Horizon League Volleyball Semifinals (Nov. 22)
(1) Oakland 3, (4) Youngstown State 0
(2) Milwaukee 3, (3) Valparaiso 0
(1) Oakland 3, (4) Youngstown State 0
The regular season champion Golden Grizzlies advanced to the tournament championship with a three-set sweep of Youngstown State in the first semifinal.
Oakland's defense dominated in the match as they held Youngstown State to a negative hitting percentage in the first two sets to set the tone. The Penguins had 16 kills against 19 attack errors and finished the match with a .040 attack percentage.
Oakland finished with 14 blocks in the match as Amanda Baker led the team with eight block assists. Cassie Pelloni finished with two solo blocks and three block assists, while adding nine kills.
The Golden Grizzlies were also lethal on the serve as they finished the match with 11 service aces. Sammy Condon and Ciara Schultz both had four service aces.
Condon led the Golden Grizzlies with 11 kills on a .421 attack percentage. Jessica Dood added nine kills and five blocks. Melissa Deatsch and Taylor Humm had 10 digs each>Y
Youngstown State was led by senior Shannon Watson who had 11 of YSU's 26 kills. Senior Lexi Egler had a match-best 11 digs.
(2) Milwaukee 3, (3) Valparaiso 0
Milwaukee rode a red hot offense to a three-set sweep of Valparaiso in the second semifinal.
The Panthers hit .352 for the match and had five different players record five or more kills, while Valparaiso was limited to a .111 attack percentage.The match was tied at 14 in the first set, but Milwaukee ran off five of the next six points and never looked back to capture the set, 25-20. UWM took the momentum from the end of the first set into the second set as the Panthers ran out to a 14-3 lead en route to winning the set, 25-10. In the third set, Valparaiso had a 12-11 lead, but a 6-0 run from Milwaukee gave the Panthers a lead they would never reliniquish.
All-League senior Julie Kolinske had a match-high 17 kills in the match as she hit .452 and also had a team-high five blocks. Maggie Dunbar and Myanna Ruiz each had nine kills, Nicole Latzig added seven kills and Kaisa Mattson had five. Setter Kayla Price had a double-double with 39 assists and 11 digs. Senior Taylor Golabowski led the Panthers with a match-high 18 digs.
Valparaiso was led by Emily Campbell who had 11 kills and Morganne Longoria with 12 digs.
