Volleyball Wraps up 2011 in the Garden State

Nov. 11, 2011

STORRS, Conn. - UConn volleyball wraps up its 2011 campaign at Rutgers and Seton Hall after being eliminated from playoff contention with a home loss to Pittsburgh last weekend. The Huskies, who have won eight more games than a year ago, take their 14-13 overall and 4-8 BIG EAST record to the "Garden State" looking to clinch their first winning record since 2008.

Last Time Out
Connecticut kept its playoff hopes alive with a 3-1 win over West Virginia last Friday night, but was knocked out of playoff contention with a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon. Freshman Devon Maugle and senior Jordan Kirk led the Huskeis with 14 and 12 kills, respectively, in the win. Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week Kelsey Maving posted 28 digs in the win over the Mountaineers and 21 in the loss to the Panthers. Maugle recorded her third career double-double with a 14-kill, 10-dig effort against PITT. Junior Mattison Quayle also posted a double-double against the Panthers. She tallied 10 kills and 11 digs for her team-leading ninth double-double of the season. For the weekend, junior setter Angela Roidt collected 76 assists, to go with 18 digs and four kills.

In the Record Books
Kirk currently stands at 1,122 career kills, eighth all-time. She trails former teammate Rebecca Murray ('11) for seventh all-time at 1,143. Jenelle Koester ('99) is the Huskies all-time leader with 1,724. Maving moved into eighth on the career digs list with 49 last weekend to lift her career total to 1,228 and pass Kara Brown ('93) in the process. Former teammate Jessica Isaac ('10) holds the all-time record with 2,064. Maving has also cracked the top 10 in single season digs with 527, placing her eighth, six behind Isaac's 2007 total.

Maving's Efforts Earn her BIG EAST Player of the Week
Maving was named the BIG EAST Player of the week for the week ending October 30. She totaled 66 digs in a 2-0 weekend against Notre Dame and DePaul. Maving set a UConn volleyball record with 40 digs against the Irish and picked up 26 more against the Blue Demons. Earlier this season she reached the 1,000-dig mark for her career and also surpassed 400 for the season, averaging 5.31 digs per set. Against Fairfield (September 9), she recorded a then season-high 30 digs and has now posted 30 or more digs four times throughout her career. Maving also accomplished the feat once as a freshman and once as a sophomore. She is one of six BIG EAST student-athletes to post at least 30 digs in a match this season.

Defending Home Court
The Huskies finished the 2011 home slate 9-4 when playing at Gampel Pavilion and 4-3 against BIG EAST opponents on their home floor. UConn won six straight home games between October 4 and November 4, including four against conference foes.

Scouting the Scarlet Knights
Rutgers is tied for last place in the league with a 1-11 record and is 8-21 overall. Last weekend, RU fell on the road to Notre Dame and DePaul to run its losing streak to six straight. Despite playing in just 15 matches this season, junior Alex Jones has been the team's most proficient attacker. Jones averages 3.45 kills per set and owns a .375 attack percentage. Senior Hannah Curtis has totaled a team-leading 255 kills on the season and a 2.32 average. Junior setter Stephanie Zielinski has eclipsed the 1,000-assist mark for the year as she enters the weekend with 1,061. She is also second on the team with 313 digs, good enough for a 2.85 average.

Scouting the Pirates
Seton Hall finds itself at 15-12 overall and 6-6 in the BIG EAST, right in the middle of a logjam for a tournament spot. Last weekend, the Pirates stayed in the hunt with a win over DePaul, following a loss to Notre Dame. Senior Meghan Matusiak leads SHU with 350 kills for a 3.68 per set average and has also collected 222 digs. Freshman Stacey Manthorpe is second with 252 kills. Sophomore libero Alyssa Warren is tops on the team with a 5.02 digs per set average on 492 total digs.

University of Connecticut Athletics

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Jessica Isaac

Jordan Kirk

Devon Maugle

Kelsey Maving

Rebecca Murray

Mattison Quayle

Angela Roidt

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