FAYETTE, Iowa – No. 16 Winona State University opens a stretch of three matches over the next six days at No. 22 Upper Iowa University on Thursday night. First serve is slated for 6 p.m.
The Warriors (17-4, 9-4 NSIC) have won three straight and nine of their last 11. The Peacocks (15-6, 7-6 NSIC) have won two in a row and are 5-2 at home this year. WSU is 5-4 against teams ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 this season while UIU is 2-6.
Winona State is led offensively by junior Megan Flom who has an NSIC-best .408 hitting percentage (.467 vs. NSIC) which ranks seventh among all Division II players. The middle blocker's 3.98 kills/set ranks seventh in the conference. Flom has been named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week twice in October and owns a blistering .502 attacking percentage this month.
Sophomore Madison Rizner ranks second on the team in total kills (162) and leads the way in total blocks (83). Rizner ranks third in the league in blocks/set (1.08). Freshman Madison Larsen has floored 160 kills and ranks second on the team in kills/set (2.71). Sophomore Paige Christopher ranks third in kills/set (2.52).
Setter Bre Maloney ranks fifth in the NSIC in assists/set (10.61) and libero Becca Pagel is seventh in digs/set (4.34).
The Warriors rank fourth in the NSIC in team hitting percentage (.268) a mark that ranks ninth in the country. WSU ranks sixth in opponent hitting percentage (.176) and is fourth in blocks/set (1.97).
Scouting Upper Iowa
Offensively, the Peacocks rank just behind WSU in hitting percentage (.266) and are second in the league in opponent hitting percentage (.156). UIU is third in digs/set (17.12) and ranks sixth in blocks/set (1.91).
The offense runs through Anna Winter whose 11.7 attacks/set rank 12th in the country. Winter's 4.5 kills/set rank fourth nationally. Sarah Johnson has a team-best .339 attacking percentage. Johnson ranks fourth in the NSIC in blocks/set (1.01) and Hayley Weepie is fourth in digs/set (4.66).
Winona State leads the all-time series with UIU, 23-7, but has dropped two straight meetings.
Up Next
The Warriors return home on Saturday to face (RV) Minnesota State Mankato. Following that match, Winona State travels to No. 6 CSP for a rematch with the Golden Bears. The Warriors downed CSP at home in four sets earlier this year.
