Volleyball has chance to send seniors out on top

Week 13: Northern Arizona at Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado notes | Big Sky Conference notes

THE TEAMS

NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS
(18-11, 11-4 Big Sky)
HEAD COACH: Lyndsey Benson (fifth season)
TOP PLAYERS: Kenzie Shreeve (7), Ashley Lichtenberg (8), Breanna VanDerMost (6)

NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS
(8-16, 5-10 Big Sky)
HEAD COACH: Craig Choate (two seasons)
TOP PLAYERS: Lauren Campbell (4), Jen Wilson (14), Anna Gott (2)

THE STORYLINES

• The Bears had a disappointing couple of matches last weekend, to say the least. All is not lost, though. A win Saturday (and an Eastern Wash. loss) gives Northern a program-best second place finish in the final Big Sky standings.

• Either way, Northern Colorado knows it will face Eastern Washington next week in Cheney in the Big Sky Conference tournament. The Bears will either be the second or third seed and the Eagles will be their first-round opponent.

• Northern Colorado seniors Allison Raguse, Kenzie Shreeve, Taylor Smith and Breanna VanDerMost will play their final home match tonight on Senior Night. The four have been pivotal in the Bears’ emergence as a Division I program.

• Call it emotions, maybe? Northern Colorado is just 0-3 in its final regular-season home matches as a member of the Big Sky Conference. Falling to Sac. State in 2006, Eastern Washington in 2007 and Northern Arizona last year.