Fulton, Mo. – The nations #18 ranked team the Westminster College Blue Jays volleyball team will once again put their undefeated record on the line this Tuesday night on the road at the Blackburn College Beavers.  The match will have a first serve time of 7:00 p.m. in Dawes Gymnasium.

The Details:

When:             March 2^nd, 2021

Where:            Carlinville, Ill.   Blackburn College

Venue:            Dawes Gymnasium

Time:              7:00 p.m.

Affiliations:    Westminster and Blackburn are NCAA Division III institutions and members of the 
                        St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC)               

Live Video:     HERE

Blackburn College COVID-19 Attendance Policy:  No Fans Will Be Allowed

 
Taking a look at the #18 Westminster College Blue Jays (5-0, 5-0 SLIAC):

• On Thursday the Blue Jays received word that they debuted at #18 in the first AVCA NCAA Division III Coaches Poll of the season.  It is the first time ever that the Blue Jays, or any SLIAC volleyball program, has been nationally ranked.
• Last time out the Blue Jays won a 3 set victory Eureka College this past Saturday (25-20, 25-20, 27-25).
• The Blue Jays and the Beavers met earlier this season at Historic Gym with the Blue Jays claiming a 3-1 victory (23-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-18).
• The Westminster attack is anchored by Haley Menke who is first in the SLIAC with 79 total kills while also ranking third in the SLIAC in kills per set at 3.43. Eryka Wanyonyi checks in at fifth place in the SLIAC in total kills with 65 and fourth in kills per set.  Natalie Needy, the reigning and two time SLIAC Offensive Player of the Week, has 61 kills, good for sixth in the SLIAC, while also leading the SLIAC in hitting percentage at .388.
• Gretchen Durbala checks in with a conference leading 225 assists. Her 9.78 assists per set also leads all SLIAC setters.
• The Blue Jay defense is powered by two-time, SLIAC Defensive Player of the Week Erica Schrader with 92 digs which ranks sixth in the SLIAC.  Her 4.00 digs per set is seventh in the SLIAC.  Wanyonyi follows her with 57 digs. Allie Kennebeck check in with 52 digs.
• The Blue Jays are led at the net by Needy who's 18 total blocks leads the SLIAC and she also second in the conference with .78 blocks per set.  She is followed by Payton Bledsoe who is in ninth in the conference with 9 total blocks.  Kennebeck leads the team with six service aces good for seventh in the SLIAC.
• Kennebeck ranks sixth in the SLIAC in service aces with ten.
• The Blue Jays rank second in the SLIAC in kills (286), kills per set (11.83) and hitting percentage (.200).  Westminster also leads the conference in total blocks (33) and is second in blocks per set (1.35).

 Taking a look at the Blackburn College Beavers (3-3, 3-3 SLIAC):

• Blackburn College comes into the match after losing a tough 5 set match at home to Spalding (25-20, 25-15, 11-25, 21-25, 8-15) past Sunday.
• The Beaver attack is led by Lucy Magnussen with 52 kills, followed by Kaitlyn Wiegand with 39, Elizabeth Bowyer with 34 and Kasey Bean with 30.
• The Blackburn defense is led by SLIAC Defensive Player of the Week Amanda Swedberg with 104 digs on the year good for second place in the SLIAC.
• Blackburn ranks sixth in hitting percentage at .111, fourth in digs at 373 and second in total blocks with 29.

SLIAC VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS