DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras women's volleyball team returns to the comforts of the Athletic & Wellness Center to host cross-town rival University of Dubuque on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. Following their IIAC home opener, the Duhawks travel to Waverly, Iowa this weekend to participate in the IIAC-NACC Crossover Challenge, playing a total of four matches split between Friday and Saturday.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

Dubuque heads into its matchup with Loras holding a 6–6 overall record and 0–1 in the Iowa Conference following a 3–1 road defeat to Luther on Sept. 13. The Spartans are led offensively by junior Karrah Davis, who has posted 160 kills and owns 3.64 kills per set average in 2016. Junior Alyssa Cose facilitates the Dubuque offense and has dished out 383 assists as the Spartans primary setter.

SERIES HISTORY VERSUS DUBUQUE

Since 2001, the Duhawks are 11–6 all-time against Dubuque, winning their most recent matchup on the road 3–0 to culminate the 2015 regular season. In Loras' sweep of the Spartans, Jenna LaCorte led the team with 11 kills and Liz Jendra posted a double-double, tallying 10 kills and 11 digs.

PREVIEWING THE IIAC-NACC CROSSOVER CHALLENGE

This weekend, Loras travels to Waverly for the annual Iowa Conference-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Crossover Challenge. Beginning in 2013, eight teams from each conference meet with the top four teams from the previous season competing at one location while those teams that finished in fifth through eighth place compete at a separate location. The Duhawks will face Edgewood and Dominican on Friday before seeing Lakeland and Concordia Wisconsin on Saturday. Last season, Edgewood claimed the regular season title, finishing 11–0 in conference play, but were upended in the conference tournament by Dominican.

KUHN KEY IN RETURN TO ACTION

In the Duhawks 3–1 loss to Cornell on Thursday, sophomore Reilly Kuhn recorded two kills and three digs in two sets in her first major action of the 2016 campaign. Kuhn provided a spark off the bench, helping the Duhawks take the third set from the Rams to force a fourth game. In 2015, Kuhn totaled 13 kills in 11 sets before suffering a season-ending knee injury in early September.

HALEY MAKES HISTORY

With over 54 digs this past week, junior Haley Bergan solidified her spot in Loras history, moving into second all-time in digs. Bergan's total now stands at 1,343, trailing Michelle Bahl's mark of 1,817, which she set from 2006–2009, averaging 3.96 per set. Bahl's senior year saw her total 539 digs, the most in her four-year career. Comparatively, Bergan reached the 535 mark as a freshman and as a sophomore added 661 digs. In 264 sets throughout her career, Bergan averages 5.01 digs per set. Having played 24 of 40 sets on the season, Bergan does not qualify for NCAA Division III rankings in digs per set, as they require 66.7 percent of sets to be played for consideration. However, her clip of 6.13 hovers her 12th spot in all of Division III.

FRESHMEN RISING TO THE OCCASION 

This year's freshmen class has been quick to learn the system and find ways to contribute early. Freshman Kelly Boge has appeared in all 40 sets this season, is second on the team in kills with 72 and is second in blocks with 20. The other half of the Hazel Green connection,  freshman Michelle Budden, has played a key role at the net, totaling 39 kills along with a .232 attack percentage, which ranks first on the team.

KENNEDY AT THE NET

With 40 total blocks through the first 11 matches, senior Danni Kennedy leads the Duhawks and ranks 55th in Division III while checking in at fifth in the Iowa Conference. Kennedy started the season with nine blocks against UW-Stout, a mark which she reached twice last season. Since then, she has averaged one block per set.