Weekend Road Trip to Fairfield Invitational (Sept. 8-9)

Fairfield Invitational Tournament • Sept. 8-9 • Alumni Hall
Friday, Sept. 8
UNH (2-6) vs. Washington State, 12 pm • Stats
Saturday, Sept. 9
UNH at Fairfield, 2 pm • Video • Stats

UNH vs. WASHINGTON STATE

UNH and Washington State will meet for the first time Friday afternoon.

UNH vs. FAIRFIELD

UNH has a 2-11 lifetime record vs. Fairfield.
The last time these teams met was at the 2015 Fairfield Invitational. UNH won in four sets (25-21, 13-15, 25-15, 25-23). Recap • Box score
Fairfield's most recent win was Sept. 10, 2011.
The Wildcats' other victory vs. the Stags was a five-setter on Sept. 7, 2002.

'CATS CLAW PAST BRYANT

UNH defeated Bryant University in straight sets Tuesday night at Lundholm Gym to win its 2017 home opener. The set scores were 25-21, 25-23, 25-21.
There were a total of 32 ties and 12 lead changes in the match, and that included 16 ties and seven lead changes in Set 2.
New Hampshire recorded a season-high .211 hitting percentage.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

Gabri Olhava tallied 12 kills with a .391 hitting percentage against Bryant; the hitting percentage is the highest by a Wildcat in 2017. Olhava also had four blocks to tie the top mark by a 'Cat this season.
Olhava was outta this world in the first set with seven kills on an .875 hitting percentge.
Kennedi Smith matched her season high of 14 kills vs. the Bulldogs; the 14 kills are the most by a Wildcat this year.
Mali Jereczek matched her career high of 17 assists. She also had three service aces and four digs.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

UNH enters the Fairfield Invitational Tournament with a 2-6 overall record following Tuesday's 3-0 win against Bryant University at Lundholm Gym.
The Wildcats are 0-2 on the road and 1-4 in neutral-site matches.
New Hampshire has a 2-2 record in three-set matches and is 0-4 in matches decided by four sets; the 'Cats have not gone the distance into a fifth set yet this season.
Three of the first eight sets of the season were decided beyond 25 points; in each case, it was Set 1 of the match; the longest set is 56 points (27-29 vs. UConn); the past 20 sets have ended at 25 points.
UNH is averaging 11.82 kills per set on a .159 team hitting percentage; in comparison, the opponents' numbers are 1286 kills/set at a .233 clip. The opposition has a 66-28 edge in blocks

PUT ME IN, COACH

Gabri Olhava is the only Wildcat who has played all 28 sets in eight matches.
Emma Patlovich and Logan Welti have seen action in 27 of 28 sets.

TOP 'CATS

Kennedi Smith is UNH's leader in kills, with 88, and kills per set at 3.52; she is also atop the team leaderboard in points (99) and points/set (3.96).
Gabri Olhava has a team-best 15 blocks and is also No. 1 in service aces (11); she is second in kills (73), kills/set (2.61), points (94) and points/set (3.38).
Logan Welti has a team-high 119 digs and is averaging 4.41 per set.
Emma Patlovich is UNH's leader in assists, with 200, and assists/set (7.41).

LOOKING BACK AT 2016

Emily Tanski, a 2016 America East All-Conference First Team and All-Rookie Team selection, ranked second on the team in points and points per set, kills and kills per set, and assists last; Tanski also recorded a team-high 41 service aces. Defensively, she was third in digs and digs per set as well as fourth in blocks.
Tanski recorded 11 double-doubles, which ranked second.
Gabri Olhava, a 2016 America East All-Conference Second Team honoree, led all Wildcats in solo blocks, assisted blocks and total blocks, and was second in hitting percentage. Furthermore, Olhava was third in points and fourth in points per set as well as both kills and kills per set.
Kennedi Smith, another Wildcat on the 2016 All-Rookie Team, ranked third on the team in kills and kills per set as well as points per set, service aces and blocks.
Courtney Bowman ranked fifth on the squad in both kills and kills/set and points and points/set. She was fourth in digs and digs/set.
Hannah Petke emerged as an offensive weapon midway through her freshman year in '16 and she finished with a .235 hitting percentage that ranked third on the team.

READY TO ASSIST

The starting setter position will be inherited by either junior Mali Jereczek or freshman Emma Patlovich, both of whom were impressive in preseason.
The duo split the setting duties in the Aug. 25 season opener vs. Holy Cross and Sept. 2 at 19^th-ranked Michigan; Patlovich was the primary setter the next five matches before they once again split Sept. 5 vs. Bryant.
Jereczek saw limited action last year with 13 sets played in nine matches; she averaged 3.23 assists and 1.15 digs per set.
Patlovich was a three-year captain and four-year starting setter at Lake Forest High School; as a senior, she averaged 8.7 assists per set with 80 service aces, 199 digs and 64 kills; Patlovich was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2015 Junior Nationals.

FOUR-PEAT

UNH became the first team to win four consecutive America East tournament titles by winning the crown in 2013-14-15-16. The Wildcats have won seven titles overall, which is also an America East record.

ROARING 20's

UNH has won 20+ matches each of the past four years, and last year's 21 wins marked the highest total since the 2003 team had 23.
UNH head coach Jill Hirschinger has reached 20 wins 10 times at New Hampshire and 19 times in her 38 years overall.

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 757 career wins, 348 have been at UNH's helm.
Hirschinger has been named America East Coach of the Year six times.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS

Washington State (Pullman, Wash.) has a 5-1 overall record that includes 3-1 at home and 2-0 on the road.
WSU went 3-1 at last weekend's home tourney, the Cougar Challenge. The Cougars defeated Incarnate Word, Quinnipiac and College of Charleston in straight sets; they lost in five sets to Baylor.
Washington State averages 12.2 kills/set with a .253 hitting percentage; the opponents are at 12.0 kills/set and a .139 hitting percentage.
The Cougars have a 2:1 edge in blocks with 73 in comparison to the opposition's 34.5.
Taylor Mims leads the team with 61 kills; McKenna Woodford is next with 59 kills on a .259 hitting percentage; Ella Lajos has 46 kills with a .393 hitting percentage.
Ashley Brown orchestrates the offense; she has 117 assists (5.32 per set).
In 3-set matches, the Cougars have a record of 3-0; they are 2-0 in 4-set matches and 0-1 in 5-set matches.

SCOUTING THE STAGS

Fairfield University (Fairfield, Conn.) has a 3-4 overall record that includes 2-1 on the road and 1-3 at neutral sites. The Stags are coming off Wednesday's 3-1 loss to cross-town rival Sacred Heart.
Fairfield is averaging 11.6 kills per set on a .161 hitting percentage while the opposition is at 12.2 kills/set and .189.
Mayda Garcia has a team-high 91 kills.
Manuela Nicolini directs the attack; she has 260 assists (8.97 per set). Nicolini is also second in service aces and third in blocks.
Fairfield has a 1-1 record in 3-set matches, a 1-0 record in 4-set matches, and a 1-2 record in 5-set matches.

2017 WILDCAT ACCOLADES

Jack Kaiser Classic All-Tournament Team – Courtney Bowman
Michigan Invitational All-Tournament Team – Gabri Olhava

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Courtney Bowman

Mali Jereczek

Gabri Olhava

Emma Patlovich

Hannah Petke

Kennedi Smith

Emily Tanski

Logan Welti

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