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Clarkson University Athletics

IsaksenKateVB2016aa
Freshman Kate Isaksen ranks in the top 20 in the country in digs per set. - Photo by Conrad Koehler

Women's Volleyball October 13, 2016

CU Volleyball Preview - at Mid-West Invitational (10/14-15)

With all due respect to previous opponents, the Clarkson University Volleyball team will be challenged this weekend unlike any others in 2016 as the Golden Knights head to Grand Rapids, MI to take on four teams at the Mid-West Invitational, including two ranked in the top five in the country.

The Golden Knights, winners of nine straight, enter the weekend with a record of 17-4 overall after a four-set win over SUNY Potsdam on Wednesday. Clarkson will get started by facing unbeaten and top-ranked Calvin College at 6:00 pm on Friday and will then play Ohio Wesleyan at 8:00 pm that same evening. On Saturday, the Golden Knights will head 30 miles west towards Lake Michigan, facing Heidelberg at 11:00 am and then fifth-ranked Hope College, Saturday's host, at 2:00 pm.

Clarkson is 1-5 all-time against its four opponents this weekend. The Green and Gold are winless in the last two years against Calvin, while they are 0-3 against Hope, including a loss against the Dutch in the 2014 NCAA Quarterfinals. Clarkson beat Heidelberg in 2013 in its lone meeting, while the Golden Knights and Ohio Wesleyan have never met in volleyball prior to Friday's match.

Clarkson's offense is led by junior middle hitter Rachael Aird. The Golden Knights experimented with Aird on the outside earlier in the season, but she is back to her familiar position in the middle and her hitting percentage is rising (.400 or better in seven of her past 13 matches) while her kills per set has maintained (3.64 kills per set on the season). Her hitting percentage of .295 is fourth in the Liberty League and her 0.74 blocks per set also rank fourth. Senior outside hitter Katrina Lane is averaging more than two kills and two digs per set, while sophomore Jillian Saenz is second in the league in assists (9.51 aps). Freshman Kate Isaksen ranks in the top 20 in all of Division II in digs per set, topping the Liberty League with 5.92 digs per game.

Calvin has owned the top of the AVCA Division III Coaches' Poll for the last four weeks and shows little sign of slowing down. The Knights are 17-0 overall and have lost only two sets in their last 16 matches, with a schedule that has included three teams ranked in the top 10. Senior middle hitter Laura Danhoff has her eyes on a player of the year honor as she is hitting a ridiculous .456 with 3.96 kills per set. She also has 0.67 aces per set as well as 0.71 blocks per set. Anna Kamp (3.27 kps), Tessa Van Laare (2.16 kps) and Sarah DeVries (2.09 kps) also contribute to the top rated offense in the country (.289 hitting percentage). Jenna Lodewyck averages 10.35 assists per set, ranking 13th nationally in that category while contributing 1.35 kills per set and a .356 hitting percentage herself. Calvin also is third in the country in aces per set (3.38 aps).

Ohio Wesleyan enters the weekend with a record of 13-6 overall, but five of those six losses have come against teams that are or were at one time ranked in the top 25. Iris Anderson leads the team on offense with 3.88 kills per set and is also strong defensively with 3.09 digs per set. Shelby Ksiazek also is at nearly three kills per set (2.90 kps) and is contributing 0.90 blocks per set. Amazingly, that is only good enough for third on the team as both Sasha Vasquez and Kenzee Martin are averaging 0.96 blocks per set. Shannon Schlater runs the offense with 10.19 assists per set and also produces 2.39 digs and 0.46 aces per set. Nina Carmichael-Tanaka leads the squad on defense with 4.72 digs.

Heidelberg is routinely a strong team in the Midwest and this season is no different as they head into the weekend with a record of 13-7 overall. Middle hitter Sarah Parker is having an impressive all-around season with 3.71 kills and 0.87 blocks per set, adding in a .366 hitting percentage that ranks in the top 25 in the country. Mariah Sullivan, another middle hitter, is producing solid numbers across the board as well with 2.36 kills, 0.59 blocks and 0.35 aces per set with a .272 hitting percentage. Karlie Diruzza distributes the ball at a rate of 10.11 assists per set, while Rachel Raimondo is the team's top back row defender with 5.40 digs per set.

Finally, Hope is tied for fifth in the national polls with a record of 16-2 overall, with one loss coming against conference foe Calvin. Sophia Hackett is having an outstanding season from her setter spot, averaging 10.29 assists, 0.40 aces and 2.71 digs per set with a .293 hitting percentage. When she isn't finishing off points herself, she regularly finds Katie Rietberg (3.16 kills per set), Sarah Feldpausch (3.03 kps) and Courtney Van Houzen (2.49 kps). Van Houzen also averages 0.73 blocks per set and has a hitting percentage of .286. Alexis Thompson leads the team on defense with 5.21 digs per set.
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Players Mentioned

Rachael Aird

#10 Rachael Aird

OH/MH/RS
6' 0"
Junior
Katrina Lane

#14 Katrina Lane

RS/OH
5' 10"
Senior
Jillian Saenz

#7 Jillian Saenz

S
5' 6"
Sophomore
Kate Isaksen

#17 Kate Isaksen

L/DS
5' 9"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Rachael Aird

#10 Rachael Aird

6' 0"
Junior
OH/MH/RS
Katrina Lane

#14 Katrina Lane

5' 10"
Senior
RS/OH
Jillian Saenz

#7 Jillian Saenz

5' 6"
Sophomore
S
Kate Isaksen

#17 Kate Isaksen

5' 9"
Freshman
L/DS