After four weeks of non-conference play, the eight Horizon League volleyball teams being conference play with six matches on the docket for the weekend.
Friday, September 27
7:00 Cleveland State at Youngstown State – HLN
League play opens Friday night at 7:00 when Youngstown State hosts Cleveland State at the Beeghly Center. The Penguins will enter the contest on a season-best three-match winning streak, following a four-set win at Robert Morris on Tuesday. The win evened YSU's record at 7-7 against a tough non-conference schedule. Cleveland State enters League play with a 10-3 mark and has won six of its last seven matches. The defending League champions are without last season’s Player of the Year Kara Koch, but junior Maggie Hannon has picked up right where Koch left off last season. Hannon enters League play leading the conference in hitting percentage (.384) and kills per set (3.53).
8:00 Wright State at Green Bay – HLN
After a disappointing 2012 season, Wright State has rebounded with a nice start to the 2013 season. The Raiders already have four more wins this season than they did all of last season. The Raiders are paced by senior Heidi Splinter, who leads the team and ranks second in the conference in kills per set with 3.36 (205 kills). Freshman Emily Meng has played a key role in Splinter’s strong start, leading all Horizon League players in assists (603). Green Bay looks to regain momentum in its season as conference play opens. The Phoenix opened the season with a 4-2 record, including a tournament championship at the Auburn Active Ankle Challenge, but GB enters League play having lost five of its last six matches. Green Bay has two players in the Horizon League’s top-10 in kills per set, as freshman Shannon Hurley ranks fourth (3.24) and senior Leah Van Zeeland ranks sixth (3.07). Hurley’s 23 kills in Green Bay’s win at Auburn Sept. 5 are the most any league player has had in a match this year.
8:00 Oakland at Milwaukee – HLN
Oakland plays its first Horizon League volleyball contest in program history Friday night when it visits Milwaukee to take on the Panthers. Oakland (6-8) has been led by sophomore Amanda Baker, who ranks among league leaders in hitting percentage (.266) and kills (133), and junior Taylor Humm who ranks eighth in the conference with an average of 3.39 digs per set. Milwaukee, preseason picked third in the conference, hopes that a tough non-conference schedule pays dividends in League play. UWM has played four teams in the early portion of its schedule that have at least received votes in the national rankings. On September 21st, Milwaukee played fourth-ranked Florida which was the highest ranked squad a UWM team has ever faced. The Panthers are fielding an extremely young team in 2013. The roster has just one senior on it and five freshmen and sophomores are receiving extensive playing time.
Saturday, September 28
3:00 Valparaiso at UIC – HLN
Valparaiso, the preseason favorite in the Horizon League, enters conference play with a League-best 11-3 record. The Crusaders won their first eight matches of the season to tie for the best start in program history. Valpo has been propelled by a stingy defense in the first four weeks of the season as the Crusaders have a League-best .148 opponent’s hitting percentage. UIC has gotten off to a slow start in the 2013 season as the Flames – who advanced to the championship match of the Horizon League tournament last season – lost most of their top offensive players from last season. The young Flames still have senior MaryKate Imrie, who leads the league in assists (10.45/set) and senior Justine Garcia who ranks among League leaders in digs per set. Freshman Kara Johnson leads UIC with 175 kills.
Also on Saturday…
5:00 Oakland at Green Bay – HLN
5:00 Wright State at Milwaukee – HLN
