Women's Volleyball | 11/10/2021 1:40:00 PM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's volleyball team will look to build upon last weekend's momentum as the Cardinals will travel to Grand Rapids, Mich. where they are set to square off with Wittenberg University (21-8) at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday night in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Championship inside Van Noord Arena on the campus of Calvin University.
Those who are unable to make the eight-plus hour trip west to the Wolverine State can still follow each and every pass, block, kill, ace and dig by clicking the clocks below:
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HOW THEY GOT HERE: Fisher is coming off its third consecutive Empire 8 Championship on Saturday after the top-seeded Cardinals swept third-seeded Nazareth College in the finale to earn their fourth trip to the NCAA Championship since 1997. Wittenberg, which is receiving votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association national poll, earned its way into the Field of 64 after winning in straight sets over Wooster in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship game. The Tigers will be making their 26th NCAA appearance overall and their 25th in a row on Thursday.
NCAA HISTORY: While the Cardinals are set to make their fourth-ever appearance in the big dance (1997, 1998, 2019, 2021) and second in a row, head coach
Kelly Greapentrog's team is still looking for its first win in NCAA play. Wittenberg, on the other hand, is no stranger to the national stage as the Tigers have a 49-24 overall record in the NCAA Championship including 16 wins in 22 first-round games. Wittenberg has reached the national title game three times and won it all in 2011. The Tigers last reached the NCAA finale in 2018 where they lost on the court they'll play on Thursday.
STUCK ON REPEAT: When it comes to winning accolades and receiving recognition, very few players can boast the collection that senior Alea Steigerwald has amassed over the last four years. Since first taking the court in 2018, Steigerwald has been named an All-American twice, First-Team All-Conference in each of her four seasons, the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and has now been voted the conference's Player of the Year in four straight years – something no other player in the Empire 8's history has done in the sport of volleyball.
COMING UP ACES: Few teams in Division III have been better at the service line than Fisher this season. Through its first 30 games, the Cardinals have accounted for 299 aces as a team – more than any other school in the region and the 10th most in the country to date. Four different players have accounted for at least 40 aces this year led by Steigerwald who has 51. Freshmen Brooke Segars and Emily Brochey have each sparked long rallies for the Cardinals with 44 and 42 aces, respectively, while Katie Leaty has 43 aces overall.
LICENSE TO KILL: The Cardinals' offense this year was one of the more potent attacks in the country as Fisher ranked 29th overall in hitting percentage (.232) and was among the Division III leaders in kills per set. The top hitting squad in the Empire 8 this season, Fisher boasts five different players who have at least 100 kills on the year led by Steigerwald who has a team-high 340. Lindsey DeBonis has 271 kills overall while Delayne Young has 158 kills over 24 matches played. Sydney French has found a home at middle blocker with 146 kills while Gracie Jacob enters the week with 126 total kills in just 21 matches.
HELPING HANDS: One of the major reasons that Fisher has had such success at the net this season is the decision-making ability of its senior setter, Katie Leaty. Over 95 sets so far this year, Leaty leads the team and ranks 48th in the nation in assists per set at 9.41. The Ontario native is so much more than a reliable setter, however, as she ranks fourth on the roster in digs with 224 and is third in service aces.
SCOUTING WITTENBERG: We touched on the Tigers' NCAA pedigree earlier, but the past isn't going to win them any points on Thursday. Entering their matchup with the Cardinals, Wittenberg led the NCAC and ranked ninth among all Division III programs with 1,490 kills. The Tigers feature a potent 1-2 punch led by Tyler Linkhart who has a team-leading 343 kills over 108 sets. Katie Hiestand has 329 kills to her credit while Hanna Schartz has hammered home 267 kills through 28 matches played.
Defensively, Wittenberg is big at the net and can move around the court well. The Tigers are among the national leaders in blocks with 207.0 through 29 matches played and have notched 1,923 team digs led by libero Dakota White who has 611 on the season. Hiestand has 410 overall while Mack Ricketts has contributed 204 digs on the season.
Like Fisher, Wittenberg is capable of putting up points in bunches at the service line with 191 service aces including 61 from Ricketts, which ranks 23rd in Division III.
WHAT LIES AHEAD: The winner of Thursday's pairing will advance to the second round of the NCAA Championship where it will take on the winner of No. 5 Calvin and Penn State-Behrend on Friday night.