ALL TIME VERSUS MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
Loras is 0-2 all-time versus Mount St. Joseph with both defeats coming during the 2015 campaign.

LAST TIME VERSUS MOUNT ST. JOSEPH
The Duhawks have taken a set off of the Lions, whom spent a majority of 2015 inside the AVCA's Top 15 poll, in both of their previous match-ups. In their most recent contest, played at home on Mar. 14, Loras got out to a fast start, claiming set one by a score of 25-21 before dropping the next three sets to MSJ. For the Duhawks, Blair Anderson led the defensive effort recording 17 digs in four sets while Jimmy Combs posted six kills and four blocks to pace the Loras attack.

SCOUTING THE LIONS
Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, the Lions have proven to be strong performers this season in both the MCVL conference and on the NCAA Division III national landscape. MSJ comes into this weekend's slate of games with a 12-5 overall record and a 4-2 mark in conference play. Most recently, the Lions are coming off an east coast swing in which they posted victories versus MCVL opponents Adrian and Olivet along with a five-set win over No. 5 Nazareth. Offensively, MSJ's key performer has been outside hitter Alex Vohland, who leads the MCVL in kills with 234 on the season. Vohland's success can also be attributed to his running mate, setter Nathan Herdeman, whose 618 assists rank second in the conference.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Although Wittenberg is in its first year of NCAA competition, the Tigers have enjoyed immediate success under head coach Evan Amstutz. With over half of the season in the books, Wittenberg currently boasts a 12-5 overall record and is 2-4 in the competitive MCVL. Additionally, the Tigers are riding a four-game winning streak headed into this weekend's round of matches. Standout performers for Wittenberg in 2016 have been middle hitters Matt Briskey and Ashton Sellers, whose 412. and .405 hitting percentages respectively rank second and third in the conference.

SCOUTING THE BRAVES
Playing a schedule of predominantly strong NAIA competition, the Ottawa men's volleyball program has struggled in its' inaugural season. The Braves currently sit with a record of 3-17 before this weekend's string of matches, which will feature four games in three days for Ottawa. Their matchup with Loras will be the second of back-to-back matches on March 12 as they will take on Calumet-St. Joseph earlier in the day. For the Braves, outside hitter Daniel Jacobs is the focal point of their offense as his 485 kills and 6.47 kills/set lead the NAIA in both categories.

PASSING GAME IS THE KEY
In each of Loras' wins this season, the passing game has been on point, recording at least 30 digs in each match. The defensive play of both the outsides and defensive specialists allow teams to turn opponent attacks into scoring opportunities.

ANDERSON A FORCE ON DEFENSE
Heading into three games this weekend, sophomore Blair Anderson has been a steady presence on defense for the Duhawks. The Naramata, British Columbia native has notched 101 digs this season, which ranks first on the team. Anderson's steady presence on defense will be a crucial aspect of the team's success in the final eight regular season matches.

LOPEZ LIKES ACES
Freshman Alfredo Lopez has been a solid addition to the Duhawk lineup in 2016. With 19 service aces through 16 matches, Lopez has a slim advantage for the team lead. In matches where Lopez records more than one service aces, the Duhawks are 4-1. Back on Jan. 30, Lopez set the program record for aces in a match with seven. While his aggressive serving can lead to service errors, the benefits outweigh the risks in the overall team strategy.

KUCHENBECKER EARNS FRIEDMAN NOD
Freshman Austin Kuchenbecker earned his first Friedman Group Player of the Game nod this past weekend in the Duhawks 3-0 loss to Lakeland. Kuchenbecker recorded four kills, three digs and an assist on the afternoon, providing strong play over each of his three sets played. In 2016, Kuchenbecker has proven to be one of the top blocking middle hitters on the team, recording a total of 20 blocks in 30 sets. In conference play, Kuchenbecker leads the team with 17 blocks, a mark which ranks 17th in the MCVL.