'Cats Return to UConn Challenge (Aug. 31-Sept. 1)

UCONN CHALLENGE
Gampel Pavillion • Storrs, Conn.
Friday, Aug. 24 (all times Eastern)
12 pm – UNH at UConn • Video • Stats || 5 pm – UNH vs. Syracuse • Stats
Saturday, Aug. 25
12 pm – UNH vs. Iona • Stats

UNH vs. UCONN

New Hampshire has a 12-20 lifetime record against UConn and that includes last year's 3-1 loss to the Huskies in the season-opening tournament at St. John's University. … Recap … Box
UConn has won each of the last four matchups.
UNH's most recent victory was Sept. 24, 2010, when the Wildcats overcame a 2-0 deficit to prevail in five sets (19-25, 23-25, 29-27, 26-24, 15-13). … Recap … Box

UNH vs. SYRACUSE

The Wildcats have a 2-9 lifetime record vs. Syracuse. In the most recent meeting, the Orange were 3-1 victors at home (25-15, 25-19, 21-25, 26-24). … Recap … Box
Prior to that, the teams had not met since 2009 (twice, both 3-0 SU wins).
Syracuse has won four straight vs. UNH.
The Wildcats' most recent win was 3-2 in 2007 (30-27, 30-23, 25-30, 28-30, 23-21). … Recap … Box

UNH vs. IONA

The 'Cats have a 3-1 lifetime record against Iona College. The most recent meeting was in 2012 at the Rutgers Invitational, when UNH prevailed in straight sets (26-24, 25-15, 25-15) … Recap … Box
Prior to that, these programs had not met since 1997, when the Wildcats won two matches in straight sets.
Iona recorded a straight-set victory in 1996.

BACK IN STORRS

Our last road trip to Gampel Pavillion was for the 2014 UConn Invitational. We lost to UConn (3-0) and Indiana University (3-1) before leaving with a 3-2 victory against Central Connecticut State.

TANSKI: AMERICA EAST DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST OF WEEK

Junior Emily Tanski was named 2018's first Defensive Specialist of the Week on Aug. 28. Tanski recorded a team-best 78 digs for a league-high average of 6.50 per set in three matches at the Panther Invitational on Aug. 24-25.
Now in her third year as a Wildcat, it was Tanski's first action as the libero.
She opened the tourney with 28 digs in the four-set win against University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, then finished with a career-high 35 digs in four sets against Northwestern University.
Tanski's defensive effort helped limit Milwaukee to hitting percentages of .000, .103 and .139 the last three sets and backboned UNH to a 22-25, 25-12, 25-22, 25-18 victory.

PANTHER INVITATIONAL RECAP

UNH opened the 2018 season at last weekend's Panther Invitational, which was hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Wildcats returned to Durham with a 1-2 record.
In all three matches, the team that lost Set 1 came back to win the next three.
Sophomore Emma Patlovich recorded a double-double every match and finished the tourney with 111 assists (9.25 per set) and 39 digs (3.25 per set), as well as five kills and a .455 attack percentage. Patlovich recorded a career-high 47 assists in the opener vs. Milwaukee and had a personal-best 16 digs against South Dakota.
Senior captain and middle blocker Gabri Olhava was named to the All-Tournament Team. In the three matches, she led the team in kills (37), kills per set (3.08) and hitting percentage (.326). Olhava also tied for second in blocks with six. She put up monster numbers vs. Milwaukee with 18 kills, a .531 hitting percentage and three blocks.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

UNH is 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.
New Hampshire returns 15 players from last year's team that finished 13-14 overall and 8-4 in America East.
Included among the returning 'Cats are five America East conference award winners – senior middle blocker Gabri Olhava and junior hitter Kennedi Smith on the First Team, junior hitter Hannah Petke on the Second Team, sophomore setter Emma Patlovich on the All-Rookie Team, and senior setter Mali Jereczek on the All-Academic Team.
UNH was picked second in the 2018 America East Volleyball Preseason Poll.

TOP 'CATS

Kennedi Smith, who garnered All-ECAC Second Team recognition in addition to All-Conference First Team, was atop UNH's leaderboard in both kills and points, ranked second in digs and fourth in service aces; she also recorded a team-high 10 double-doubles. In the conference rankings, Smith was No. 2 in both kills per set and points per set, as well as No. 8 in aces.
Gabri Olhava, a second-year captain, was the only Wildcat to play all 102 sets a year ago, when she led New Hampshire in solo blocks, assisted blocks, total blocks and blocks per set. Olhava recorded a team-high .296 hitting percentage and ranked second in both kills and points, as well as service aces. On the America East leaderboard, Olhava was No. 3 in hitting percentage, No. 5 in points and aces, and No. 7 in kills.
Hannah Petke ranked second on the team in hitting percentage and third in both kills and points, as well as fourth in blocks. Petke elevated her play against America East foes with 3.02 kills per set and a .292 hitting percentage.

READY TO ASSIST

Mali Jereczek and Emma Patlovich split time orchestrating UNH's offense a year ago.
Jereczek, a senior captain, tallied a team-high 34 service aces to rank third in the conference; she was second on the team in assists and assists per set (5.09), as well as fifth in digs.
Patlovich led UNH with 559 assists and 6.28 assists/set to rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in America East. Patlovich's 27 service aces ranked third on the team and she was No. 6 on the conference leaderboard in aces/set.

DUELING LIBEROS

Junior Logan Welti was the Wildcats' primary libero last year and played 101 of 102 sets. She was atop the team leaderboard in digs, ranked third in assists and fifth in service aces. Welti recorded four of UNH's top 5 single-match dig totals in '17.
Emily Tanski, a junior who was All-Conference First Team in 2016, is transitioning from the front line to the back row this season and will challenge for the libero position. Tanski played in 23 of 27 matches and 82 sets last year, when she was fourth on the squad in both kills and points, as well as fourth in digs.

THE NEWCOMERS

There are three newcomers on the 2018 roster: Maddie Wiedenfeld, Abby Sullivan and Emma Tupa; all three are expected to make an impact this season.
Wiedenfeld was named to the All-Nebraska Watch List, Sullivan was a two-time conference Player of the Year, and Tupa was a two-time conference Offensive Player of the Year.

HIRSCHINGER'S HISTORY

Jill Hirschinger began her UNH helm in the 1996 season. She has amassed a 360-313 record with 10 seasons of 20+ wins.
Hirschinger has been named America East Coach of the Year six times.

HOME OPENER

UNH's home opener is Sept. 11 against Northeastern University. Start time at Lundholm Gym is 7 p.m.
Tickets for all home matches will be available in advance at unhwildcats.com, the box office or by calling (603) 862-4000, as well as game day at the box office.

SCOUTING UCONN

The University of Connecticut (Storrs, Conn.) enters the UConn Challenge with a 3-1 record, including 1-0 at home.
The Huskies won their most recent match this past Tuesday against Quinnipiac 3-0. Last weekend at the West Virginia Invitational, they defeated Wright State (3-2) and Georgia Southern (3-2), and lost to WVU (3-0).
Caylee Caylee Parker leads the team with 54 kills (4.5/set) and is third in assists (0.38/set) and blocks (8).
Elizabeth Elizabeth Kline holds the team-high for digs with 70 (4.38/set), with Emma Turner in second with 40 (2.50/set). Turner also leads the Huskies in assists with 164 (10.35/set)
Isabelle Peterson (11 blocks) and Genna Florig (10) rank 1-2 in blocks.
UConn is averaging 14.7 digs per set along with 1.5 blocks per set and holds a .179 team hitting percentage.

SCOUTING SYRACUSE

Syracuse University (Syracuse, N.Y.) opens the 2018 season at the UConn Challenge.
The Orange went 22-14 overall last season, and 12-8 in the ACC to finish seventh in the conference; they also competed in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
They were 10-4 at home and 7-7 away.
All six starters, including the libero, will be returning for the 2018 season, while there are four new members.
Santita Ebangwese was named a 2017 ACVA Regional All-American and has been named to the Preseason All-ACC team for the second straight season.

SCOUTING IONA

Iona College (New Rochelle, N.Y.) enters the UConn Challenge sporting a 1-2 record. Last weekend at Eastern Illinois, the Gaels lost to Valparaison (3-0), defeated Saint Francis (Pa.) (3-0) and lost to Eastern Illinois (3-1).
Claire Archibald leads the team in kills with 39. Last season, she also led the team with 485.
Emma Rose has recorded 94 assists, first on the team, with an average of 9.40 per set.
Jessica Paolucci and Claire Archibald are ranked first and second on the Gaels in digs with 37 and 34, respectively.
Last season, the Gaels went 16-18, and 11-7 in conference, culminating in a trip to the MAAC championship, where they were ultimately defeated by Fairfield.

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Mali Jereczek

Gabri Olhava

Emma Patlovich

Hannah Petke

Kennedi Smith

Abby Sullivan

Emily Tanski

Emma Tupa

Logan Welti

Maddie Wiedenfeld

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