PREVIEW: Volleyball to face Franklin Pierce, Bentley

9/20/2022 12:25:00 PM

MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Saint Anselm College women's volleyball team will take on two opponents in the span of four days this week, starting with Tuesday's road match at Franklin Pierce.

The Hawks (10-5) will then host Bentley on Friday, Sept. 23 on Alumni Night before a lengthy layoff of eight days. Prior to the match against Bentley, volleyball alumni will have the opportunity to participate in a "First Serve" and following the battle with Bentley, all are welcome to the court for photo opportunities with family and friends.

Former jerseys and apparel will be for sale will all proceeds going directly to the volleyball program. Also, all are welcomed to head to Coffee Shop/Pub for a meet and greet after the match.

Franklin Pierce enters play with a 4-5 overall record but is coming off a four-set win over Bridgeport on Saturday, Sept. 17. Bentley has won nine of its first 13 matches and will take on Southern New Hampshire on Tuesday before the Friday showdown with the Hawks.

SCOUTING SAINT ANSELM

Saint Anselm carries a 10-5 overall record into play. The Hawks have also won all seven matches played at home in Stoutenburgh Gymnasium – Saint Anselm is 19-1 in the last two seasons when playing at home, 26-3 in the last three seasons at home, and 36-5 on the Hilltop since the start of the 2018 season.
Junior Kaitlin Brown (Glendale, Ariz.) was honored as the NE10 Player of the Week on Monday, averaging a team-best 3.12 kills/set while hitting .258 on the week against both Assumption and NCAA Division I Stonehill. Producing 2.38 digs per set as well, she posted 12 digs against Assumption before posting 17 kills (matching a career-high) and a .406 attacking percentage against the Skyhawks.
Senior Michelle Henwood (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) was selected as the league's Setter of the Week on Monday. Henwood produced 40 assists and five kills against Assumption on Wednesday and later added 43 helpers against the Skyhawks.
Henwood, a three-time NE10 Setter of the Week honoree, also contributed with 10 kills, five service aces and hit .389 across the two matches. Defensively, she had a double-double versus the Greyhounds with 14 digs and ended the two-game stretch with 20 digs.

SCOUTING FRANKLIN PIERCE

The Ravens have had a streaky start to their season and at one point won two of their first three games. Since then, Franklin Pierce has compiled a 2-4 record in its last six contests – in its most recent tournament, the Ravens have dropped two out of three at the Daemen Volleyball Invitational.
Junior Morgan Schmutzler was named the NE10 Libero of the Week for her performances last week. She posted an outstanding 31 digs in her team's four-set win against Bridgeport. The match before, on Sept. 10 against Dominican (N.Y.), she had a season-high 32 digs.
Tessa Brandt ranks 14th overall in the NE10 with 2.72 kills per set, pacing the Ravens, while also contributing with a solid 3.07 digs per set. She recorded 20 digs and as many kills at Dominican (N.Y.) on Sept. 10 and, most recently, had 21 digs against Bridgeport on Sept. 17.
Freshman Annaka Lindstrom is dishing out 8.39 assists per set for the Ravens.

SCOUTING BENTLEY

The Falcons rank second in the NE10 in service aces per set (2.49) and defensively, Bentley is limiting opponents to just a .137 attacking percentage so far this season.
Ellie Wheeler is ranked fifth in the NE10 with 3.05 kills per set, producing 9.30 attacks per set as a top offensive player for the Falcons.
Amanda Parker recorded a triple-double earlier in the season, one of just 16 student-athletes in NCAA Division II to do so this season. She accomplished the feat against American Int'l, one of the region's top teams, on Aug. 27 – she recorded 24 assists, 15 kills and 14 digs.

ALL-TIME vs. FRANKLIN PIERCE, BENTLEY

The Ravens are 20-16 in the all-time series against Saint Anselm while Bentley has won 34 of the 37 all-time meetings in team history.
Saint Anselm has won five of the last six matches against Franklin Pierce since Oct. 8, 2016.
The Hawks won all three matches against the Falcons in order during the 2017 season.

Print Friendly Version