9/30/2021: Greenville remains lone SLIAC unbeaten

SLIAC
Greenville 3, Webster 1 GU’s Finch: 17 kills.
Westminster 3, Blackburn 0 WC’s Wanyonyi: 12 kills, 5 aces.
Fontbonne 3, Eureka 0 FU’s Fitzgerald: 14 kills, 13 digs.

Nonconference
Finlandia 3, Mount Mary 1 FU’s Wilson: 17 kills, 13 digs.

-Ricky Nelson

9/29/2021: Auggies sweep #19 Pointers

MIAC
#21 Bethel 3, Saint Benedict 0 BU’s Cotter: 17 kills.

CCIW
Elmhurst 3, Augustana 0 UC’s Zurliene: 10 kills, 22 digs.
Illinois Wesleyan 3, North Park 2 IWU’s Corey: 5 kills, 26 assists, 12 digs.
North Central 3, Carroll 0 NCC: 13 blocks.

ARC
#8 Wartburg 3, Luther 0 WC’s Bildstein hit 12-0-18.
Coe 3, Dubuque 2 CC’s Tidman: 22 kills.
Simpson 3, Central 1 SC’s Jacobs: 19 kills.
Buena Vista 3, Nebraska Wesleyan 2 BVU’s McLaren: 23 kills, 16 digs.

UMAC
#15 Northwestern 3, Crown 0 UNW’s Glanzer: 16 kills, 10 digs.

Nonconference
#15 Northwestern 3, St. Olaf 0 UNW’s Glanzer: 14 kills.
Augsburg 3, #19 UW-Stevens Point 0 AU’s Lang: 5 kills, 37 assists, 11 digs.
Aurora 3, Carthage 1 AU’s Avery: 18 kills.
Loras 3, Cornell 1 LC’s Fleckenstein: 20 kills.
Dominican 3, Illinois College 2 DU’s Green: 18 kills.
Wheaton (Ill.) 3, Lake Forest 2 WC’s Gerze: 17 kills, 12 digs.
Carleton 3, Martin Luther 2 CC’s Sokolow: 18 kills, 11 digs.
Centre 3, Franklin 1 CC’s Davis: 15 kills.

Top 25 upset watch
#1 Johns Hopkins 3, Dickinson 0
#4 Calvin 3, Alma 0
#6 Hope 3, Albion 2
#13 Ohio Northern 3, Muskingum 0

-Ricky Nelson

9/28/2021: Mount St. Joseph avenges loss to Thomas More

SLIAC
Webster 3, Eureka 0 WU’s Nelson: 11 kills, 15 assists, 12 digs.
Westminster 3, Principia 0 WC’s Wanyonyi hit 13-1-21.
Fontbonne 3, Blackburn 1 FU’s Kaempfe: 16 kills, 17 digs.

Nonconference
#10 UW-Whitewater 3, St. Norbert 0 UWW outhit SNC, .280 to -.017.
#11 UW-Eau Claire 3, St. Scholastica 0 UWEC’s Nelson hit 4-0-8, 37 assists.
Concordia Wisconsin 3, Carthage 0 CUW: 12 aces.
Transylvania 3, Spalding 0 TU’s Ethington hit 12-1-19.
Edgewood 3, UW-Platteville 2 EC’s Hoffmann: 15 kills, 18 assists.
Hamline 3, UW-Superior 2 HU’s Larson: 16 kills, 13 digs.
Maranatha Baptist 3, Beloit 2 MBU’s Bumpus: 17 kills, 10 blocks, 8 digs.
Mount St. Joseph 3, Thomas More 1 MSJU’s Abshire: 18 kills.

Top 25 upset watch
#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, Caltech 0
#7 Emory 3, Lee 1
#18 MIT 3, Springfield 2
#25 Babson 3, WPI 0

[An email said today is this blog’s 14th birthday. Right on! Thank you for fitting this thing into your routine.]

-Ricky Nelson

2021 AVCA Week 4 poll: Welcome, UWSP & UCSC

The AVCA poll is starting to round into form in Week 4 after several teams continued to play their way out of rankings contention.

The top three of No. 1 Johns Hopkins, No. 2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Trinity (Texas) remained unchanged, as expected, but two more new programs (Wisconsin-Stevens Point, UC Santa Cruz) entered the top 25 after just two newbies — fewer than perhaps deserved — made their debuts last week.

Regions VIII/IX teams in the Week 4 top 25: No. 8 Wartburg; No. 10 Wisconsin-Whitewater; No. 11 Wisconsin-Eau Claire; No. 15 Northwestern; No. 19 Wisconsin-Stevens Point; No. 20 Millikin; No. 21 Bethel; No. 22 Chicago; No. 23 Washington-St. Louis.

Regions VIII/IX teams receiving votes this week: Concordia Wisconsin; Gustavus Adolphus; Carthage; Transylvania; Wisconsin-La Crosse; Saint Benedict.

My Week 4 top 10 included No. 7 Wisconsin-Eau Claire and No. 10 NYU instead of the AVCA’s No. 7 Emory and No. 9 Mary Hardin-Baylor.

-Ricky Nelson

9/27/2021: Cru up their record to 13-0

Top 25 upset watch
#9 Mary Hardin-Baylor 3, Belhaven 0

-Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson’s 2021 Week 4 top 10

The AVCA poll comes out Tuesday.

My rank, (My Week 3 rank, AVCA Week 3 rank), record, key results last week
1 (1, 1). Johns Hopkins 10-0 [None].
2 (2, 2). Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 10-0 [None].
3 (3, 3). Trinity (Texas) 13-1 W: Colorado College.
4 (5, 16). Wartburg 17-0 W: Gustavus Adolphus; Augsburg; Dubuque.
5 (6, 5). Calvin 16-1 W: Mount St. Joseph.
6 (8, 7). Hope 12-1 [None].
7 (NR, 15). Wisconsin-Eau Claire 13-2 W: Wisconsin-Whitewater.
8 (7, 4). Colorado College 13-2 W: Southwestern. L: Trinity (Texas).
9 (4, 8). Wisconsin-Whitewater 11-1 W: Carthage. L: Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
10 (9, 19). NYU 12-0 [None].
Dropped out: No. 10 Southwestern (11-1).

-Ricky Nelson

9/26/2021: Berry improves to 4-1 in SAA

Top 25 upset watch
#13 Berry 3, Sewanee 0

-Ricky Nelson

9/25/2021: Oshkosh downs #16 UC, #14 MU finishes 0-3 at UWSP

Illinois Wesleyan Classic
#5 Calvin, #7 Hope, Aurora, Illinois Wesleyan, Mount St. Joseph
#5 Calvin 3, Mount St. Joseph 0; #7 Hope 3, Aurora 0; Aurora 3, Mount St. Joseph 0; #7 Hope 3, Illinois Wesleyan 1.

UW-Whitewater Invite
#8 UW-Whitewater, #24 Carthage, Concordia Wisconsin, Saint Mary’s (Minn.), Carroll
#8 UW-Whitewater 3, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 0; Concordia Wisconsin 3, #24 Carthage 1; #24 Carthage 3, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 0; Concordia Wisconsin 3, Carroll 0; #8 UW-Whitewater 3, Carroll 0.

Wartburg Invite
#10 Wartburg, Augsburg, Coe, Carleton, Augustana
#10 Wartburg 3, Augustana 0; Coe 3, Carleton 1; Augsburg 3, Augustana 1; #10 Wartburg 3, Carleton 0.

UW-Stevens Point Invite
#14 Millikin, #16 Chicago, #21 Bethel, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh, St. Olaf, Ripon
#21 Bethel 3, Ripon 0; UW-Oshkosh 3, St. Olaf 1; UW-Stevens Point 3, #14 Millikin 0; UW-Oshkosh 3, #16 Chicago 1; UW-Stevens Point 3, St. Olaf 1.

Transylvania Invite
Transylvania, Hanover, Muskingum, Marietta
Muskingum 3, Transylvania 2; Hanover 3, Marietta 0; Muskingum 3, Hanover 0; Transylvania 3, Marietta 0.

Rose-Hulman Invite
Rose-Hulman, Concordia Chicago, Illinois Tech, Blackburn
Rose-Hulman 3, Blackburn 1; Illinois Tech 3, Concordia Chicago 1; Illinois Tech 3, Rose-Hulman 1; Concordia Chicago 3, Blackburn 1.

MSOE Invite
Central, MSOE, Lawrence, Maranatha Baptist, Mount Mary
Maranatha Baptist 3, Mount Mary 0; MSOE 3, Maranatha Baptist 0; Central 3, Lawrence 1; Central 3, Mount Mary 0; MSOE 3, Lawrence 0.

Franklin Tourney
Fontbonne, Franklin, Anderson, Baldwin Wallace, Bethany, Trine
Anderson 3, Bethany 1; Baldwin Wallace 3, Fontbonne 0; Anderson 3, Fontbonne 1; Baldwin Wallace 3, Franklin 1; Bethany 3, Franklin 2.

Ohio Northern Tri
#12 Ohio Northern, Bluffton, Capital
#12 Ohio Northern 3, Capital 0; #12 Ohio Northern 3, Bluffton 0; Bluffton 3, Capital 1.

UW-Platteville Tri
St. Norbert, Luther, UW-Platteville
St. Norbert 3, UW-Platteville 0; St. Norbert 3, Luther 0; UW-Platteville 3, Luther 0.

Edgewood Tri
UW-La Crosse, Loras, Edgewood
UW-La Crosse 3, Edgewood 1; Loras 3, UW-La Crosse 2; Edgewood 3, Loras 1.

Adrian Tri
North Park, Albion, Adrian
North Park 3, Albion 0; North Park 3, Adrian 0.

Denison Tri
Earlham, Denison, John Carroll
Earlham 3, John Carroll 0; Earlham 3, Denison 1.

Manchester Tri
Manchester, Kalamazoo, Trine
Manchester 3, Kalamazoo 1; Manchester 3, Trine 2.

Olivet Tri
Finlandia, Olivet, Alma
Finlandia 3, Alma 1; Olivet 3, Finlandia 0.

MIAC
Hamline 3, Gustavus Adolphus 2 HU’s Rettman: 15 kills.

UMAC
#17 Northwestern 3, Minnesota Morris 0 UNW’s Glanzer: 13 kills, 11 digs, 5 aces.
#17 Northwestern 3, North Central 0 UNW outhit NCU, .369 to -.032.
Martin Luther 3, UW-Superior 0 MLC’s Birschbach: 11 kills.
Bethany Lutheran 3, Northland 0 BLC’s Morsching hit 20-1-40.

MWC
Cornell 3, Monmouth 0 CC’s Meeker: 24 digs.
Grinnell 3, Illinois College 0 GC’s Kuhn: 14 kills.
Knox 3, Beloit 1 KC’s Duran: 20 kills.

Nonconference
Saint Benedict 3, UW-River Falls 1 CSB’s Heying: 12 kills, 16 digs.
Macalester 3, UW-Stout 1 MC’s King: 17 kills, 15 digs.
St. Catherine 3, UW-Superior 2 SCU’s Isaacson: 13 kills, 15 digs, 5 aces.
Wilmington 3, Defiance 1 WC’s Geibel: 13 kills, 29 digs.

Top 25 upset watch
#1 Johns Hopkins 3, Swarthmore 0
#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, Cal Lutheran 0
#3 Trinity (Texas) 3, #4 Colorado College 0
#11 Juniata 3, Mary Washington 1
#11 Juniata 3, Brockport 0
#13 Berry 3, Centre 0
#18 Southwestern 3, St. Thomas (Texas) 0
#19 NYU 3, Stockton 0
#19 NYU 3, Lycoming 0
#20 Babson 3, Mount Holyoke 0
#20 Babson 3, Bay Path 0
#22 MIT 3, WPI 1
#25 Tufts 3, Bowdoin 1
#25 Tufts 3, Maine Maritime 0

-Ricky Nelson

9/24/2021: UWSP (13-2) beats 2 ranked foes, win streak now at 11

Illinois Wesleyan Classic
#5 Calvin, Aurora, Illinois Wesleyan, Mount St. Joseph
#5 Calvin 3, Aurora 1; Illinois Wesleyan 3, Mount St. Joseph 2; #5 Calvin 3, Illinois Wesleyan 0.

UW-Whitewater Invite
#8 UW-Whitewater, #24 Carthage, Concordia Wisconsin, Saint Mary’s (Minn.), Carroll
Concordia Wisconsin 3, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 0; #8 UW-Whitewater 3, #24 Carthage 0; Carroll 3, Saint Mary’s (Minn.) 2.

Wartburg Invite
#10 Wartburg, Augsburg, Gustavus Adolphus, Coe
Coe 3, Augsburg 1; #10 Wartburg 3, Gustavus Adolphus 1; #10 Wartburg 3, Augsburg 0; Gustavus Adolphus 3, Coe 0.

UW-Stevens Point Invite
#14 Millikin, #16 Chicago, #21 Bethel, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh, St. Olaf, Ripon
UW-Oshkosh 3, Ripon 0; UW-Stevens Point 3, #21 Bethel 1; St. Olaf 3, Ripon 0; #16 Chicago 3, #14 Millikin 2; #21 Bethel 3, #14 Millikin 0; UW-Stevens Point 3, #16 Chicago 1.

Rose-Hulman Invite
#23 Washington-St. Louis, Rose-Hulman, Concordia Chicago, Illinois Tech, Blackburn
Rose-Hulman 3, Concordia Chicago 1; #23 Washington-St. Louis 3, Illinois Tech 0; #23 Washington-St. Louis 3, Rose-Hulman 0; Illinois Tech 3, Blackburn 1.

MSOE Invite
Central, MSOE, Lawrence, Maranatha Baptist, Mount Mary
MSOE 3, Mount Mary 0; Maranatha Baptist 3, Lawrence 1; Central 3, MSOE 0.

Franklin Tourney
Fontbonne, Franklin, Anderson, Baldwin Wallace, Bethany, Trine
Franklin 3 Fontbonne 2; Baldwin Wallace 3, Anderson 0.

Benedictine Tri
Elmhurst, Benedictine, Lake Forest
Elmhurst 3, Benedictine 0; Benedictine 3, Lake Forest 0; Elmhurst 3, Lake Forest 0.

UMAC
UW-Superior 3, Bethany Lutheran 0 UWS’s Pryd: 19 kills, 16 digs.
Minnesota Morris 3, North Central 1 UMM’s Nash: 13 kills.
Martin Luther 3, Northland 0 MLC’s Willems hit 10-1-16.

MWC
Cornell 3, Knox 0 CC’s Light: 10 kills.
Illinois College 3, Beloit 2 IC’s Dameris: 17 kills.
Grinnell 3, Monmouth 1 GC’s Kuhn: 21 kills, 12 digs.

SLIAC
Spalding 3, Eureka 0 SU’s Holland: 14 kills.
Spalding 3, Principia 0 SU’s Robison: 13 kills.
Eureka 3, Principia 0 EC: 12 aces.

Nonconference
#13 Berry 3, Transylvania 2 BC’s Breissinger: 16 kills, 16 digs.
UW-La Crosse 3, Macalester 0 UWL’s Lawrence: 11 kills, 4 aces.
UW-River Falls 3, Carleton 0 UWRF’s Koerper hit 17-1-27.
North Central (Ill.) 3, Dominican 0 NCC’s Barickman: 12 kills.
Hamline 3, Crown 0 HU’s Larson hit 14-1-20.
North Park 3, Kalamazoo 1 NPU’s Guy hit 12-0-20.
Wisconsin Lutheran 3, Cardinal Stritch 0 WLC’s Charron: 12 kills.

Top 25 upset watch
#2 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 3, La Verne 0
#3 Trinity (Texas) 3, St. Thomas (Texas) 0
#3 Trinity (Texas) 3, Texas Lutheran 0
#4 Colorado College 3, Schreiner 0
#4 Colorado College 3, #18 Southwestern 1
#7 Hope 3, Saint Mary’s (Ind.) 0
#9 Mary Hardin-Baylor 3, Concordia Texas 0
#11 Juniata 3, Messiah 0
#18 Southwestern 3, Texas Lutheran 1

-Ricky Nelson

9/23/2021: Fontbonne (1-4) gets 1st win in home opener

SLIAC
Fontbonne 3, Webster 1 FU’s Werner-Click: 40 assists, 13 digs.

Top 25 upset watch
Springfield 3, #25 Tufts 1

-Ricky Nelson