MATCH #21
@ UIC | Friday, October 21 | 8:00 p.m. EST | Chicago, Ill.
Live Stats | Live Video

MATCH #22
@ Milwaukee | Saturday, October 22 | 5 :00 p.m. EST | Milwaukee, Wis.
Live Stats | Live Video 

CLEVELAND STATE @ UIC & MILWAUKEE MATCH NOTES

QUICK SETS
The Cleveland State volleyball team will begin the second half of Horizon League play this weekend, traveling to UIC and Milwaukee for a pair of road contests. The Vikings (16-4, 7-1) will open the weekend at UIC on Friday, October 21 before facing Milwaukee on Saturday, October 22.

ROAD WARRIORS
After the first half of Horizon League play, the Vikings stand at 4-0 on the road in league matches, and are the only team to be undefeated on the road in league play. Cleveland State's four road victories have come at Youngstown State, Northern Kentucky, Valparaiso, and Wright State, while the Vikings are 11-2 overall this season when playing away from Woodling Gymnasium.

VIKINGS REMAIN PERFECT DURING OCTOBER
With the 3-0 sweep at Wright State last time out, Cleveland State kept its record perfect during the month of October, as the Vikings stand at 5-0 since the start of the month. Since Chuck Voss became head coach in 2000, the Vikings have posted five straight wins to begin a month nine times. Over the past 16 seasons, Cleveland State has gone undefeated during a month four times, most recently going 7-0 during the month of October during the 2012 season.

…AND EXTEND WINSTREAK
Cleveland State's 3-0 victory at Wright State – its third straight sweep – also extended the Vikings' current winstreak to seven straight matches. This marks the eighth time that the Vikings have won at least seven consecutive matches under head coach Chuck Voss, with a program-best 13-match winstreak coming during the 2012 season. 

VIKINGS FINISH FIRST HALF OF LEAGUE PLAY IN TOP SPOT
Cleveland State wrapped up the first half of its Horizon League slate last time out, finishing the first part of the schedule with a 7-1 record and sitting at the top of the league standings. This marks the second straight season that the Vikings have finished the first half of league play with just one loss, and the sixth time overall under head coach Chuck Voss.

CHASING A 20-WIN SEASON
Entering the second half of Horizon League play, the Vikings are just four wins shy of their seventh 20-win season under head coach Chuck Voss, and their 16th 20-win season in program history. With four more wins, the Vikings will notch their second straight 20-win season, marking the fifth time that the Vikings have recorded back-to-back 20-win campaigns.

KAUTH CLOSING IN 1,200 CAREER DIGS
Senior Grace Kauth enters the second half of Horizon League play chasing down 1,200 career digs, entering the match at UIC with 1,124 digs on her career. With 76 more digs, Kauth will become just the fifth Viking all-time to reach the 1,200-dig milestone and would move into fifth place in the CSU Career Record book. For the season, Kauth is averaging 2.84 digs per set, a mark that ranks 10th among Horizon League players.  

…AND LOOKING TO MOVE UP CAREER KILLS LIST
Grace Kauth also enters the final part of the 2016 regular season looking to move up the CSU career kills list, entering Friday's match at UIC ranked fifth all-time with 1,317 kills on her career. Kauth, who leads the Horizon League averaging 3.64 kills per set, would become just the fourth Viking all-time to record 1,400 kills with 83 more kills this season. Kauth has notched double-digit kills during 16 matches this year, and has been Cleveland State's top offensive threat 13 times.

KILNER TAKES OVER TOP SPOT IN LEAGUE STANDINGS
After averaging 11.67 assists per set in a pair of wins last week, Gina Kilner took over the top spot in assists in the league standings, entering the week averaging a league-best 10.68 assists per set. Kilner has recorded 812 total assists this year, and ranks sixth in the CSU Career Record book with 2,759 helpers on her career. With 241 more assists, Kilner would become the sixth Viking all-time to join the 3,000-assist club, and would join current assistant coach Mel (Snyder) Badziong who finished her Viking career with 4,076 assists.

HIGH-POWERED OFFENSE
Once again, the Vikings enter the week at the top of the league standings in all three offensive categories, posting a league-best .254 hitting percentage, 13.91 kills per set, and 12.75 assists per set. After 20 matches, Cleveland State has six players with at least 100 kills on the season – a league-best – including a pair with 200+ kills in Grace Kauth (277 kills) and Alexis Middlebrooks (200). 

MIDDLEBROOKS NOTCHES 300 CAREER BLOCKS
After posting a team-best seven block assists against Green Bay earlier this season, junior Alexis Middlebrooks eclipsed the 300-block mark for her career, and enters Friday's contest at UIC with 303 total career blocks. Middlebrooks, who is averaging 0.99 blocks per set this season, earned a spot in the CSU Career Record book in block assists earlier this season, and enters the week ranked ninth with 270 career block assists. So far this season, Middlebrooks has tallied three or more total blocks in 12 matches, including a season-high of seven four times. 

…SLAPPY CLOSE BEHIND
Aaliyah Slappy is just shy of joining Alexis Middlebrooks in the 300-block club, as the senior enters Friday's contest against the Flames with 299 total career blocks. Slappy is averaging a team-best 1.12 blocks per set this season, and ranks third among league players in the category. After recording a career-high 10 blocks against Milwaukee earlier this season, Slappy joined Middlebrooks in the CSU Career Record book in block assists, and currently ranks 10th with 261 block assists.

VIKING DEFENSE AGAINST LEAGUE OPPONENTS
Through the first half of Horizon League play the Vikings have done an excellent job of shutting down their opponent's offense, as Cleveland State has held its opponents to a .176 hitting percentage over the first eight matches of league play. As a team, the Vikings have posted 73.0 total blocks against league opponents, including a season-high 18.0 team blocks against Milwaukee. In league matches only, Cleveland State is averaging 2.35 blocks per set, while Alexis Middlebrooks is averaging 1.23 blocks per set, and Aaliyah Slappy is averaging 0.94 blocks against league opponents.

UP NEXT
The Vikings will return home next weekend, hosting Valparaiso (Friday, October 28) and Northern Kentucky (Saturday, October 29) to continue Horizon League play.