Volleyball Hosts No. 14 Nebraska, Iowa
Oct 30 | Women's Volleyball
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Oct. 30, 2014) - The Rutgers women's volleyball team enters Alumni Weekend following two of its best performances in Big Ten play. The Scarlet Knights host No. 14 Nebraska on Friday, Oct. 31 and Iowa on Saturday, Nov. 1. Both matches are set for a 7 p.m. starts.
Friday's match against the Cornhuskers will be streamed live on BTN Plus with Danny Breslauer on the call. For more information on how to subscribe, click here.
PROMOTIONS
Fans donning a costume to the Monster Match on Halloween will have the chance to win a Rutgers Prize Pack. Don't forget it is also Flip Friday. The first 20 students in attendance will receive a free banana flip.
Alumni can contact Coach Werneke at cjwerneke@scarletknights.com to RSVP for the postgame alumni social.
GAME NOTES #14 Nebraska - Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
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Iowa - Nov. 1, 7 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
Last week, Rutgers (7-16, 0-10 Big Ten) went head-to-head with fellow Big Ten newcomer Maryland. The Scarlet Knights first traveled to College Park, Md. for a Tuesday match up against the Terps. Maryland came out on the winning end of a grueling five-set showdown to capture its first victory in Big Ten play. The teams met again that weekend at the College Ave. Gym, where Rutgers fell just short in another five-set thriller.
Sophomore middle Lauren Cloyd (Champaign, Ill.) put up a career performance against the Terps. She tied her career-high of 13 kills in the first game against Maryland, only to reset the count with a career-best 17 kills in the rematch. Cloyd also posted a season-high .435 hitting percentage in Tuesday's match against the Terps. Defensively, junior middle Mikaela Matthews (San Diego, Calif.) recorded a career-high 10 blocks to lead the squad at Maryland.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
No. 14 Nebraska (12-7, 6-4 Big Ten) continues its four-game road stand after splitting its weekend with a win over then-No. 25 Minnesota and a loss to then-No. 5 Wisconsin. NU came out victorious in a five-set match in Minneapolis, Minn before Badgers swept the Hawkeyes in three-straight sets four-days later.
Pacing the Husker offense is sophomore outside Kadie Rolfzen with 232 kills on the year. Senior setter Mary Pollmiller ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 10.22 assists per set. Junior middle Meghan Haggerty ranks fourth in the conference, averaging 1.25 blocks per stanza. Head coach John Cook is in his 15th season with the Huskers.
SERIES VS. NEBRASKA
The Scarlet Knights and Cornhuskers crossed paths once before in 1978. Rutgers grabbed a 2-0 victory in that match.
SCOUTING IOWA
Iowa (9-12, 1-9 Big Ten) is coming off back-to-back losses at then-No. 5 Wisconsin (3-0) and then-No. 25 Minnesota (3-0). The Hawkeyes found their lone conference win over Northwestern, in which they defeated the Wildcats in five-sets (10/18). Iowa currently holds an 0-8 record on the road.
Sophomore middle Lauren Brobst paces the team with 181 kills on the season. Freshman setter Kaylee Smith has put up a team-high 404 assists. Defensively, freshman libero Michelle Fugarino leads the team with 287 digs on the year. Head coach Bond Shymansky is in his first season at the helm of the program. Shymansky is in pursuit of tallying his 300th career win this weekend, as he holds a career record of 299-121.
The team will make a quick stop in College Park, Md. to face Maryland on Friday night, before arriving "On the Banks."
SERIES VS. IOWA
Saturday will be the second meeting between the programs. Rutgers and Iowa met for the first time in 1997 at an Iowa State tournament, which resulted in a three-set victory for the Hawkeyes.
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