Final Stats

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Cleveland State volleyball team recorded its ninth three-set sweep of the season Friday evening, earning a 3-0 victory over Youngstown State. Friday's win improved CSU's overall record to 14-6, while the Vikings end the first half of Horizon League play with a 6-1 mark. YSU falls to 12-9 on the year, and 2-5 in league play.

Set scores against the Penguins were 25-13, 25-14, 25-14.

"Tonight was a great win for us, this season we have always been ready to play on the road and I thought we looked really sharp tonight on offense and defense," head coach Chuck Voss said. "Kara had some powerful kills for us tonight, and she knows that she only has a month or so left as a Viking so she really brings it every day in practice and in matches."

Kara Koch had a team-high 11 kills against the Penguins, while Marie Frease tallied nine, Kerry Winchester added seven and Maggie Hannon posted six. Dayna Roberts recorded 31 assists, with Amanda Medvetz leading the CSU defense with 11 digs. Jackie Dabbelt, Hannon, Frease, Roberts and Winchester each tallied two blocks at YSU. 

With her 11 kills against YSU, Koch now ranks second all-time at CSU with 1,424 career kills. Koch surpassed Tenille Whiteside (1993-96) who recorded 1,416 kills during her time as a Viking with her first kill of the second set.

Youngstown State held an early lead during the opening set, but that did not last long, as the Vikings posted seven straight points to gain a 9-4 lead. CSU rattled off consecutive points multiple times throughout the remainder of the first frame, earning the 25-13 win on a Winchester kill and a Penguin error.

The second set was much like the first, as the Vikings notched four straight points early on, to gain a 9-3 advantage forcing an early YSU timeout. CSU held at least a five-point lead throughout the rest of the frame, including 11-point leads three times (19-8, 20-9, 23-12). The Penguins were able to fight off the first set point during the second frame, but Koch responded with her eighth kill of the match to put the set away.

The Penguins came out strong during the final set, as both teams battled back and forth for the first part of the frame until CSU was able to earn a four-point lead (11-7) on a Koch kill. The Vikings held the advantage for the rest of the set, closing out the match with three straight points, which included two YSU errors and another Koch kill.

"After spending most of the first half of the league schedule on the road we are certainly ready to play some home matches. I think we looked great in all of our road contests, and we are playing with a lot of confidence right now. We definitely have some things to improve on and work on, but I like where the team is at right now," Voss said.

Cleveland State will return home next weekend, hosting Milwaukee and Green Bay in a pair of Horizon League contests. The Vikings will open the weekend on Friday (Oct. 19), hosting the Panthers at 7:00 p.m.