Milwaukee at Cleveland State Matchup Highlights Weekend's Volleyball Schedule

Seven conference volleyball matches are on the slate this weekend in the Horizon League, but all eyes will be on Woodling Gym in Cleveland, Ohio Friday night when Milwaukee (11-4, 4-0) and Cleveland State (10-4, 3-0) faceoff in a matchup of the two teams that enter the weekend undefeated in conference play.

The Panthers, last season’s regular season champions who are looking for their eighth regular season title in nine years, are led offensively by sophomore Rachel Neuberger and senior Kerri Schuh. Neuberger, last season’s Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, has a league-best .357 hitting percentage with 154 kills. Schuh, last season’s Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year, has 202 kills on the season and ranks third in the league averaging 3.67 kills per set.

The Vikings also have a potent offense, led by junior Kara Koch, who has 197 kills this season and leads the league with an average of 4.10 kills per set. In Cleveland State’s three conference matches to date, Koch has 47 kills and is averaging 5.22 kills per set. CSU also features sophomore Jackie Dabbelt (.348) and junior Marie Frease (.324), who rank second and fourth in the conference in hitting percentage.

The winner of the Milwaukee-Cleveland State match will have the early edge on the rest of the league for hosting the season-ending Horizon League Tournament (Nov. 18-20 at the site of the regular season champion), where the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament is determined. The match begins at 7 p.m. and will be shown on the Horizon League Network.

Here’s a quick look at the rest of the action around the league. All seven conference matches this weekend can be viewed on the Horizon League Network.

Butler (5-10, 1-2) at UIC (9-5, 2-1) – Friday at 8 p.m. ET

The Flames come into this weekend winners of three straight matches, including victories in two conference road matches last weekend over Loyola and Green Bay. UIC is the only Horizon League team that has had two different players named offensive player of the week, Kelsey Safranek and Sara Sternard. Safranek is second in the league with 202 kills, while Sternard has a .500 hitting percentage with only one error in the Flames' three conference matches. Butler, the defending Horizon League tournament champion but one of the youngest teams in the league with only one senior on the roster, has struggled to overcome its inexperience in the early season.

Green Bay (5-10, 1-2) at Loyola (3-9, 0-3) – Friday at 8 p.m. ET

Loyola's first-year head coach, Chris Muscat, has a very young Ramblers squad playing better than their record would indicate. Loyola's 0-3 conference start has come at the hands of Milwaukee, UIC and Valparaiso, teams that are a combined 8-2 in the league thus far. Freshmen Laura Purcell and Vicki Wrobel have gotten off to good starts in their rookie campaigns. Purcell is ranked fifth in the league in conference play averaging 3.6 kills per set, while Wrobel is averaging 9.27 assists per set on the season and also leads the league in service aces with a 0.44 per set average. Green Bay got its first league victory last Friday as the Phoenix shocked Valparaiso, 3-0. Junior Brittany Groth earned defensive player of the week honors last week with her 37-dig effort in the team’s five-set loss to UIC.

Wright State (2-13, 1-2) at Valparaiso (11-6, 2-1) – Friday at 8 p.m. ET

The Crusaders, who rebounded from their tough loss to Green Bay by sweeping Loyola last Saturday, have won four of their last six matches heading into the weekend. Freshman Morgan Beil has led Valparaiso's attack in conference play with 23 kills and an attack percentage of .422. For Wright State, the conference season to date has been a case of feast or famine. The Raiders opened league play with a sweep of Youngstown State, but have since been swept by both Cleveland State and Milwaukee. Wright State is led by sophomore Heidi Splinter, who has 156 kills.

Milwaukee (11-4, 4-0) at Youngstown State (1-14, 0-3) – Saturday at 2 p.m. ET

Youngstown State is led by Missy Hundelt and Jackie Carlisle. Hundelt has 179 kills and 104 digs on the season, while Carlisle has 165 kills. Milwaukee pairs a solid defense with its potent offense. The Panthers have held opponents to a .180 hitting percentage through 15 matches. Senior Morgan Potter is third in the league with 247 kills.

Wright State (2-13, 1-2) at UIC (9-5, 2-1) – Saturday at 5 p.m. ET

UIC ranks third in the conference with a .209 hitting percentage and fourth in the conference in opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to just a .193 hitting percentage. With only two seniors on the roster, Wright State joins Butler and Loyola as one of the youngest teams in the league.

Butler (5-10, 1-2) at Valparaiso (11-6, 2-1) – Saturday at 6 p.m. ET

Valparaiso has been the best defensive team in the league in the early part of the season. The Crusaders hold their opponents to a league-best .158 hitting percentage and also lead the league in blocks (2.3 per set) and digs (17.66 per set). Butler is led by underclassmen in almost every statistical category. Freshmen lead the team in kills (Kelly Kyle with 152) and digs (Brooke Ruffolo with 184 digs); sophomore Maggie Harbison leads the team in blocks with 47; and junior Gina Vera tops the team in assists with 499.