SLIAC Game of the week - Westminster vs. Iowa Wesleyan
The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Game of the Week is a weekly feature that highlights a key match-up in the conference. This week's game of the week is the volleyball match between Westminster College and Iowa Wesleyan College.
At a
Glance
This week's SLIAC Game of the Week matches two of three unbeaten
conference teams in the SLIAC with Westminster against Iowa
Wesleyan. Each team is 2-0 in conference action this season and are
tied for first place in the standings.
About
Westminster
Westminster is currently 4-6 on the season and have won four
consecutive matches. The Blue Jays have rolled off wins against
Mount St. Joseph, Robert Morris-Springfield, MacMurray, and
Principia. Westminster is set to face Iowa Wesleyan and Fontbonne
this Saturday after a week off of action.
Westminster, who advanced to the SLIAC Tournament last year, returns the majority of their squad from a year ago. They are led by 2013 SLIAC Newcomer of the Year Riley Lawrence, who is fifth in the conference this year with 2.89 kills per set. Kayla Reeg leads the conference with 8.25 assists per set while Amanda Kiso is tops in hitting percentage with a .375 clip and is fifth in total blocks. As a team the Blue Jays are 5th in the SLIAC with a .158 hitting percentage.
About Iowa
Wesleyan
Iowa Wesleyan is just 2-7 overall this season but have won each of
their last two matches, both conference games. The Tigers picked up
3-1 wins over Blackburn and Fontbonne last weekend to record their
first wins of the 2014 season. The Tigers have a busy weekend with
four matches scheduled. In addition to facing Westminster on
Saturday they will play Webster and Spalding.
The Tigers are under the guidance of first year head coach BJ Wagy. The Tigers are hitting .155 as a team this year and are led by Dakota Flesner. Flesner averages 2.86 kills per set, hitting .185, and is second on the team with 3.49 digs per set. Sierra Howard leads the conference with 6.20 digs per set and leads the team with 13 service aces.
Game Notes
- Westminster and Iowa Wesleyan split their series matches last year. Iowa Wesleyan won 3-0 at home while Westminster won 3-0 in a neutral site meeting.
- Saturday's match-up features two of the hottest teams in the SLIAC. Westminster is tied for the longest active winning streak with a four game stretch while Iowa Wesleyan is just one of three teams with a multiple match winning streak.
- Westminster ranks 2nd in the SLIAC in service aces with 17 this season.
- The Blue Jays are tops in the SLIAC in total blocks with 16.
- The Tigers are first in the conference in kills per set with 12.25 this season.
- Iowa Wesleyan ranks 2nd in the conference in digs per set at 20.38 per set.
