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MATCH 23
Cleveland State (16-6, 8-1 HL) at UIC (13-11, 6-3 HL)
Friday, Oct. 26, 2012
8:00 p.m. EST
Chicago, Ill.
MATCH 24
Cleveland State at Loyola (15-7, 7-2 HL)
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012
4:00 p.m. EST
Chicago, Ill.
QUICK SETS
Cleveland State (16-6, 8-1) hits the road for the final time during Horizon League play this weekend, traveling to Chicago, Ill. for two matches. CSU will first face UIC at 8:00 p.m. EST on Friday (Oct. 26) and will then face Loyola at 4:00 p.m. EST on Saturday (Oct. 27). The Vikings enter the weekend on a six-match win streak following 3-0 sweeps over Milwaukee and Green Bay last weekend. CSU currently stands in first place in the league standings with an 8-1 mark, while Loyola (7-2) is second and UIC (6-3) is tied for third.
THE OPPONENTS
UIC (13-11, 6-3) enters the week having won five out of its last six matches and will face Chicago State prior to the contest with CSU on Friday. Last weekend the Flames split their league contests, defeating Wright State (3-0) and falling to Valparaiso (3-1). UIC setter MaryKate Imrie leads the league averaging 10.95 assists per set, while Janise Dismuke ranks second with a .336 hitting percentage.
LOYOLA (15-7, 7-2) enters the week having won six of its last seven contests, most recently defeating Valparaiso (3-2) and Wright State (3-2). The Ramblers currently sit in second place in the league standings, just one match behind CSU. As a team, Loyola leads the league averaging 1.48 service aces per set, while Kathleen Vogel (0.33) and Vicki Wrobel (0.31) rank first and second, respectfully, as individuals.
CSU VS. THE OPPONENTS
Cleveland State split its matches against the Chicago teams earlier this season, defeating UIC (3-0) and falling to Loyola (0-3). Both teams hold the edge in the overall series; UIC (41-23) and Loyola (28-12), but CSU has been the dominant team over the past four seasons winning eight of nine against UIC and five of seven against Loyola.
VIKINGS SWEEP MILWAUKEE
For the first time under head coach Chuck Voss, the Vikings won both contests against Milwaukee during regular season play following last weekend's 3-0 sweep of the Panthers. Prior to this year, Milwaukee had won seven straight against the Vikings, with CSU's last win coming during the 2009 season (Oct. 10, 2009).
KOCH TAKES OVER FIRST PLACE
Following 22 attack attempts against Milwaukee and 41 against Green Bay, senior Kara Koch now holds the CSU record for career attack attempts, entering the week with 3,982. Koch surpassed Tenille Whiteside (1993-96) who notched 3,960 attack attempts during her time as a Viking. She is also now just 67 attack attempts shy of cracking the top-10 all-time list in Horizon League history.
HANNON HAS EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AGAINST MILWAUKEE
Maggie Hannon had one of her best matches in a Viking uniform last weekend against Milwaukee, posting 10 kills on a .714 hitting percentage (10-0-14), seven blocks and a service ace. Midway through the third set Hannon was a perfect 8-for-8, before recording her first attack attempt that did not result in a kill. Both, the 10 kills and seven blocks were just one shy of career-highs for Hannon.
VIKINGS REMAIN IN FIRST PLACE IN LEAGUE STANDINGS
CSU enters the week with an 8-1 league record and in first place in the league standings. CSU's lone blemish on its league record comes as a 3-0 loss to Loyola, who the Vikings will face again this Saturday. The Vikings ended the first half of league play with a 6-1 record, marking the fourth time under head coach Chuck Voss that the Vikings finished the first part of league play with just one loss, also doing so during the 2011, 2009 and 2007 seasons.
KOCH RANKS SECOND ON CAREER KILLS LIST
Following a 21-kill weekend, Kara Koch remains in second place on the CSU career kills list, entering the week with 1,445. Koch is one of just three Vikings to post at least 1,400 kills on their career, and enters the week with a team-high 369 kills on the season. She currently sits behind Jamie Bouyer (2001-04) who tallied a CSU record, 1,626 kills during her career.
...AND CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER DIGS
Koch, who has posted 10 double-doubles on the season and 34 on her career, is also closing in on 1,000 career digs, entering the week with 937. With five matches left in the regular season, Koch needs to average 12.6 digs per contest to reach the 1,000 dig milestone. She would become the fifth Viking all-time to tally both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs on their career, joining Tenille Whiteside, Deirdre Laney, Michelle Iafigliola and Amy Ludwig.
CHASING THE RECORDS
Entering the second half of league play, three Vikings are in the top-10 on CSU career record lists, including senior Kara Koch who ranks in five categories. Koch ranks in the top-10 in Attack Attempts (1st-3,982), Kills Per Set (2nd-3.71), Kills (2nd-1,445), Points Per Set (2nd-4.13) and Total Points (2nd-1,609.5). Senior Marie Frease (3rd-.323) and junior Jackie Dabbelt (7th-.287) both rank in the top-10 in Hitting Percentage.
KOCH HOLDS STRONG IN NCAA STATISTICS
Entering the week Kara Koch ranks fourth in the Nation in kills per set, averaging 4.73. Koch, who has 369 total kills on the year, trails only Tyler Henderson of Tulsa (5.24), Edina Begic of UALR (5.16) and Lola Arslanbekova of Louisville (5.03). Koch is one of just two Horizon League players to rank in the top-25, joined by Anna Eytchison of Loyola who ranks 24th (4.28 kills per set).
VIKINGS NOTCH PROGRAM WIN #700
With the 3-0 victory over UIC (9/29) earlier this season, the Cleveland State volleyball team marked its 700th win in program history. To date, CSU has tallied 705 wins with 227 of them coming under head coach Chuck Voss' guidance. Cleveland State is the third Horizon League team to reach the 700-win mark, joining Milwaukee (996 wins) and Wright State (762).
VIKINGS PICK UP FOUR HORIZON LEAGUE WEEKLY AWARDS
Cleveland State has earned four weekly honors from the Horizon League so far this season, making the Vikings the only team with four weekly awards. 2012 Honorees: Kara Koch (Offensive POW-9/4 & 9/24), Marie Frease (Offensive POW-9/10) & Amanda Medvetz (Defensive POW-9/10).
UP NEXT
The Vikings will close out the regular season with a three-match homestand, beginning with two contests next week. CSU will first face Wright State at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2 and will then face Valparaiso at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. Saturday's contest versus the Crusaders will serve as Senior Day, as the Vikings will honor the 2012 senior class.
