .209 clip.
UNH Volleyball web page

PUT ME IN, COACH

Junior middle blocker and captain Gabri Olhava is the only Wildcat who has played all 51 sets in 14 matches.
Freshman setter Emma Patlovich and Logan Welti have seen action in 50 of 51 sets.

DOUBLE DOUBLE

Sophomore outside hitter Kennedi Smith recorded a double-double in three of four matches last week (Sept. 12-16). She has a team-high five double-doubles this season (and six in her career); the rest of the Wildcats have a total of three double-doubles.
Smith tallied 15 kills and a career-high 17 digs at Northeastern (Sept. 12), but surpassed that number with 18 digs and 11 kills vs. URI (Sept. 16); she matched her personal best of 17 kills and also had 13 digs against Dartmouth College (Sept. 16).
Smith is UNH's leader in kills (154) and kills per set (3.25), as well as points/set (3.84).
Smith has led the team (or tied for the team lead) in kills 9 of 14 matches, including eight consecutive matches spanning Aug. 26 – Sept. 12.

BLOCK PARTY

Gabri Olhava has a team-best 40 blocks (9 solo, 31 assisted)..
She has led the team (or tied for the team lead) in blocks nine times this season.
Olhava recorded a career high of 10 blocks at Fairfield on Sept. 9; the last 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 is the leader in both points (183) and service aces (22), as well as second in kills (137), kills/set (2.69) and points/set (3.60)

SMOKING ACES

Gabri Olhava has a team-high 22 service aces, and she has also led – or tied for the lead – in aces nine times.
She recorded five aces at Northeastern (Sept. 12); that total is tied for the most by a Wildcat this season (established by Kennedi Smith at St. John's).
Olhava recorded three aces in 2 of 3 matches at the Michigan Tournament. (against Wisconsin Green Bay and Butler)

DIG THIS

Logan Welti has a team-high 211 digs and is averaging 4.22 per set.
She has led UNH in digs in 9 of 14 matches, including 19 three of the last five matches and a career-high 21 vs. UConn.

GIVING ASSISTANCE

Emma Patlovich is UNH's leader in assists, with 340, and assists/set (6.80).
She has been UNH's top 'Cat in assists in 12 of 14 matches with 30-plus assists four times, including a career high 36 against Wisconsin-Green Bay.

CONFERENCE CALL

Gabri Olhava has a league-high 22 service aces and is second in aces/set (0.43). She is also third in points (183.5), fourth in both points/set (3.60) and hitting percentage (.264), seventh in blocks/set (0.78) and ninth in kills per set (.2.69).
Sophomore Logan Welti is No. 2 in digs (211) and No. 4 in digs per set (4.22).
Kennedi Smith is No. 2 in points per set (3.84), No. 3 in kills per set (3.35) and No. 8 in service aces per set (0.30).
Emma Patlovich is fifth in assists per set (6.80) and ninth in service aces per set (0.30).
Senior outside hitter and captain Courtney Bowman ranks ninth in digs per set (2.91).

SET-BY-SET

UNH has won the first set half of the 14 matches this season.
The Wildcats have won Set 2 in 8 of 14 matches, whereas the opposition has won Set 3 8 of 14 times.
UNH has not won a fourth set yet this year (0-7).
The 'Cats are 1-1 in the decisive fifth set.

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 760 career wins, 351 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.

UNH vs. UMASS LOWELL

UNH has won all nine lifetime meetings against UMass Lowell and that includes eight matches since the River Hawks elevated to D-I and joined America East in 2013.
The Wildcats have won in straight sets 7 of 8 times as D-I foes. UMass Lowell won one set against the 'Cats last October at the Costello Athletic Center.
UNH 3, UML 1 (25-16, 25-16, 24-26, 25-11) Recap • Box
UNH 3, UML 0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-21) Recap • Box

SCOUTING THE RIVER HAWKS

UMass Lowell (Lowell, Mass.) enters its home opener with a 3-8 overall record.
The River Hawks lost both matches last weekend (to Harvard and Northeastern) at the New England Challenge Tournament.
The River Hawks are averaging 10.7 kills per set on a .125 attack percentage while their opponents have recorded 11.9 kills per set on a .215 attack percentage.
Katherine Claybaugh (2.97 kills/set) and Madi Bell (2.73 kills/set) are the top two options on offense.
Delaney Mendez leads the team with 8.00 assists per set.
On defense, Lindsey Visvardis is averaging a team-high 4.23 digs per set.

2017 WILDCAT ACCOLADES

Jack Kaiser Classic All-Tournament Team (08/26) – Courtney Bowman
America East Rookie of the Week (08/29) – Emma Patlovich
Michigan Invitational All-Tournament Team (09/02) – Gabri Olhava
America East Defensive Specialist of the Week (09/12) – Logan Welti
America East Player of the Week (09/19) – Gabri Olhava

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Courtney Bowman

Demi Muses

Gabri Olhava

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