Volleyball hosts Marquette Invitational Sept. 17-18

Match Notes (PDF)

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University women's volleyball team wraps up non-conference action this weekend, hosting UTSA, Wright State and Northern Iowa on Sept. 17-18 at the Al McGuire Center in the Marquette Invitational.

Action begins Friday morning at 10 a.m. as UNI faces Wright State before Marquette's first match of the weekend against UTSA at noon. UTSA and UNI will open Friday's evening session at 5:30 p.m. and MU and Wright State will follow the conclusion of that match at roughly 7:30 p.m.

Saturday's two matches will pit UTSA and Wright State in the 1 p.m. matinee before the Golden Eagles close out the event against UNI at 6 p.m.

Marquette's Friday matches will both air live through FloSports with Dan Avington on the call for the noon broadcast, while Saturday's contest will be covered by Marquette's student-run media organization, the Marquette Wire and available through their YouTube channel.

The three neutral site matches can be viewed on the Marquette Athletics YouTube channel. Live statistics will also be available for each contest on GoMarquette.com

Tickets are available for $5 online through Ticketmaster or at the Al McGuire Center on gameday.

2021 MARQUETTE INVITATIONAL (LIVE STATS)

FRIDAY, SEPT. 17
10 a.m. - UNI vs. Wright State (WATCH)
Noon - Marquette vs. UTSA (WATCH)
5:30 p.m. - UTSA vs. UNI (WATCH)
7:30 p.m. - Marquette vs. Wright State (WATCH)

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18
1 p.m. - UTSA vs. Wright State (WATCH)
6 p.m. - Marquette vs. UNI (WATCH)

MARQUETTE (6-2): The Golden Eagles dropped both their matches last weekend in Milwaukee to then-No. 8 Kentucky and No. 2 Wisconsin. Marquette was unable to convert on four set-points in the second set against the Wildcats and renewed their rivalry against the Badgers on Sunday afternoon. Preseason All-BIG EAST selections Taylor Wolf and Savannah Rennie lead the Golden Eagles into action with 2.89 and 2.68 kills per set, respectively, while each is hitting over .325 on the season. Rennie leads Marquette in points and is second in the BIG EAST Conference with 1.46 blocks per set.

The Golden Eagles also worked freshman outside hitter Jenna Reitsma into the lineup more last weekend, appearing infive sets and posting a career-high five kills and two blocks while hitting .333 against the second-ranked Badgers.

UTSA (3-6): The Roadrunners went 1-2 last weekend at the Texas A&M Invitational, sweeping the Albany Great Danes before falling to Houston and Texas A&M.

Senior outside hitter Hannah Lopez leads the Roadrunners with 2.30 kills per set, while junior Hunter Coppola adds 1.93 kills per frame. Sophomore middle blocker Amanda Ifeanyi has been a force defensively managing a block per set, while senior defensive specialist Mia Ybarra has contributed 111 digs, good for 3.70 per set.

UTSA is looking for a bounce-back season after a 7-11 finish in the spring.

SERIES WITH UTSA: Marquette has only faced the Roadrunners once all-time, picking up a 3-1 win on Sept. 13, 2014.

WRIGHT STATE (6-3): The Raiders co-hosted the Flyer-Raider Invitational last weekend. Wright State went 2-1 in the tournament, sweeping Central Michigan and outlasting Dayton in a five-set thriller before falling to Illinois State in five sets.

Junior outside hitter Megan Alders spearheads the attack for the Raiders, contributing 2.97 kills and 3.22 points per set. Graduate middle blocker Nyssa Baker has totaled 35 blocks on the year, while libero and two-time League Defensive Player of the Year Jenna Story averages 5.50 digs per frame.

Wright State is coming off a historic spring season, having gone 17-2 and being crowned the Horizon League champion. The Raiders advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, picking up the lone NCAA win in Wright State and Horizon League history, before being swept by No. 4 Texas.

SERIES WITH WRIGHT STATE: MU and Wright State have only met once before, with the Raiders picking up a 3-0 victory on Sept. 21, 2002.

NORTHERN IOWA (4-5): The Panthers traveled to Washington State last weekend, going 2-1 in the tournament with sweeps of Gonzaga and Long Beach State despite being swept by WSU on Friday.

Sophomore outside hitter Emily Holterhaus leads the way offensively with 63 kills (2.17 per set), while freshman Kira Fallert follows closely behind with 62 (2.07 per set). Junior middle blocker Carly Spies has contributed 33 blocks, and redshirt freshman libero Kaylee Donner averages 3.00 digs per set.

UNI is a perennial contender in the Missouri Valley Conference, with its most recent success coming in 2019 when the Panthers advanced to the NCAA tournament.

SERIES WITH UNI: Marquette has faced the Panthers six times in history, the most recent match coming in January of 2021. MU is 3-3 all-time against UNI.

UP NEXT: The Golden Eagles begin BIG EAST Conference action on Friday, Sept. 24 at Villanova before a Saturday contest at Georgetown.

Keep up with the Marquette University women's volleyball program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteVB) and Instagram (@MarquetteVB) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteVolleyball).