10/31/17: Augsburg bounces #13 Gustavus from MIAC Playoffs

WIAC First Round
#16 UW-Whitewater 3, UW-Stout 0 UWW’s Butterfield had 11 kills.
UW-Oshkosh 3, UW-Stevens Point 0 UWO’s Elstner had 10 kills, 13 digs.

MIAC Quarterfinals
Augsburg 3, #13 Gustavus Adolphus 1 AC’s Linn had 15 kills, 24 digs.
St. Olaf 3, Bethel 1 SOC’s Grimes had 17 kills.

IIAC First Round
Dubuque 3, Coe 0 UD’s Davis had 13 kills, 18 digs.
Buena Vista 3, Nebraska Wesleyan 0 BVU’s Gropel had 41 assists.

NACC First Round
Edgewood 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 0 EC’s Koester had 10 kills.
Dominican 3, Lakeland 0 DU’s Jones had 17 kills, 17 digs.

CCIW Regular Season
#8 Millikin 3, Carroll 2 MU’s E. Syversen had 15 kills, 14 digs.
#11 Illinois Wesleyan 3, Elmhurst 2 IWU’s Brown had 15 kills, 23 digs.
#24 Carthage 3, Wheaton 0 CC’s Kebisek hit 12-1-21.
North Park 3, North Central 0 NPU’s Wiltsie had 16 kills, 12 digs.

SLIAC Regular Season
Eureka 3, MacMurray 0 EC’s Crank had 9 kills, 13 digs.

Nonconference
#19 Washington-St. Louis 3, Greenville 0 WUSTL outhit GC, .168 to -.028.
Saint Mary’s (Ind.) 3, Illinois Tech 0 SMC’s Buck hit 11-2-17.

Top 25 upset watch
#10 Johnson & Wales (R.I.) 3, Mount Ida 0
#18 Ohio Northern 3, Marietta 0

-Ricky Nelson

2017 AVCA Week 9 poll: Colorado College new No. 1

Colorado College is the new No. 1 team in AVCA Week 9 poll. The Tigers received 59 of 65 first-place votes to supplant previously top-ranked Wittenberg, which lost its first two matches of the season last week.

Colorado College becomes the first SCAC member to be ranked No. 1 and just the 16th program to be ranked atop the AVCA poll since it debuted in 1992.

Rounding out this week’s top five teams are No. 2 Southwestern, No. 3 Calvin, No. 4 Wittenberg and No. 5 Trinity (Texas). Calvin picked up three first-place votes while Southwestern and No. 10 Johnson & Wales (R.I.) received two apiece, and Wittenberg maintained one top vote.

Central and Midwest region teams in the Week 9 top 25: No. 8 Millikin; No. 11 Illinois Wesleyan; No. 12 Northwestern; No. 13 Gustavus Adolphus; No. 16 Wisconsin-Whitewater; No. 17 St. Thomas; No. 19 Washington-St. Louis; No. 20 Chicago; No. 24 Carthage; No. 25 Aurora.

Central and Midwest region teams receiving votes this week: Concordia Wisconsin; Wisconsin-La Crosse; Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Cornell; Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

My Week 9 top 10 had Illinois Wesleyan and Stevenson instead of Emory and Johnson & Wales.

-Ricky Nelson

Aurora’s Vondra tabbed AVCA Player of the Week

Aurora junior outside Katie Vondra was named AVCA Division III Player of the Week for matches played Oct. 23-29.

Vondra averaged 4.53 kills and 3.53 digs per set as the Spartans went 5-0, including sweeps over No. 15 Chicago and Dubuque.

-Ricky Nelson

10/30/17: [UPDATED] Martin Luther advances to UMAC semis

UMAC First Round
Martin Luther 3, St. Scholastica 2 MLC’s St. Germaine had 26 kills, 14 digs.

UPDATE: This seems as good of a place as any to spread the word about the UMAC supporting one of its players — Minnesota Morris All-American Marissa Ekness — who was diagnosed with melanoma in February.

I’ve relayed the story in several gyms this season but thought I’d also share it on here. Well done, UMAC. Stay strong, Marissa.

-Ricky Nelson

10/29/17: Rhodes sweeps Griffins

Rhodes Invite
Fontbonne, Rhodes, Louisiana College, Mississippi Women
Rhodes 3, Fontbonne 0.

-Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson’s 2017 Week 9 top 10

The AVCA poll comes out Tuesday.

My rank, (My Week 8 rank, AVCA Week 8 rank), record, key results last week
1 (2,2). Colorado College 29-1 W: Cornell.
2 (3,4). Calvin 24-3 [None].
3 (1,1). Wittenberg 20-2 L: Carthage; Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
4 (6,3). Southwestern 27-4 [None].
5 (NR,10). Millikin 26-6 W: Washington-St. Louis.
6 (4,6). Carnegie Mellon 27-3 W: Stevens. L: Juniata; Ithaca.
7 (8,13). Illinois Wesleyan 21-6 [None].
8 (5,19). Stevenson 30-1 W: Cabrini.
9 (9,5). Trinity (Texas) 26-6 W: Texas Dallas; Mary Hardin-Baylor.
10 (NR,7). Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 23-5 W: Whittier.
Dropped out: No. 7 Johns Hopkins (22-3); No. 10 Johnson & Wales (R.I.) (29-0).

Some minor adjustments to my top 10 were probably overdue.

The Conference Tourneys page is filling in nicely. View that page to track each Pool A bid throughout the next week.

We finally have a Last Team Standing.

The Standout Stats page has also been updated. See that page for players in the Central/Midwest regions who have compiled at least 10 blocks, 25 kills, 35 digs or 55 assists in a match this season. Current Central/Midwest region leaders have produced 16 blocks, 30 kills, 50 digs and 67 assists this year.

-Ricky Nelson

10/28/17: Carthage, Eau Claire down #1 Wittenberg

Benedictine Classic
#1 Wittenberg, UW-Eau Claire, Carthage, Elmhurst, Greenville, Benedictine, MSOE
Elmhurst 3, Benedictine 0; Benedictine 3, MSOE 0; UW-Eau Claire 3, #1 Wittenberg 2; Carthage 3, #1 Wittenberg 1; Carthage 3, MSOE 0; UW-Eau Claire 3, Greenville 1; Greenville 3, Elmhurst 2.

Colorado College Classic
#2 Colorado College, Cornell, Howard Payne, Johnson & Wales (Colo.)
#2 Colorado College 3, Johnson & Wales (Colo.) 0; #2 Colorado College 3, Howard Payne 0; Cornell 3, Johnson & Wales (Colo.) 0; Cornell 3, Howard Payne 0.

Emory Invite
#8 Emory, #24 Berry, Webster, Randolph-Macon, Birmingham-Southern, Washington & Lee
#8 Emory 3, #24 Berry 0; #8 Emory 3, Webster 0; Washington & Lee 3, Webster 0.

Washington-St. Louis Invite
#10 Millikin, #12 Washington-St. Louis, Nebraska Wesleyan, DePauw, Hendrix, Transylvania
#10 Millikin 3, Hendrix 0; #10 Millikin 3, #12 Washington-St. Louis 1; DePauw 3, Nebraska Wesleyan 0; Hendrix 3, #12 Washington-St. Louis 1.

Illinois Wesleyan Classic
#13 Illinois Wesleyan, Coe, Westminster (Mo.), Central, Wisconsin Lutheran, Lincoln Christian
#13 Illinois Wesleyan 3, Lincoln Christian 0; #13 Illinois Wesleyan 3, Central 0; Coe 3, Westminster (Mo.) 0; Coe 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 0; Westminster (Mo.) 3, Central 2; Wisconsin Lutheran 3, Lincoln Christian 1.

Aurora Classic
#15 Chicago, Aurora, Dubuque, North Park, Concordia Chicago
Aurora 3, Dubuque 0; Aurora 3, North Park 0; #15 Chicago 3, Concordia Chicago 0; #15 Chicago 3, North Park 1; Dubuque 3, Concordia Chicago 1.

Rhodes Invite
Fontbonne, Rhodes, Louisiana College, Mississippi Women
Louisiana College 3, Fontbonne 0; Fontbonne 3, Mississippi Women 0.

Augustana Bash
Wartburg, Augustana, Illinois College
Wartburg 3, Augustana 0; Wartburg 3, Illinois College 0.

Lawrence Quad
St. Norbert, Edgewood, Lakeland, Lawrence
Edgewood 3, Lawrence 1; Lakeland 3, Lawrence 0; Lakeland 3, St. Norbert 1; Edgewood 3, St. Norbert 2.

Bluffton Tri
Illinois Tech, Bluffton, Earlham
Illinois Tech 3, Earlham 1; Bluffton 3, Illinois Tech 0.

WIAC
UW-La Crosse 3, UW-Stevens Point 1 UWL’s Johnson had 15 kills, 19 digs.
UW-Oshkosh 3, UW-Stout 2 UWO’s Jaeke had 15 kills, 17 assists, 11 digs, 6 blocks.

MIAC
#16 Gustavus Adolphus 3, Saint Mary’s 0 GAC’s N. Holtan had 8 kills, 33 assists, 13 digs.
#18 St. Thomas 3, St. Catherine 1 UST’s Lloyd had 12 kills.
Bethel 3, Augsburg 1 BU’s Hoppe had 16 kills, 15 digs.
Saint Benedict 3, Concordia 1 CSB’s Pekarek had 9 kills, 46 assists, 14 digs.
Hamline 3, Macalester 0 HU’s Bittle had 11 kills.

MWC
Grinnell 3, Monmouth 1 GC’s Jensen had 15 kills.

UMAC
#14 Northwestern 3, Martin Luther 0 UNW’s Peterson hit 18-1-29.
#14 Northwestern 3, Bethany Lutheran 0 UNW’s Peterson hit 18-1-33.
Minnesota Morris 3, Northland 0 UMM outhit NC, .423 to -.200.
St. Scholastica 3, Crown 0 CSS outhit CC, .442 to .080.

SLIAC
Principia 3, Spalding 1 PC’s Hathaway had 18 kills, 18 digs.

Nonconference
Concordia Wisconsin 3, #9 UW-Whitewater 2 CUW’s Erdman had 26 kills, 20 digs.
Bethel 3, UW-River Falls 1 BU’s Claflin had 14 kills.
UW-River Falls 3, Augsburg 1 UWRF’s Meyer had 14 kills.
Hamline 3, UW-Superior 1 HU’s Rubbelke had 8 kills, 52 assists, 9 digs.
Centre 3, Principia 1 CC’s Morton had 13 kills.
Centre 3, Spalding 0 CC outhit SU, .213 to -.095.

Top 25 upset watch
#3 Southwestern 3, St. Mary’s (Texas) 2
#4 Calvin 3, Trine 0
#5 Trinity (Texas) 3, Concordia Texas 1
#5 Trinity (Texas) 3, Mary Hardin-Baylor 1
Ithaca 3, #6 Carnegie Mellon 1
#6 Carnegie Mellon 3, Stevens 0
#7 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, Cal Lutheran 0
#11 Johnson & Wales 3, Saint Joseph’s (Maine) 0 [JWU is 2017’s Last Team Standing]
#11 Johnson & Wales 3, Mount Ida 0
#17 Johns Hopkins 3, Franklin & Marshall 0
#19 Stevenson 3, Cabrini 2
Scranton 3, #21 Juniata 2
#21 Juniata 3, Susquehanna 0
#22 MIT 3, WPI 0
#23 Christopher Newport 3, Penn St. Harrisburg 1
#23 Christopher Newport 3, Messiah 0
#25 Pacific Lutheran 3, Willamette 0

-Ricky Nelson

10/27/17: #9 UWW, #12 WUSTL, #15 Chicago all fall

Colorado College Classic
#2 Colorado College, Cornell, Howard Payne, Johnson & Wales (Colo.)
#2 Colorado College 3, Cornell 0.

Emory Invite
#8 Emory, #24 Berry, Webster, Randolph-Macon, Birmingham-Southern, Washington & Lee
Birmingham-Southern 3, Webster 0; Randolph-Macon 3, #24 Berry 0; #24 Berry 3, Webster 0; #8 Emory 3, Washington & Lee 0; #8 Emory 3, Randolph-Macon 2.

Washington-St. Louis Invite
#10 Millikin, #12 Washington-St. Louis, Nebraska Wesleyan, DePauw, Transylvania
#10 Millikin 3, Nebraska Wesleyan 0; #12 Washington-St. Louis 3, Transylvania 0; Transylvania 3, Nebraska Wesleyan 0; DePauw 3, #12 Washington-St. Louis 2.

Illinois Wesleyan Classic
#13 Illinois Wesleyan, Coe, Westminster (Mo.), Central, Wisconsin Lutheran, Lincoln Christian
Wisconsin Lutheran 3, Central 2; #13 Illinois Wesleyan 3, Coe 0; Westminster (Mo.) 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 0; Lincoln Christian 3, Central 0; Westminster (Mo.) 3, Lincoln Christian 0.

Aurora Classic
#15 Chicago, Aurora, Dubuque, North Park, Concordia Chicago
Aurora 3, Concordia Chicago 0; #15 Chicago 3, Dubuque 1; Aurora 3, #15 Chicago 0; North Park 3, Concordia Chicago 2; North Park 3, Dubuque 1.

Benedictine Classic
Carthage, Dominican, North Central, Greenville, Benedictine, MSOE, Finlandia
Carthage 3, Benedictine 0; MSOE 3, Greenville 1; Greenville 3, Dominican 0; MSOE 3, Finlandia 0; Carthage 3, Dominican 0; Benedictine 3, Finlandia 1.

Augustana Bash
Augustana, Simpson, Illinois College
Augustana 3, Simpson 2; Illinois College 3, Simpson 1; Augustana 3, Illinois College 0.

WIAC
UW-Eau Claire 3, #9 UW-Whitewater 2 UWEC’s Coyne had 16 kills.
UW-Platteville 3, UW-River Falls 1 UWP’s Jensen had 17 kills.

MIAC
Carleton 3, St. Olaf 2 CC’s Stevens had 13 kills.

MWC
St. Norbert 3, Beloit 0 SNC’s Ferry had 13 kills.
Lake Forest 3, Ripon 1 LFC’s Mottlowitz had 11 kills, 9 blocks.
Knox 3, Monmouth 0 KC’s Griffin had 12 kills, 13 digs.

UMAC
UW-Superior 3, North Central 1 UWS’s Colligan had 22 kills, 14 digs.

SLIAC
Blackburn 3, Eureka 2 BC’s Knop had 12 kills, 30 digs.

Nonconference
#1 Wittenberg 3, Elmhurst 1 WU’s Horner had 14 kills.
#14 Northwestern 3, Bethel 2 UNW’s Peterson had 20 kills, 21 digs.
Loras 3, Iowa Wesleyan 0 LC outhit IWU, .210 to -.102.

Top 25 upset watch
#4 Calvin 3, Albion 0
#5 Trinity (Texas) 3, Texas Dallas 1
#6 Carnegie Mellon 3, Eastern 0
#7 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, Whittier 0
#20 Ohio Northern 3, Marietta 0
#23 Christopher Newport 3, York (Pa.) 0
Pacific 3, #25 Pacific Lutheran 0

-Ricky Nelson

10/26/17: Greenville wins 10th straight match

IIAC
Wartburg 3, Simpson 1 WC’s Jones had 14 kills.

SLIAC
Greenville 3, MacMurray 0 GC’s Finch hit 12-1-19.

Nonconference
Marian 3, Carroll 2 MU’s Schrauth had 21 kills.
Maranatha Baptist 3, Rockford 0 MBU’s Bueltel had 16 kills, 10 digs, 6 blocks.

Top 25 upset watch
#11 Johnson & Wales 3, Western New England 0
#19 Stevenson 3, Franklin & Marshall 0

-Ricky Nelson

10/25/17: La Crosse, St. Thomas secure conference No. 1 seeds

WIAC
UW-La Crosse 3, #9 UW-Whitewater 0 UWL’s Henk had 10 kills, 11 digs.
UW-Stevens Point 3, UW-River Falls 0 UWSP’s Magliano had 13 kills.
UW-Eau Claire 3, UW-Stout 0 UWEC’s Pashibin had 16 kills.
UW-Oshkosh 3, UW-Platteville 0 UWO’s Rush hit 8-0-16.

MIAC
#16 Gustavus Adolphus 3, Augsburg 2 GAC’s Albers had 16 kills, 17 digs.
#18 St. Thomas 3, Hamline 0 UST’s Spacek had 9 kills.
St. Olaf 3, Saint Mary’s 0 SOC’s Rewers had 11 kills, 6 blocks.
Bethel 3, Carleton 1 BU’s Hoppe had 15 kills, 11 digs, 7 aces.
Saint Benedict 3, Macalester 0 CSB’s Schultz had 7 kills.
Concordia 3, St. Catherine 0 CCM’s Cuppett had 14 kills.

UMAC
Martin Luther 3, Bethany Lutheran 2 MLC’s St. Germaine had 20 kills.
St. Scholastica 3, North Central 0 CSS’s Houser had 10 kills.
UW-Superior 3, Northland 2 UWS’s Colligan had 14 kills, 17 digs.

SLIAC
Westminster 3, Iowa Wesleyan 0 WC’s Kistaitis had 17 kills, 15 digs.
Spalding 3, Eureka 0 SU’s Spivey hit 13-2-17.

Nonconference
Illinois College 3, MacMurray 0 IC’s Pankey had 13 kills.
Fontbonne 3, St. Louis Pharmacy 0 FU’s Eason had 14 kills.
Mount Mary 3, Silver Lake 0 MMU had 14 aces.

Top 25 upset watch
#1 Wittenberg 3, Kenyon 1
#3 Southwestern 3, Our Lady of the Lake 0
#17 Johns Hopkins 3, Gettysburg 1

-Ricky Nelson