Thursday, February 20
Fort Wayne, Ind.
7 p.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne
vs
Lewis
Photo by: Lucas Carter
Mastodons Set to Face Pair of Top-10 Opponents
2/19/2014 1:40:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
MATCH NOTES (.pdf)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The IPFW men's volleyball team is set to face off against a pair of ranked opponents as Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) action continues this week. The Mastodons will welcome No. 10 Lewis to town Thursday evening before traveling to Chicago, Ill. on Saturday to take on No. 1-ranked Loyola.
Opponent: Lewis Flyers (9-3, 1-1)
When: Thursday, February 20, 2014 | 7 p.m.
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center (1,800)
All-Time Series: Lewis leads 26-23
Last Meeting: IPFW 3, Lewis 0 | Apr. 13, 2013 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Coverage: IPFW Sidearm Live Stats | Mastodon All-Access Live Video | IPFW Internet Radio
Opponent: Loyola Ramblers (11-1, 4-0)
When: Saturday, February 22, 2014 | 8 p.m. EST
Where: Chicago, Ill. | Gentile Arena (5,200)
All-Time Series: Loyola leads 23-19
Last Meeting: Loyola 3, IPFW 0 | Apr. 10, 2013 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Coverage: Loyola GameTracker Live Stats
QUICK HITTERS
- At 7-2, IPFW is off to its best start since 2007
- Junior middle blocker Bryan Saunders was named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week
- The Mastodons lead the MIVA in kills per set (13.71), assists per set (12.76), and digs per set (10.00)
- Loyola claimed sole possession of the No. 1 ranking in the AVCA Top 15 Poll for the second consecutive week while Lewis has held down the No. 10 spot for the past four weeks
- Loyola's Joe Smalzer, the MIVA Preseason Player of the Year, leads the conference in aces per set (0.87) and teammate Nicholas Olson is the league's top blocker at 1.49 blocks per set
SCOUTING THE FLYERS
After starting the season 1-2, Lewis has won eight of their last nine matches.
The Flyers lead the MIVA in blocks per set (2.92) and have two players ranked in the top-5 in the conference. Bobby Walsh paces the team with 1.46 and Jacob Schmiegelt follows with 1.09. Geoff Powell and Greg Petty have recorded more than 100 kills apiece to lead the Lewis attack while setter BJ Boldog has handed out 347 assists.
SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS
Loyola will enter Saturday's match ranked as the No.1 team in the country with an 11-1 record. The Ramblers have won nine straight, with two of those victories coming over ranked squads.
Loyola returns six starters from last season, including the MIVA Preseason Player of the Year Joe Smalzer. Smalzer not only leads the MIVA, but the entire country in aces per set (0.87) and ranks 4th in the conference in kills per set (3.47).
As a team, the Ramblers rank first in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.371) and are top-5 in aces per set (1.68), kills per set (13.68), and assists per set (12.63).
ALL-TIME SERIES
Lewis holds a slim 26-23 advantage in the all-time series. IPFW rattled off six wins in a row against the Flyers from Feb. 13, 2009 to Apr. 28, 2000 for the longest streak in the series, but Lewis has won eight of the last 11 contests. The Mastodons are 14-9 though when hosting Lewis.
Loyola is 23-19 against IPFW all-time, and has controlled the series as of late. The Ramblers have won 12 of the last 15 matches. However, Loyola is only slightly above .500 when hosting the Mastodons at 13-10.
HOME SWEET HOME
After playing seven of their first nine matches on the road, the Mastodons will play six of their next seven in front of their home crowd in the Gates Sports Center.
SAUNDERS NAMED MIVA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Saunders led the Mastodons to a pair of conference victories last week – which extended IPFW's winning streak to four – by combining for 25 kills, averaging 4.17 per set, with a .605 hitting percentage. The junior middle finished with a career-high 13 kills in the straight set win at Lindenwood and followed it up with a 12 kill performance in the sweep of Quincy.
RIVERA RANKED IN TOP-10 IN ASSISTS
Junior setter Omar Rivera not only leads the MIVA with 11.35 assists per set, but currently ranks fourth nationally.
ROAD WARRIORS
Following a pair of road wins over the weekend, IPFW is 6-1 in matches played away from the Gates Sports Center this season.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The IPFW men's volleyball team is set to face off against a pair of ranked opponents as Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) action continues this week. The Mastodons will welcome No. 10 Lewis to town Thursday evening before traveling to Chicago, Ill. on Saturday to take on No. 1-ranked Loyola.
Opponent: Lewis Flyers (9-3, 1-1)
When: Thursday, February 20, 2014 | 7 p.m.
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center (1,800)
All-Time Series: Lewis leads 26-23
Last Meeting: IPFW 3, Lewis 0 | Apr. 13, 2013 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Coverage: IPFW Sidearm Live Stats | Mastodon All-Access Live Video | IPFW Internet Radio
Opponent: Loyola Ramblers (11-1, 4-0)
When: Saturday, February 22, 2014 | 8 p.m. EST
Where: Chicago, Ill. | Gentile Arena (5,200)
All-Time Series: Loyola leads 23-19
Last Meeting: Loyola 3, IPFW 0 | Apr. 10, 2013 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Coverage: Loyola GameTracker Live Stats
QUICK HITTERS
- At 7-2, IPFW is off to its best start since 2007
- Junior middle blocker Bryan Saunders was named the MIVA Offensive Player of the Week
- The Mastodons lead the MIVA in kills per set (13.71), assists per set (12.76), and digs per set (10.00)
- Loyola claimed sole possession of the No. 1 ranking in the AVCA Top 15 Poll for the second consecutive week while Lewis has held down the No. 10 spot for the past four weeks
- Loyola's Joe Smalzer, the MIVA Preseason Player of the Year, leads the conference in aces per set (0.87) and teammate Nicholas Olson is the league's top blocker at 1.49 blocks per set
SCOUTING THE FLYERS
After starting the season 1-2, Lewis has won eight of their last nine matches.
The Flyers lead the MIVA in blocks per set (2.92) and have two players ranked in the top-5 in the conference. Bobby Walsh paces the team with 1.46 and Jacob Schmiegelt follows with 1.09. Geoff Powell and Greg Petty have recorded more than 100 kills apiece to lead the Lewis attack while setter BJ Boldog has handed out 347 assists.
SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS
Loyola will enter Saturday's match ranked as the No.1 team in the country with an 11-1 record. The Ramblers have won nine straight, with two of those victories coming over ranked squads.
Loyola returns six starters from last season, including the MIVA Preseason Player of the Year Joe Smalzer. Smalzer not only leads the MIVA, but the entire country in aces per set (0.87) and ranks 4th in the conference in kills per set (3.47).
As a team, the Ramblers rank first in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.371) and are top-5 in aces per set (1.68), kills per set (13.68), and assists per set (12.63).
ALL-TIME SERIES
Lewis holds a slim 26-23 advantage in the all-time series. IPFW rattled off six wins in a row against the Flyers from Feb. 13, 2009 to Apr. 28, 2000 for the longest streak in the series, but Lewis has won eight of the last 11 contests. The Mastodons are 14-9 though when hosting Lewis.
Loyola is 23-19 against IPFW all-time, and has controlled the series as of late. The Ramblers have won 12 of the last 15 matches. However, Loyola is only slightly above .500 when hosting the Mastodons at 13-10.
HOME SWEET HOME
After playing seven of their first nine matches on the road, the Mastodons will play six of their next seven in front of their home crowd in the Gates Sports Center.
SAUNDERS NAMED MIVA PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Saunders led the Mastodons to a pair of conference victories last week – which extended IPFW's winning streak to four – by combining for 25 kills, averaging 4.17 per set, with a .605 hitting percentage. The junior middle finished with a career-high 13 kills in the straight set win at Lindenwood and followed it up with a 12 kill performance in the sweep of Quincy.
RIVERA RANKED IN TOP-10 IN ASSISTS
Junior setter Omar Rivera not only leads the MIVA with 11.35 assists per set, but currently ranks fourth nationally.
ROAD WARRIORS
Following a pair of road wins over the weekend, IPFW is 6-1 in matches played away from the Gates Sports Center this season.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
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