Oct. 22, 2009

Complete Game Notes in PDF Format

SO WE MEET AGAIN: The Flyers and Screaming Eagles last met on Nov. 16, 2008 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship match. Lewis won 25-14, 25-17, 25-22 for the Flyers' third straight conference title. Sara deBuhr hit .588 with 10 kills in the match. Stephanie Sagat also added 10 kills. Lewis out-hit the Screaming Eagles .284 to .075.

The Flyers also bounced the Screaming Eagles from the GLVC tournament in 2006, winning 3-1 in the Quarterfinals. Lewis has won the last five meetings. Southern Indiana's last victory coming on Oct. 8, 2005 at Lewis when they topped the Flyers in four.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: A win on Friday would be the Flyers' 19 straight victory, setting a new Lewis record. The current record of 18 straight was set by last year's squad.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING (PART 2): Senior outside hitter Stephanie Sagat needs just six kills to become Lewis' all-time career leader in kills. Her 1,554 career kills is only behind Katie Gilman's (2000-03) 1,559.

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE: Lewis holds a 34-match home win streak dating back to the 2007 season. The streak is tied for 12th all-time in NCAA Division II women's volleyball history. Last season the Flyers went a perfect 19-0 at home.

NATIONAL TITLE = 100 WINS: Head coach Lorelee Smith owns an impressive 84-15 career record in her two plus years as Lewis University head coach. In a perfect world, should the Flyers win each of their remaining contests (7), win the GLVC Championship (3) and then win the NCAA Championship (6) Smith would earn her 100th victory by winning the National Championship.

FLYERS EXCEL IN FIVE: The Flyers are 12-5 in five set matches during the Lorelee Smith era.

NOT BAD IN THREE EITHER: Under Lorelee Smith the Flyers have recorded 53 sweeps while being swept only five times. None of those five sweeps have been in a GLVC match.

IN THE GLVC: Lewis is 41-4 in the GLVC under Lorelee Smith.

...GOES THE SPOILS: Lewis has earned three GLVC Volleyball Player of the Week awards this season. Junior setter Rachel Ruedi took home the hardware on Sept. 8. Senior outside hitter Stephanie Sagat won on Sept. 21 and senior middle hitter Sara deBuhr won on Sept. 28. Throw in junior middle hitter Danielle Mount who won last season, then Lewis has four players on their roster who have won a player of the week honor during their career.

TEAM RANKINGS IN THE GLVC: Lewis is first in kills (13.92), first in digs (16.44), second in hitting percentage (.236) and second in assists (12.67).

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS IN THE GLVC: Rachel Ruedi (1st in assists, 10.46), Stephanie Sagat (3rd in kills, 3.26 and 5th in points, 3.86), Sara deBuhr (4th in hitting percentage, .327), Ashlee Lindish (6th in digs, 4.06).

ABOUT THOSE LOSSES: The Flyers' 21 wins are impressive, but the Flyers three losses have all been to quality teams. Lewis was swept by No. 4 Central Missouri, lost in five to No. 6 West Texas A&M and lost in three to a West Florida team receiving votes in the national poll.

NATIONALY SPEAKING: The Flyers hold down the No. 13 national ranking, a spot they've held for five straight weeks.

REGIONAL VIEW: The national ranking is nice but the regional ranking is what really matters. The Flyers are ranked No. 1 in the Midwest Region with fellow GLVC member Indianapolis holding down the second spot.

CAUGHT UP IN THE CROSSOVER: The Flyers went a perfect 3-0 in the second annual GLVC/GLIAC Crossover last Friday and Saturday held in Lansing, Mich. The largest volleyball tournament in the nation featured every team from both the Great Lakes Valley Conference and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Lewis topped Michigan Tech in four and Grand Valley State in five on day one while sweeping Ferris State the next day.

ABOUT THAT GRAND VALLEY STATE WIN: Lewis' victory over Grand Valley State on Friday was the Flyers' first win over the Lakers since 1997. Grand Valley State is traditionally one of the powers in the Midwest Region. In 2006 they topped Lewis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in four sets. The following year the Flyers met the Lakers in the region final. Lewis took the first two sets before dropping the next three.

SARA TAKS SECOND: Senior Sara deBuhr moved into second all-time in career block assists at the crossover. Her 281 block assists is second behind only Katie Gilman's (2000-03) 305.

MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH: Junior setter Rachel Ruedi missed her first career triple-double on Friday against Michigan Tech by a single kill. She finished with 40 assists, 11 digs and nine kills.

COME BACK TOMORROW: The Flyers are back in action on Saturday with a pair of matches. Lewis hosts conference-foe Kentucky Wesleyan at noon and then non-confernce opponent Aquinas at 4:30 p.m.