STORYLINE
After 15 matches away from home to start the 2019 campaign, the Bloomsburg University women's volleyball team will make its home debut over the weekend as the Huskies will entertain Clarion on Friday night and Slippery Rock on Saturday morning. Bloomsburg, in its second year of existence, is 5-10 on the season and is one victory away from equaling the six wins it recorded all of last year. Clarion enters Friday's contest with a 9-5 overall record while Slippery Rock, which plays at Lock Haven on Friday, comes into the weekend with a 6-7 mark.
NEW LOOK
With the addition of Shepherd to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), the sport of volleyball restructured its divisions. The Central Division will consist of East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, Bloomsburg, and Lock Haven while the Northwest Division features five teams - Gannon, Clarion, Edinboro, Mercyhurst, and Slippery Rock. The Southwest Division boasts Seton Hill, Pitt-Johnstown, Cal U, and IUP, and the Southeast Division will consist of Shippensburg, Shepherd, Millersville, and West Chester. The four division winners will earn an automatic bid to the PSAC Volleyball Championship while the next four best records will earn at-large spots.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Huskies lost to Clarion in three sets and dropped a four-set decision to Slippery Rock last season during Bloomsburg's inaugural year.
SCOUTING BLOOMSBURG
Bloomsburg is 5-10 overall and opened conference play last weekend with three losses in three days during a grueling trip to Mercyhurst, Edinboro, and Gannon. The Huskies are sixth in the PSAC in blocks per set (1.94) and ranks ninth in both aces per set (1.71) and digs per set (16.36). However, Bloomsburg is last in the conference in team hitting percentage at .102. Sophomore
Grace Giza (Plymouth, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) leads the Huskies with 139 kills and a .202 hitting percentage while ranking second on the team with 40 total blocks. Sophomore
Mary Kate Mooney (Royersford, Pa./Pope John Paul II) is also in triple digits in kills with 127 and is second on the team in digs with 151. Freshman
Brooke Kratzer (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and sophomore
Bryn Stek (Ambler, Pa./Upper Dublin) have split the setting duties for Bloomsburg with Kratzer leading with 209 while Stek has 206. Freshman
Julia Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) leads the squad in total blocks with 48. Junior
Alyssa Cianciulli (Royersford, Pa./Pope John Paul II) recorded the 1,000th dig of her Bloomsburg career in Saturday's loss at Gannon and she leads the PSAC in digs per set (6.60). That figure is second in the country as she trails only Central Oklahoma's Dominique Lipari (6.70). Cianciulli has reached double figures in digs in all 43 of her Bloomsburg matches.
SCOUTING CLARION
Clarion is 9-5 overall and 1-1 in the PSAC Northwest Division. The Golden Eagles are sixth in the PSAC in hitting percentage (.204) and lead the conference in kills per set (13.54) and assists per set (13.13). They also rank in the top ten in blocks per set, aces per set, and digs per set. Julia Holden leads the Golden Eagles with 230 kills and a .253 hitting percentage. She is second in the league in kills per set (4.79). Holden also has 35 blocks and 68 digs on the year. Aubrey Wrona has registered 143 kills and is second on the team with 145 digs. Alexa Cundy has 562 assists and leads the PSAC in assists per set (11.73). Holly Pittman is tops on the team in total blocks with 47 while Chrissy Cotton leads the squad with 266 digs.
SCOUTING SLIPPERY ROCK
The Rock, who plays at Lock Haven on Friday night, enters the weekend with a 6-7 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the PSAC Northwest. Slippery Rock is 14th in the league in hitting percentage (.153) and is 16th in the PSAC in opponents' hitting percentage (.195). The team has nine players with at least 32 kills on the season as Abigail Koeller leads with 73 while Stephanie Jacobsen is right behind with 71. Zoe Rivet is tops on the team with 359 assists and has also chipped in with 102 digs. Jalyn Willard leads The Rock with 270 digs as four players have hit triple digits in that category. Slippery Rock leads the PSAC in total digs (981) and is second in digs per set (18.87). Abigail Nigon has posted a team-high 40 total blocks.
UP NEXT
The Huskies will be back on the road next Friday, October 11, and Saturday, October 12, when they head to Cal U and Seton Hill, respectively. Friday night's match starts at 6:00 p.m. while Saturday afternoon's tilt is slated for 1:00 p.m.
