MATCH #20
UIC | Friday, October 20 | 6:00 pm
Live Stats | Live Video
MATCH #21
Milwaukee | Satuday, October 21 | 4:00 pm
Live Stats | Live Video
CLEVELAND STATE MATCH NOTES vs. UIC/MILWAUKEE
QUICK SETS
The Cleveland State volleyball team will begin the second half of the Horizon League slate this weekend, welcoming UIC and Milwaukee to Woodling Gymnasium. Entering the weekend, Cleveland State stands at 12-7 overall and 5-3 in Horizon League play after picking up back-to-back wins last week. Cleveland State will host UIC at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 20 and will then face Milwaukee at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 21.
THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS
UIC | The Flames enter the weekend with an overall record of 13-8 and own a 4-4 record in Horizon League play. After going 3-1 to start #HLVB play, the Flames have gone 1-3 over their last four matches, and are currently on a two-match losing skid entering Friday's contest. At 4-4, UIC ranks fifth in the league standings heading into the second half of the league slate.
Milwaukee | The Panthers enter the weekend standing at 10-12 overall this year and 3-5 in Horizon League play. Last time out, Milwaukee picked up back-to-back wins against Youngstown State and Wright State, and will take on Oakland prior to Saturday's match against the Vikings. With a 3-5 record, the Panthers currently stand in seventh place in the #HLVB standings.
VIKING VOLLEY FOR THE CURE
Friday's match against UIC will be Cleveland State's annual 'Volley For The Cure' match, as the Vikings will join forces with CSU Health and Wellness and Cleveland State CAB in the fight against cancer. The Vikings will be wearing special edition pink jerseys and will be raising funds for the fight against cancer with a silent auction on the game-worn pink jerseys. All fans are encouraged to wear pink!
CSU BEGINS SECOND HALF OF #HLVB PLAY
This weekend's matches against UIC and Milwaukee will mark the start of the second half of Horizon League play, with the Vikings wrapping up the first part of the 16-match schedule with a 5-3 record. Cleveland State currently sits in third place in the Horizon League standings, just one match out of first place.
MIDDLEBROOKS CHASING 1,000 KILLS
After averaging 3.37 kills per set last week, senior Alexis Middlebrooks is now just 17 kills shy of recording her 1,000th career kill. Middlebrooks, who enters Friday's match against UIC with 983 career kills, would become the 16th Viking all-time to achieve the feat, and the first since the 2015 season. For the year, Middlebrooks ranks eighth among league players averaging 3.25 kills per set and has tallied 211 total kills through 19 matches.
…IMPROVES CAREER BLOCKING MARKS
With 13 combined blocks against Northern Kentucky and Green Bay last week, senior Alexis Middlebrooks became just the sixth Viking all-time to eclipse the 400-block mark for her career, entering the second half of #HLVB play with 410 total career blocks. Middlebrooks, who is averaging 0.98 blocks per set this season, ranks sixth in the CSU Career Record Book with her 410 total career blocks and is just 10 blocks shy of moving into fifth place on the list.
DeGEORGE HAVING STRONG ROOKIE CAMPAIGN
Freshman outside hitter Emily DeGeorge has been having an excellent first season at Cleveland State, appearing in all 19 matches and picking up a starting spot in 13 of them. For the season, DeGeorge is averaging 1.62 kills per set and 2.75 digs per set, and has been playing as an all-around player for the majority of the contests. DeGeorge is one of two Vikings to record a double-double this season (currently has four), including one against Green Bay last time out with 11 kills and 11 digs.
KILNER CLOSING IN ON 4,000 CAREER ASSISTS
Entering this weekend's matches senior Gina Kilner is closing in on 4,000 career assists, entering Friday's match against UIC with 3,994 helpers. Kilner, who ranks third in the Horizon League averaging 10.89 assists per set this season, would become the fifth Viking all-time to surpass 4,000 career assists. Among Horizon League players, Kilner would be just the second setter to eclipse the 4,000-assist mark (Nicole Johnson, UIC).
HIGH POWERED OFFENSE
Entering the second half of the Horizon League slate, Cleveland State continues to lead the league in all three major offensive statistical categories; hitting percentage (.254), kills (14.03) and assists (13.33). So far this season the Vikings have recorded a .250 clip during nine matches, including a season-high mark of .381 against Indiana State (47-10-97). If the season were to end today, the .254 hitting percentage would rank second in the CSU Record Book, and would be just the third time in program history that the Vikings recorded a .250 clip or higher during a season (2012 - .257 & 2016 - .250).
…GREGA CONTINUES CLIMB UP CSU CAREER RECORD BOOK
After combining for 28 digs in the two wins last week, senior Shannon Grega eclipsed the 1,275-dig mark for her career, becoming just the fourth Viking all-time to achieve the feat. Grega enters the second half of league play with 1,276 career digs, and currently ranks third among league players averaging 4.55 digs per set.
…CONTINUES TO INCH CLOSER TO SERVICE ACES TOP-10
Shannon Grega has also been strong from the service line this season, as she enters the week leading the Horizon League averaging 0.45 service aces per set. Grega, who recorded two aces against Northern Kentucky and Green Bay last week, has 96 on her career and is inching closer to a spot on the top-10 list in the CSU Career Record Book. For the season Grega has 33 aces - the first Viking to notch 30+ aces in a season since the 2011 season - and still has at least eight matches left to play this year.
KILNER NOTCHES TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Earlier this season, senior setter Gina Kilner recorded the first triple-double of her career, posting 46 assists, 14 digs and 10 kills against IUPUI. Kilner, who is just the fourth Viking to record a triple-double under head coach Chuck Voss, is the second #HLVB player to achieve the feat this season (Jordan Lentz, Oakland) and just one of 25 players nationally.
2017 WEEKLY #HLVB HONORS
So far this season the Vikings have been honored twice by the Horizon League, as senior setter Gina Kilner was named the #HLVB Offensive Player of the Week on September 11 and senior libero Shannon Grega was named the #HLVB Defensive Player of the Week on October 9.
HEAD COACH CHUCK VOSS
Chuck Voss is in his 18th season at the helm of the Vikings, and owns a 327-202 (.618) overall record at CSU. Under Voss the Vikings have recorded 14 winning seasons, including eight straight entering the 2017 season. Cleveland State has eclipsed the 20-win mark seven times since Voss took over the program, and has captured Horizon League Tournament titles four times (2007, 2012, 2015 & 2016) under his guidance. Last season Voss became the all-time winningest coach in program history while also eclipsing the 300-win mark for his Cleveland State career - becoming the only active Horizon League coach to achieve the feat at their current school.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will return to the road next week, traveling to Wright State (Friday, October 27) and IUPUI (Saturday, October 28).
