Volleyball Closes Out Conference Play on the Road

Thursday, November 13

Cheney, Wash.

7:30 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

Eastern Washington

11/11/2014 10:32:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Two key games lie ahead for UNC volleyball against Eastern Washington and Idaho

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

Northern Colorado visits Eastern Washington and Idaho fighting for possition in the Big Sky Tournament

Northern Colorado Notes | Big Sky | Eastern Washington | Idaho

Match 27
Who: Eastern Washington 9-18, 5-9 Big Sky
When:Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. MST
Where:Cheney, Wash., Reese Court
All-Time Series: UNC 12-7 (last meeting Sept. 27, 2014, EWU 3-2)

Match 27
Who: Idaho 15-11, 11-3 Big Sky
When:Saturday, November 15 at 8:00 p.m. MST
Where: Moscow, Idaho, Memorial Gym
All-Time Series: Tie 1-1 (last meeting Sept. 25, 2014, Idaho 3-1)

Recaping Last Week
*The Bears swept the Montanas defeating the Griz on Thursday and Bobcats on Saturday
* Ashley Guthrie was a key catalyst for the team recording eight kills, 74 assists, one serving ace, 11 digs, and five blocks.
* Northern Colorado's defense held Montana to .061 hitting in their match.
* UNC had six players record seven or more kills against MSU
* In the match against Montana State the Bears had four players hit above .400

Previewing Eastern Washington
* Eastern Washington enters the match on Thursday with a 9-18 overall record and 5-9 in conference, battling for a final spot in the conference tournament.
* Kelsey Julian is tenth in the Big Sky averaging 2.84 kills per set
* The Eagle defeated UNC 3-2 in Greeley earlier this year apart of a hard fought match. .

Previewing Idaho
* Idaho currently sits tied for first place in the Big Sky North division with North Dakota at 11-3, one game ahead of UNC
* Alyssa Schultz is the leading hitter in the Big Sky putting up a percentage of .347.
* The Vandals came into Greeley and got a four set victory over the Bears earlier in the season.

A Bear to Deal With
* Northern Colorado returns their top three kills leaders from last year in outside hitter Kendra Cunningham (359), middle blocker Brianna Strong (329), and middle blocker Andrea Spaustat (310).
* So far in the 2014 season Strong (297), Spaustat (254), and Cunningham (224) have accounted for 58.5% of the teams kills.

No Sophomore Setting Slump
* Sophomore setter Ashley Guthrie returns after a stellar freshman year, shooting into the Northern Colorado Division I record books currently sitting 3rd in the schools DI history and 8th all-time with 2,259 assists.
* There has been no sign of a sophomore slump for Guthrie first on the team in hitting at .341, along with her 998 total assists, and 130 kills, and 18 service aces.
* It is not just her offense, but defense that has helped her this season with 61 blocks, most coming at pivotal moments of matches, and 177 digs.
*Guthrie became the ninth player in Northern Colorado history to join the 2,000 assist club on October 18 against North Dakota

Freshman Trio
* The freshman trio of Alex Klohn, Kim Weissmann, and Timarie Nymyer have quickly found roles on the team.
* The trio has helped bring balance to the Bears offense, to go along with Cunningham, Spaustat, and Strong.
* Klohn has earned the start in seven matches this year leading the way with her blocking ability, 34 total on the year, including seven of them coming in her first ever match against Eastern Illinois. She is fourth on the team in solo blocks at 4.
* Weissmann started off coming off the bench due to her excellent serving, 13 aces on the year, and soon found a permanent spot in the rotation after her seven kill performance against Wisconsin. Her career high in kills is 15 vs Idaho.
* Nymyer has worked her way into the starting line-up with her offensive ability, recording her first career kill against Colorado State. She earned her first career start against Long Beach State, and has reset her career record in kills the past five matches; it now sits at 19. She was the first of two Bears to hit above .700 in a match this year, doing it against Eastern Washington. (.720).

Records Breakers
* Andrea Spaustat took over the school's Division I record in total blocks, passing Lizzy Rhoads with 349, she now sits at 381. She also now sits 4th all-time in the school's Division I solo blocks at 36.
* Spaustat also moved up to 3rd in the school's Division I record book for kills passing Ashley Lichenberg. She also is second in service aces and points.
* Setter Ashley Guthrie passed Lauren Carter for third in assists Northern Colorado's Division I history and eighth all-time.
* Brianna Strong is now the school's Division I leader in solo blocks with 45, passing Lizzy Rhoads. Strong also passed Kelley Arnold in both block assists and total blocks, now sitting 5th overall in both categories.
* Strong is also now third in total blocks for the school's Division I history passing Ashley Lichtenberg with 339. She is also now sitting third in the progams DI history with block assists at 291.
* Kendra Cunningham moved into the top 10 in Northern Colorado's Division I history for digs.

Records Watch
* Andrea Spaustat has two records in her sight in career aces and solo blocks. She is currently tied with Daniel Angus 95 aces for first. Kelly Arnold's 37 career solo blocks is in Spaustat's sight (36), for 3rd all-time.
* Brianna Strong sits just six total blocks away from second overall in Northern Colorado's Division I history.

Getting Offensive
* The Bears are first the Big Sky in kills per set at 13.65 overall, and first in the conference for conference matches at 14.51
* Ashley Guthrie is leading all sophomores in the conference with a .336 hitting percentage and second overall in the Big Sky.
* Northern Colorado had two players hit above .700 in two straight matches, first Timarie Neymyer (.720) against Eastern Washington and then Andrea Spaustat (.733) against Montana State

Conference Race Heats Up
* The Bears currently sit one game behind Idaho and North Dakota for the lead in the Big Sky North Division
* Idaho State currently stand two games above everyone else in the conference with an 13-1 record
* The team with the best conference regular season record will host the eight team tournament November 20-22

A Look Ahead
* Northern Colorado will travel to the Big Sky Conference Tournament next weekend. The Tournament will be hosted by Idaho State.