MILWAUKEE – After a busy first week of action, three athletic teams headline This Week in Blue Angel Athletics for Sept. 6-12.

Soccer to Face Rival Alverno, Blackburn

The MMU soccer team began its 2021 season with three straight losses, but will look to get on track this week with a pair of big games on the docket. The Blue Angels will travel to crosstown rival Alverno for a midweek tilt, then host Blackburn as part of the Blue Angel Bash Saturday on MMU Soccer Field.

Freshman Brianna Brown (San Diego, Calif./Hoover) has seen plenty of activity in goal so far this season, tallying 50 saves in less than three games. Offensively, Mount Mary (0-3) is still looking to find its stride with just four total shots this year, one coming on-goal.

Alverno (1-0) won its season opener at Eureka Friday, as a Muriah Alejandrino goal in the 109^th minute broke the 1-1 deadlock with the host Red Devils. Shaye Wolf opened the scoring for the Inferno in the 11^th minute in unassisted fashion.

Blackburn (0-2) is also seeking its first win of the year, dropping contests to Johnson (Tenn.), 3-0, and Berea, 10-0, on opening weekend. The Beavers have taken just one shot on the year so far and goalkeeper Morgan Zobrist has 24 saves through the first two games.

UPDATE: Saturday's game against Blackburn has been postponed. A makeup date will be announced at a later time.

Blue Angel Bash Returns to Bloechl

Mount Mary will welcome seven volleyball teams to Bloechl Center this weekend for the annual two-day, 13-match Blue Angel Bash Friday and Saturday. MMU will welcome Eureka (Ill.), Lawrence, Maranatha Baptist, North Central (Minn.), Ripon, and Rockford for the two-day slate.

The Blue Angels have shown plenty of promise, despite its 0-5 start to the season. The Blue Angels nearly picked off crosstown rival Alverno in a wild five-setter last Wednesday, then saw some high-level play at the Forester invite in Lake Forest, Ill., over the weekend. Sophomore Brianna Ecker (Fond du Lac, Wis./Stockbridge) has led the Blue Angel offense with 2.22 kills per set thus far, freshman Emma White (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) has averaged 5.28 assists, and freshman Ava Ramos (San Antonio, Texas/Marshall) leads the defense with 4.00 digs per set.

MMU will debut the weekend against Rockford (1-2) and Ripon (3-2). The Regents are 1-2 on the year so far, most recently eking out a five-set win over Eureka Friday. The Red Hawks, meanwhile, went 3-1 at their own invitational last weekend, beating Finlandia, Northland, and Maranatha Baptist.

Saturday's slate features MMU against North Central (2-1) and Lawrence (0-3). NCU swept both Trinity Bible College and Oak Hills Christian at its home triangular Saturday after getting swept by Carleton Wednesday. The Vikings will pursue their first wins of the year at the Bash, falling to Saint Mary's (Ind.) Friday and Eureka and Illinois Tech Saturday.

Cross Country to Debut (for real this time) Saturday

After a bit of a false start last weekend, the MMU Cross Country squad will open its 2021 season on the campus of Concordia University-Wisconsin for the Ken Weidt Classic. The Blue Angels finished ninth of 11 teams at the Weidt Classic back in 2019, and this year's 6-kilometer race begins at 11:00 am.

On the Calendar

Wednesday, September 8

4:30 pm – Soccer @ Alverno (Alverno Soccer Field – Milwaukee, Wis.) 

Friday, September 10

1:00 pm – Volleyball v. Rockford (Bloechl Center)
7:30 pm – Volleyball v. Ripon (Bloechl Center) 

Saturday, September 11

10:00 am – Volleyball v. North Central (Bloechl Center)
11:00 am – Cross Country @ Ken Weidt Classic (CUW Campus – Mequon, Wis.)
2:00 pm – Soccer v. Blackburn (MMU Soccer Field) - POSTPONED
2:30 pm – Volleyball v. Lawrence (Bloechl Center)