First Serve of UMAC Volleyball Tournament Scheduled for Wednesday
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ST. PAUL – The 2014 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Volleyball Tournament is set to get underway on Wednesday with the two semifinal matches of the four-team single elimination tournament scheduled for 7 p.m.
The University of Northwestern enters the 2014 postseason tournament as the No. 1 seed after compiling a perfect 14-0 conference record and winning the 2014 UMAC regular season title. The Eagles, who will look to capture their third straight UMAC postseason title, will host fourth-seeded Martin Luther College on Wednesday. The Knights finished the regular season with a UMAC record of 8-6. Wednesday’s match will feature two freshmen outside hitters in Northwestern’s Lindsey Peterson and Martin Luther’s Kira Grev. Both lead their teams in kills on the season with Peterson averaging 3.08 kills per set and Grev 3.04 kills per set. The Knights also boast senior setter Miranda Maasz who averages 8.23 assists per set while Northwestern’s defensive standout Lizzy Potratz leads the league in digs on the season averaging 4.85 per set. In the previous two matches between the Eagles and the Knights this season the Eagles were victorious by scores of 3-0 and 3-1.
At the same time, second-seeded University of Minnesota Morris will host the College of St. Scholastica, who enters the tournament in the No. 3 spot. The Cougars finished UMAC play with a 12-2 record while the Saints posted a 10-4 conference record. Wednesday’s match will be the third meeting between the two teams this season and the second in just six days. The Cougars have swept the Saints 3-0 in two competitive regular season matches. The top offensive weapons in the statistics this season will square off in Wednesday’s semifinal match. Minnesota Morris’ outside hitter Emily Auch averages 3.10 kills per set, second in the UMAC while St. Scholsatica outside hitter Kourtney Morrin leads the UMAC in kills per set this season with 3.28.
The semifinal winners will advance to the UMAC Tournament Championship at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the site of the highest remaining seed. The league’s automatic berth the NCAA Tournament will be awarded to the 2014 UMAC Volleyball Tournament Champion.