SLIAC Game of the Week: Westminster at Spalding
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At a Glance This week's SLIAC Game of the Week is Westminster College visiting Spalding University for a conference volleyball match on Saturday. The match will take place in Louisville, Ky. at 10 a.m. and feature two of the four teams in the conference who have already surpassed double digits in wins this season. |
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About the Spalding University "GOLDEN EAGLES" Spalding is currently 10-5 overall and 4-2 in the SLIAC as the week starts. They pushed through a rough stretch two weeks ago, in which they went 1-4, when Jessica Diehl missed some time by rebounding to win their last three matches. The Golden Eagles will face Indiana-Southeast on Thursday and host Fontbonne in a SLIAC match on Friday before Saturday's match against Westminster. Spalding is hitting .188 as a team this year, second best in the SLIAC, and also rank third in blocks per set. Diehl, a senior middle blocker, is the force in the middle for Spalding; averaging 3.02 kills per set and hitting .346 on the year with a team high 56 total blocks. Victoria Heitzman, a senior outside hitter, gives the team another option and is averaging 2.65 kills and leads the team at 3.58 digs per set and service aces with 19. Katelyn Cosgrove is averaging 8.27 assists per set. |
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About the Westminster College "BLUE JAYS" Westminster starts the week with an 11-3 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play. The Blue Jays will take on MacMurray Tuesday night before traveling to Kentucky to face Berea on Friday and Spalding on Saturday. Westminster leads the conference with a .199 team hitting percentage and 102 service aces. Junior outside hitter Hannah Marshall is averaging 3.7 kills per set and leads the conference with 28 aces. A pair of freshmen, Ashley Kistaitis (2.74 kills) and Elizabeth Kelley (1.98 kills), have made an immediate impact for the Blue Jays. Senior setter Kayla Reeg runs the offense and is leading the SLIAC at 10.76 assists per set and is the defending SLIAC Offensive Player of the Week while her teammate Amanda Kiso is the defending Defensive Player of the Week after recording 24 blocks in four matches. |
Game Notes
- Westminster leads the all-time series against Spalding 8-7, with Westminster winning the last three meetings including a 3-2 win earlier this season.
- This marks the second consecutive year Westminster has had a winning streak of at least 10 matches.
- Spalding hs already nearly passed last year's overall win total, going 11-19 last season.
- Westminster has played the most sets in conference play this season, with five of their eight matches going a full five sets including their last three.
- Spalding is looking to get into the SLIAC Tournament for the second time in program history. They are currently in the final spot, fourth in the standings, and hold a 1.5 game lead over the nearest competitors.
