Aces host Panthers on Sunday and Monday
A 2-game set against UNI opens the month of February for the University of Evansville volleyball team when the Purple Aces welcome the Panthers this weekend. Game one is set for Sunday, February 7 at 2 p.m. before Monday’s contest begins at 4 p.m. inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse. Both games will be carried live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
– On Sunday, the Aces earned a non-conference split with a 3-2 win over Saint Louis before falling by a 3-0 final to #24 Western Kentucky in Bowling Green
– Trailing 2-1 against the Billikens, the Aces stormed back with a 25-22 win in the fourth game before finishing the match with a 15-12 decision in the fifth
– Alondra Vazquez posted 20 kills and 14 digs while Melanie Feliciano had 17 kills and 16 digs in the victory
1-2 Punch
– Through the first week of action, UE has been led by Alondra Vazquez and Melanie Feliciano on the offensive end
– Vazquez ranks third in the MVC with 3.73 kills per set while Feliciano checks in with 3.27, putting her 9th in the league
– They have led the team in kills in each of the opening four matches of the season
Playing Some Defense
– Serving as Evansville’s libero in 2021, Laura Ruiz has adjusted nicely, recording 3.53 digs per set in the opening week of action
– After posting 73 digs in her entire freshman season, Ruiz has already accumulated 53 in UE’s first four matches
– Ruiz set her season mark with 17 in the opener against the Sycamores and the contest against Saint Louis…UE is 2-0 when she has over 12 digs
Scouting the Opponent
– UNI enters the series with an 0-5 mark including a pair of losses to Drake to open their conference season
– In non-conference action, the Panthers took on Big East squad Marquette along with 15th-ranked Creighton on the road
– Emily Holterhaus paces the UNI offense with 3.47 kills per set while the defense is led by Baylee Petersen’s 3.68 digs per contest…Peterson is the daughter of UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen
