It is time for the first triangular of the season for Mount Mary University. The guests for the Oct. 10th triangular will be Maranatha Baptist University (20-5) and the Moody Bible Institute (9-6). Doors at the Bloechl Center will be open early, but the matches will start at 4:00 pm.
This season has been an uphill climb for MMU volleyball (0-20). Not only is the team over 85 percent underclasswomen, but injuries have delayed the progress of the team as well. Starting setter Payton Hintz (Fr./Almond, Wis.) was getting in quite the groove before the Inferno-Angels Classic, but injured herself stretching out for a tough dig.
During the injury to Hintz, Bethany Van Hammond (So./Appleton, Wis.) had the chance to see more action on the court and she took it. Van Hammond stepped into the libero role, left open by Molly Peck (Fr./Milwuakee, Wis.) who attempted to fill the void at setter while Hintz was injured, and Van Hammond dug into her role literally. Since receiving the off colored jersey, Van Hammond has been all over the defensive back court, getting 92 digs.
It appears that Hintz is on the mend, as she has played in the last two games for the Blue Angels. Hintz got right back into rhythm and has set her team up with 178 assists this season. One teammate who has benefited the most out of Hintz efforts is Sara Wishau (Sr./Oak Creek, Wis.) who leads the team with 123 kills and 218 digs.
This will be the third time in the 2014 season that MMU will face Maranatha Baptist University. The first two were lopsided affairs going to MBU, both were sweeps. However, the Blue Angels doubled their point total in the second contest, but it was not enough for the tough Sabercats.
It is the first time since last season that Moody Bible Institute has had a chance to play MMU. Last season, MBI took the season series at 2-0, and the last contest was a 3-0 sweep for the Archers. It was as close a 3-0 game can go, 25-20, 25-18, 25-18. Wishau led that game with 11 kills.
Following Friday's triangular, the Blue Angels will head down the street to MSOE (7-10) at the Kern Center. The game is set for Wednesday Oct. 15th at 7:00 pm.
