This Week: Notre Dame College will hit the road for the Malone Invitational on Friday and Saturday Sept. 2-3. First on Friday, NDC will face MU at 10 a.m., before seeing Davenport at 4:45 p.m. Come Saturday, the Falcons will play Bloomsburg at 11:15 a.m., followed by Edinboro at 6 p.m. Lastly, Notre Dame College will return to South Euclid for their home opener on Tuesday Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. against Lake Erie.
 
Tickets: A ticket is required upon entry. Tickets can be purchased online, here.
 
Records: NDC begins the second week of play with a 1-3 record. MU also holds a 1-3 record overall, while Davenport is 3-1. Moreover, Bloomsburg is currently 1-2, as EU sits at 3-1. Finally, Lake Erie is currently 0-3 on the young season.
 
Coaches Corner: Anthony Mezacapa is the head coach of Notre Dame College in his second season. Mezacapa holds a 17-19 career record with the Falcons. Rafael Gonzalez is also in his second season with the Malone volleyball program, posting a career record of 11-21. Brian Netzler is 30-20 in his third season at the helm of Davenport. Dan Kreiger is in his fifth season with Bloomsburg. Kreiger has generated a 29-63 record with the Huskies. Finally, Lee Anderson begins his second season with Lake Erie, accumulating a 4-29 career record.
 
Rankings: None of these teams are ranked according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Poll.
 
Series History: The Falcons are 5-7 all-time when facing Malone, including the Pioneers five-set victory over NDC last weekend. NDC is 0-1 all-time when squaring up against Davenport, dating back to their lone meeting last season when the Panthers won in five. Notre Dame is a perfect 3-0 when facing Bloomsburg all-time, after the Falcons most recently downed the Huskies in five sets last season. On the other hand, NDC is 0-11 when playing Edinboro, after most recently falling in three sets last season. Lastly, NDC is 5-11 against Lake Erie all-time. The Falcons have won the previous two meetings against the Storm, most recently in September of last season when NDC won in four.
 
Noting the Falcons: Notre Dame is coming into the week after a road contest with Ashland on Tuesday when the Falcons fell, 3-0. Prior to that, NDC opened their season at the Mercyhurst/Gannon Invitational where the Falcons played four matches. Notre Dame got the best of Mercyhurst, 3-0, but fell to Grand Valley State (3-0), No. 18 Gannon (3-0) and Malone (3-2).
 
Through the first week of play, the Falcons are led by the tandem of senior Kaye Dregalla and sophomore Samantha Comer who are tied for the team lead in kills (37). The likes of senior Carli Derda (24), freshman Ryleigh Ronald (23) and senior Blaire Barr (21), have also provided kills for NDC. In addition, Ronald's team-high .353 hit percentage brings much needed efficiency to the team. The Falcon attackers are set up by sophomore Jayme Zoeckler, who leads the team in assists with 117.
 
Defensively, sophomore Kiley Kalina headlines a balanced backline, as she posts a team-high 52 digs. Freshman Sierra Nausieda (46), junior Ellie Schenk (28) and Zoeckler (26) also contribute digs for NDC. At the net, Derda and Ronald pose as the Falcons' middle blockers by generating 14 and 10 blocks respectively to lead the team.
 
As a whole on this on young season, Notre Dame has produced 9.6 kills per set on .114 hit percentage, to go with 8.6 assists per set, 14.3 digs per set, 1.0 service aces per set and 1.8 blocks per set.
 
Noting the Pioneers: Malone begins the second week of play after also attending the Mercyhurst/Gannon Invitational, where they fell to No. 18 Gannon (3-0), Mercyhurst (3-2) and Grand Valley State (3-1), while beating NDC in five sets.
 
Offensively, the Pioneers are ultra-balanced with six players posting kills ranging from 19-29. Ri'Gyn Humes is the leader of the pack at 29 kills, but CC Gurney (27), Kristen Hankins (24), Anna Hopple (22), Anna Mallette (21) and Grace Rosko (19) all contribute a similar amount. Molly Bullion has been the main setter for MU at 84 assists.
 
On the other side, Macy McCauley is the team leader in digs at 74 and 6.17 digs per set, as Mallette (56), Bullion (46) and Hallie Pinkerton (45) also assist the defensive department. Moreover, McCauley currently ranks tied for 22^nd in digs in NCAA Division II, while ranking sixth in digs per set. Kristen Hankins is the main force at the net, accumulating 19 blocks so far, the only Pioneer to have double digits.
 
As a unit, Malone produces 9.5 kills per set on .112 hit percentage, to go along with 8.6 assists per set, 18.2 digs per set, 1.2 service aces per set and 1.9 blocks per set. MU currently ranks 13^th in country in digs per set.
 
Noting the Panthers: Davenport opened their season at the Flagler Saints Invitational last weekend. After falling in the season opener to Embry-Riddle in five sets, the Panthers responded with three straight wins over Flagler (3-1), Newberry (3-0) and UNC Pembroke (3-0).
 
Hayley Kreiger leads the Panther attack with 62 kills, 4.13 kills per set and a .340 hit percentage. Kreiger ranks 21^st in the country in kills and 25^th in kills per set. Furthermore, Lindsay Taylor is another threat that DU has on the attack as she clocks in at 47 kills, 3.13 kills per set and a .256 hit percentage. In terms of setting, Lexie Beeke (72) and Nicole Odeen (59) tag team the responsibilities.
 
On defense, Kenzy Corstange paces the team with 57 digs at 3.80 digs per set. At the net, Lilly LaFleur and Bethany Wilson sit atop the team with 11 blocks apiece.
 
The Panthers are averaging 12.2 kills per set on .251 hit percentage, to go with 10.9 assists per game, 12.1 digs per set, 2.3 service aces per set and 1.7 blocks per set.  
 
Noting the Huskies: Bloomsburg opened 2022 with a five-set victory over Lake Erie College at the California (Pa.) Tournament. The Huskies went on to fall in their final two matches of the weekend to Frostburg State (3-0) and California (Pa.) (3-2).
 
Bloomsburg features a three-headed attack on offense with Shayna Warfel (31), Sydney Buell (30) and Liz Bopp (24) as the only Huskies with north of 20 kills. Aydan Espinal sets up the attack with her team-high 74 assists this season.
 
Maura Uschock is the anchor in the backline for BU with 68 digs at 5.23 digs per set. Uschock clocks in at 21^st in the country in digs per set. At the net, Emily Jackson is lone player in double digits with 11 blocks this season.
 
This season, Bloomsburg plays to 9.2 kills per set on .100 hit percentage, to go along with 8.5 assists per set, 16.2 digs per set, 1.8 service aces per set and 1.1 blocks per set.
 
Noting the Fighting Scots: Last weekend, Edinboro began their 2022 campaign with a loss to Maryville University in four sets. The Fighting Scots bounced back by claiming their final three matches of the tournament over Ohio Dominican (3-0), West Alabama (3-0) and Kentucky State (3-0).
 
Bella Burrelli headlines the Fighting Scots attack with 39 kills and 3.00 kills per set. Natalie Pallone (27) and Sally Sterkel (23) also contribute offensively, as Sterkel flashes a team-high .391 hitting percentage. Alicia Eldredge facilitates the EU attack with her team best 113 assists this season.
 
Carly Pry is by far the top defensive player for Edinboro as she has 65 digs at 5.00 digs per set this year, while no other Fighting Scot has more than 30 digs. At the net, Sterkel's team-high 16 blocks are joined by Pallone (10) and Jesse Michel (9), creating problem for opposing teams.
 
Edinboro as a whole generates 11.2 kills per set on .194 hit percentage, to go along with 10.5 assists per set, 13.7 digs per set, 1.9 service aces per set and 2.1 blocks per set.
 
Noting the Storm: Lake Erie traveled to the California (Pa.) Invitational last weekend to begin their 2022 campaign. The Storm fell in all three matches, first to Bloomsburg in five, then to California (Pa.) in four and lastly to Frostburg State in four.
 
Alexandra Matthews and Jordan Taylor provide a one-two combo for Lake Erie on the attack with 33 and 24 kills, respectively to lead the team. Simone Schurr and Sarah Leyden have done the setting duties thus far, posting 66 and 32 assists, respectively.
 
The Storm are anchored by Kaylee Hiser on the defensive side as she has generated 73 digs at 5.62 digs per set this season. Hiser currently ranks tied for 11^th in digs per set. Lake Erie does not pose a huge threat in terms of blocking, with Jessica Ickes six blocks leading the team.
 
As a team, Lake Erie has averaged 9.3 kills per set on .108 hit percentage, to go along with 8.4 assists per set, 15.0 digs per set, 1.9 service aces per set and 0.7 blocks per set.