DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Duhawks will be on the road for their final two games of the 2015 season as they take on Dominican in River Forest, Illinois and Carthage in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

ABOUT DOMINICAN
The Stars enter Friday night's contest looking to cap a regular season that currently pits them in third place in the MCVL. At 13-10, the Stars' record has seen its fair share of blemishes, but when their attack is on, Dominican can be a lethal team to deal with.

A look at the Stars' schedule shows that against ranked opponents, they are just 4-8 and have lost their last three contests to ranked competitors.

Luke Spicer will be the man to beat for Loras, as he is averaging 2.8 kills per set and has 230 kills on the year. Four other members of the Stars lineup have recorded 100 kills or more. Defensively, Mason Solbrig has become a one-man wrecking crew, posting 71 blocks on the year, including 18 solo blocks.

ABOUT CARTHAGE
The 2015 season will come to a close next Wednesday when the Duhawks take on No. 8 Carthage in MCVL play. The Red Men have taken their game to a new level as of late, winning five in a row, including a 3-1 win over No. 9 New York University.

Griffin Shields and Jon Storm have both cleared the 200-kill mark this season, with Shields looking to clip 300 by season's end. Last week, Shields was named AVCA Division III Player of the Week, posting 25 kills against No. 3 SUNY-New Paltz.

Defensively, Carthage is about as sound as opponents come, averaging 2.7 blocks per set and limiting opponents to a .170 attack percentage.

SLOW START BURNS DUHAWKS
Less than 24 hours after their heartbreaking loss to Lakeland, the Loras Men's Volleyball team continued their MCVL schedule against MSOE on Sunday. Facing a highly aggressive and potent offense, the Duhawks were taken out of their zone, falling in three sets (25-15, 25-12, 25-20). The key to the Raiders' success was their ability to swing away at will with little to no opposition at the net. With a team attack percentage of .528, MSOE cruised to the three-set win.

HEARTBREAKER ON SENIOR NIGHT
Playing in their last home contest in their inaugural season, the Loras Men's Volleball team suffered a 3-2 setback to Lakeland College on Saturday night. Freshman TJ Esporas led Loras' attack with 15 kills, but it wasn't enough to combat the multiple attack front from the Muskies. After dropping the first set, Loras responded in a strong way, taking sets two and three. Lakeland then returned the favor and powered back to take sets four and five.

ENDING SEASON ON A HIGH NOTE
With just two games remaining in their inaugural season, Loras will look to finish on a high note. Their play has significantly progressed over the course of the season as the team has grown accustomed to each other's playing styles and the coaching from Jeremy Thornburg. While the playoffs won't be in the picture for Loras this year, they have significantly take steps towards a strong future with what they have accomplished in year one.

DIVISION I IPFW TOO MUCH FOR THE DUHAWKS TO HANDLE
Returning to Fort Wayne, Indiana on the opposing side for the first time, head coach Jeremy Thornburg and the Duhawks fought the nationally-ranked Mastadons of IPFW. Thornburg's alma mater proved to be too balanced, and too much for the Duhawks to handle as they fell in straight sets. "A lot of these guys have three and half years of playing left," Thornburg said. "I think we can learn a lot from this experience going forward. By the time these freshmen are seniors, I hope this is something we all can look back and reflect on."

DUHAWKS NOTCH PROGRAMS FIRST WINS
Loras took full advantage of the opportunities in Friday's matches with NAIA opponents Trinity International and Calumet College of St. Joseph. The Duhawks jumped all over the Trojans, winning the first set 25-12. Loras used a season-best .339 kill percentage to oust the Trojans in four sets (3-1). After a short break, the Duhawks returned with energy and excitement against Calumet College of St. Joseph. Loras' energy and confidence was unmatched, fueling the Duhawks to the sweep of the Crimson Wave (3-0), to finish the Trinity International Triangular an unblemished 2-0.