'Cats Welcome Albany to Lundholm Gym on Oct. 14

Sunday, October 14

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

University at Albany

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10/12/2018 6:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

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UNH VOLLEYBALL

High School Day // Kids' Club Clinic // Sunday Blues
Sunday, October 14 • 1 pm • Lundholm Gymnasium • Durham, N.H.
Albany (9-8, 3-1 AE) at UNH (8-11, 4-1 AE) • ESPN+ • Stats • Tickets

HIGH SCHOOL DAY // KID'S CLUB CLINIC

If your high school team is attending Sunday's match against Albany, be sure to acquire the group rate of $3 per ticket. Call (603) 862-4000 for information.
The UNH volleyball team will hold a Kids' Clinic following the conclusion of Sunday's match vs. the Great Danes. The clinic is open to all ages 13 and younger.

FRIDAY NIGHT WHITES // SUNDAY BLUES

Fans are encouraged to wear white every Friday home match in 2018: Nov. 2 vs. Binghamton.
Fans are encouraged to Bleed Blue (wear blue) for Sunday home matches in 2018: Oct. 14 vs. Albany; Nov. 4 vs. UMBC.

WILDCATS RECEIVE TWO AMERICA EAST WEEKLY AWARDS

Kennedi Smith and Emily Tanski of the UNH volleyball team were honored by America East on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Smith received Player of Week recognition and Tanski was tabbed Defensive Specialist of the Week for the third time this season.
Smith averaged 3.71 kills per set on a .221 hitting percentage as well as 4.43 digs per set as she recorded a double-double against both UMBC and Binghamton.
Smith recorded a match-high 15 kills on a .300 hitting percentage and also had 16 digs in the Oct. 7 win at Binghamton for her team-leading ninth double-double of the season. In the Oct. 5 match at UMBC, Smith helped the Wildcats capture a tightly-contested first set (25-23) with five kills. She finished the match with 11 kills and 15 digs.
Tanski recorded a team-high 40 digs in two matches last week for an average of 5.71 per set.
Her team-leading 19 digs helped limit UMBC to a .147 hitting percentage. Tanski then recorded her eighth 20+ dig effort of the season with a team-high 21 at Binghamton; the Bearcats were held to a .151 hitting percentage.

UNH vs. ALBANY

New Hampshire has a 21-21 lifetime record against Albany, and that includes last year's season split in which both road teams were victorious.
The Wildcats overcame a two-set deficit to rally for a five-set victory last September at Albany's West Gymnasium. • Recap • Box
- In Set 5, UNH won the first three points and raced out to a 8-1 lead bolstered by two kills and a block by Gabri Olhava and three consecutive aces by Hannah Petke.
- The Wildcats built a 12-4 lead before Albany closed within 12-8, but the home team would get no closer.
The Great Danes spoiled UNH's Senior Day with a straight-set victory on Oct. 29, 2017. • Recap • Box
New Hampshire has a 3-2 edge the past five matches in Lundholm Gym.
This is a matchup of two of the top defensive teams in America East. Albany is #1 in opponent hitting percentage (.199) and UNH is #2 at .203.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW

Tickets for all home matches are available at unhwildcats.com, the box office or by calling (603) 862-4000, as well as game day at the box office.
UNH's next home match is Sunday, Oct. 14 against Albany (1 p.m.)

SHOP UNH

Check out UNHShop.com for the latest in official UNH Wildcats' merchandise.

NATIONAL NUMBERS

On the national leaderboard (through Oct. 8), Emily Tanski is No. 25 in digs with 369.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED

New Hampshire won a pair of America East road games at UMBC (Oct. 5) and Binghamton (Oct. 7) to improve to 4-1 in conference play.
The set scores at UMBC were 25-23, 28-26, 25-23. • Recap • Box
- Kennedi Smith finished with 11 kills and 15 digs while Olhava tallied 16 kills, a .389 hitting percentage and a match-high five blocks.
The set scores at Binghamton were 25-16, 19-25, 25-16, 25-20. • Recap • Box
- Smith recorded a match-high 15 kills, .300 hitting percentage and 16 digs. Hannah Petke matched her season high of 14 kills on a .345 hitting percentage.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE • schedule • stats • news • roster

UNH enters Sunday's matchup with an 8-11 overall record that includes 4-1 in America East and 2-2 at home.
This is UNH's only home match in October. The next three matches are on the road before the 'Cats play host to Binghamton (Nov. 2) and UMBC (Nov. 4).
The Wildcats won 6 of 7 sets in last weekend's sweep of UMBC and Binghamton.
New Hampshire is 4-1 the past five matches (all in conference play).
The Wildcats are one year removed from a stretch of four consecutive America East regular-season and tournament titles – as well as four straight NCAA tourney appearances. Head coach Jill Hirschinger, a six-time America East Coach of the Year, looks to lead the Wildcats back to the top in 2018.
UNH was picked second in the 2018 America East Volleyball Preseason Poll.

SET-BY-SET BREAKDOWN

UNH has a 3-2 record in three-set matches, 3-8 in four-set matches and 2-1 in five-set matches.
UNH has won Set 1 in 9 of 19 matches and has the edge in Set 3 (12-7) and Set 5 (2-1).
Opponents have won Set 2 in 13 of 19 matches, and Set 4 in 9 of 14 matches.

DOUBLING UP

Kennedi Smith recorded a double-double both matches last weekend at UMBC and at Binghamton to increase her team-leading total to nine double-doubles.
Smith the same number of double-doubles as the rest of her teammates combined.
Emma Patlovich recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 37 assists and 10 digs vs. Princeton on Sept. 14.
Hannah Petke has recorded two double-doubles. She finished with 11 kills and 11 digs at UConn (Aug. 31), and tallied 10 kills with 10 digs vs. Stony Brook (Sept. 30).
Mali Jereczek tallied her only double-double of the year vs. Stony Brook with 34 assists and 10 digs.

PUT ME IN, COACH

Three Wildcats enter the weekend having played all 74 sets this season – Gabri Olhava, Emily Tanski and Logan Welti.
Kennedi Smith and Maddie Wiedenfeld have played in 73 of 74 sets. Emma Patlovich has seen action in 69 of 74.
Those are the six players who have played all 19 matches.

'CATS ON THE ATTACK

Gabri Olhava, a second-year captain, leads UNH in kills (237), kills/set (3.20), hitting percentage (.297), points (272), points/set (3.68), blocks (48) and blocks/set (0.65).
Maddie Wiedenfeld ranks second in kills (190), kills/set (2.60), hitting percentage (.224), points (214) and points/set (2.94), blocks (46) and blocks/set (0.63).
Kennedi Smith is third in kills (171) with an average of 2.34 kills per set; she has a team-high 622 attacks. Smith is also second in digs (233) and digs/set (3.19).
Hannah Petke has been strong since returning from injury Sept. 30 vs. Stony Brook. In two matches last weekend, Petke recorded 3.43 kills per set on a .367 hitting percentage. She also contributed seven digs, five blocks and two service aces.

READY TO ASSIST

Emma Patlovich was UNH's primary setter through 17 matches, but last weekend she split time with Mali Jereczek. Last week, Patlovich tallied 49 assists for an average of 7.00 per set while Jereczek had 29 assists for an average of 4.14 per set.
For the season, Patlovich has a team-high 625 assists for an average of 9.06 per set. She is also second on the squad in service aces with 18.
Patlovich has recorded 40+ assists seven times, including a stretch of five consecutive matches spanning Sept. 1-8. That streak began with a career high of 49 vs. Iona (Sept. 1). She followed that with 47 at Bryant, 43 against both URI and Yale, and 42 vs. Army.
Jereczek recorded a season-high 34 assists Sept. 30 against Stony Brook. Off of that performance, she is now splitting time with Patlovich as UNH's setter.

MAKING A DEFENSIVE STAND

Emily Tanski, a junior who was All-Conference First Team in 2016, has transitioned from the front line to the back row this season and has become the Wildcats' primary libero.
Tanski has been named America East Defensive Specialist of the Week three times this year, including each of the first two weeks.
She has amassed 369 digs –136 more than the closest teammate (Kennedi Smith, 233) – for an average of 4.99 digs per set.

SERVING IT UP

Logan Welti is UNH's leader with 21 service aces. Emma Patlovich (18) and Emily Tanski (17) are next.

CONFERENCE CALL

New Hampshire is atop the America East leaderboard in digs (16.12 per set); the Wildcats also rank second in kills (12.43/set) and assists (11.70/set) as well as third in hitting percentage (.183).
Gabri Olhava is No. 4 inboth kills/set (3.20), points/set (3.68) and hitting percentage (.297).
Emily Tanski is atop the leaderboard in digs per set (4.99).
Logan Welti is tied for third in aces per set (0.28).
Emma Patlovich is No. 4 in assists per set (9.06) and is No. 5 in aces/set (0.26).
Kennedi Smith is No. 8 in digs/set (3.19).
Alexa Markman is No. 8 in blocks/set at 0.73.
Maddie Wiedenfeld is No. 10 in kills/set (2.60).

CONFERENCE PLAY

Gabri Olhava has stepped it up in America East matches, where she is averaging 3.53 kills per set on a .344 hitting percentage.
Kennedi Smith (2.47 kills/set), Hannah Petke (3.40 kills/set) and Maddie Wiedenfeld (1.94 kills/set) have been the other top threats on attack.
The setting duties have been split by Mali Jereczek (5.71 assists per set in 14 sets) and Emma Patlovich (7.69 assists/set in 13 sets).
Emily Tanski is averaging a team-high 4.18 digs per set. She is followed closely by Kennedi Smith (3.53).

HIRSCHINGER'S HISTORY

Jill Hirschinger began her UNH tenure in the 1996 season. She has amassed a 367-324 record with 10 seasons of 20+ wins.
Hirschinger has been named America East Coach of the Year six times.

SCOUTING ALBANY • website

The University at Albany (Albany, N.Y.) enters the weekend with a 9-8 overall record that includes 3-1 in America East and 2-4 on the road. The Great Danes play at UMass Lowell on Friday, Oct. 12 before making the trip to Durham, N.H to battle UNH on Oct. 14.
The Great Danes have won five of their last six matches with the only loss at the hands of Stony Brook.
Akuabata Odenwa leads a quartet of Albany players with 100+ kills with a total of 180 (2.95 per set) on a .209 hitting percentage.
Grace Cozad is next with 142 kills (2.33/set), followed by Chloe Evering with 118 (2.88/set) and Danielle Tedesco with 100 (1.67/set).
The setting duties have been shared by Kelly Cameron (324 assists; 7.53 per set) and Anderson Vaughan (244 assists; 10.17 per set).
Courtney O'Connell has a team-high 46 blocks. Okenwa (44) and Tedesco (41) are part of a formidable trio up front.
Nicole Otero leads the way with 300 digs (4.84 per set). Charlotte Macken is next with 151 (2.48/set).

2018 AMERICA EAST AWARDS