Romeoville, Ill. - The No. 10 Lewis University men's volleyball team (6-2) hosts Missouri Baptist (4-0) on Thursday (Jan. 30) at Neil Carey Arena. Fans be sure to come early and hungry, first serve is set for 7 PM on Pizza Night.
PROGRAMS FIRST MEETING – The Flyers match up against Missouri Baptist marks the first-ever contest between the squads.
MIVA WEEKLY HONORS – Redshirt freshman middle blocker Jacob Schmiegelt (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) was named Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week. Schmiegelt tallied 11 total blocks (1 solo, 10 block assists) last week, including a career-high nine total blocks against Sacred Heart.
LEADING THE MIVA – The Flyer block defense, second in the nation averaging 3.13 blocks-per-set, is led by sophomore middle blocker Bobby Walsh (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel) and Schmiegelt. Walsh leads the conference in total blocks (38) and second with 1.46 block-per-set average, which has him fourth nationally while Schmiegelt is third in the MIVA with 29 total blocks and 20th nationally averaging 1.12 blocks-per-set.
AVCA NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Junior outside hitter Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) has been named Sports Imports/AVCA Men's Volleyball Division I-II National Player of the Week. He hit a combined .600 (25 K, 4 E, 35 TA) in seven sets last weekend. He also tallied nine digs, nine block assists, four assists and three service aces over seven sets of action.
FAMILIAR FACE - Missouri Baptist assistant coach Brian Muesenfechter played for the Flyers from 2008-11 and etched his name into the Lewis program record books during the rally-scoring era. He is in the top-10 in service attempts (3rd, 1,336), aces (5th, 86), total digs (7th, 466), matches played (7th, 114), sets played (8th, 362).
HEAD COACH DAN FRIEND JOINS USA HP COACHING STAFF - Friend will help USC men's volleyball coach Bill Ferguson prepare the US Men's Junior Team to compete for a second-straight title at the 2014 NORCECA Championships (July 27-Aug. 4) in El Salvador.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKS - On Jan. 27th, the Flyers were ranked at No. 10 in the fifth installment of the 2014 AVCA Division I-II Men's Coaches Top-15 Poll. Lewis has been in the AVCA National Rankings for 53-straight weeks, dating back to Jan. 2011.
UP NEXT FOR THE FLYERS - Lewis will open MIVA play against Loyola on Wednesday (Feb. 5) on Fan Theme Night at Neil Carey Arena. Fans can suggest themes, then vote on the men's volleyball team's facebook page for the theme to pack Neil Carey Arena with when the Flyers host the Ramblers.
