MATCH #23
vs. Valparaiso | Friday, October 28 | 7:00 p.m. | Woodling Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video
MATCH #24
vs. Northern Kentucky | Saturday, October 29 | 4:00 p.m. | Woodling Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video
CLEVELAND STATE VS. VALPARAISO & NORTHERN KENTUCKY MATCH NOTES
QUICK SETS
After spending the last two weeks on the road, the Cleveland State volleyball team will return to Woodling Gymnasium this weekend, continuing Horizon League play against Valparaiso and Northern Kentucky. The Vikings (18-4, 9-1), who enter the weekend on a nine-match winstreak, will face Valparaiso at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 28 and will then take on Northern Kentucky at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 29.
ROAD WARRIORS
With just two road matches left this season, the Vikings stand at 6-0 on the road in league play, and are the only team to be undefeated on the road when facing league opponents. Cleveland State's six road victories have come at Youngstown State, Northern Kentucky, Valparaiso, Wright State, UIC, and Milwaukee, while the Vikings are 13-2 overall this season when playing away from Woodling Gymnasium.
VIKINGS REMAIN PERFECT DURING OCTOBER
With the two victories at UIC and Milwaukee last weekend, Cleveland State kept its record perfect during the month of October, as the Vikings stand at 7-0 since the start of the month. Since Chuck Voss became head coach in 2000, the Vikings have now posted seven straight wins to begin a month five 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 two wins last time out also extended the Vikings' current winstreak to nine straight matches. This marks the seventh time that the Vikings have won at least nine consecutive matches under head coach Chuck Voss, with a program-best 13-match winstreak coming during the 2012 season.
VIKINGS REMAIN AT TOP OF LEAGUE STANDINGS
Cleveland State extended its lead over Horizon League opponents with its two wins last weekend, as the Vikings enter Friday's contest at the top of the league standings with a 9-1 record. The Vikings are currently two matches ahead of second place teams Green Bay, Oakland, and Northern Kentucky - and have yet to face all three of those teams during the second half of league play.
CHASING A 20-WIN SEASON
Entering the weekend, the Vikings are just two wins shy of their seventh 20-win season under head coach Chuck Voss, and their 16th 20-win season in program history. With two 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.
MIDDLEBROOKS CONTINUES CLIMB UP CSU RECORD BOOK
After averaging 1.00 blocks per set in Cleveland State's two victories last weekend, Alexis Middlebrooks moved into eighth place in the CSU Career Record book with 278 career block assists. Middlebrooks, who notched three block assists against UIC and followed that up with five at Milwaukee, has now tallied three or more blocks during 14 matches this year, including a season-high of seven four times. Entering Friday's match against Valparaiso, Middlebrooks is 11 block assists shy of moving into seventh place in the CSU Career Record book.
VIKING DUO NOTCHES 300-BLOCK CAREERS
For just the fourth time under head coach Chuck Voss, two Vikings on the same team have eclipsed the 300 block mark for their career, as Aaliyah Slappy joined Alexis Middlebrooks in the exclusive club last weekend. Slappy, who averaged 1.89 blocks per set in the victories at UIC and Milwaukee, finished the weekend with 316 total blocks on her career. For the season, Slappy ranks second in the Horizon League averaging 1.21 blocks per set, and is just one block shy of notching her second straight 100+ block season.
KILNER TRACKING 3,000 CAREER ASSISTS
Following a 53-assist performance at Milwaukee last time out, junior Gina Kilner eclipsed the 2,800-assist mark for her career, and enters Friday's contest ranked sixth in the CSU Career Record book with 2,846 helpers. Kilner, who ranks third in the Horizon League averaging 10.58 assists per set, is just 154 assists shy of becoming the sixth Viking all-time to record 3,000 career assists. For the season, Kilner has recorded 899 total assists, and has notched five 50+ assist matches this season.
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 .250 hitting percentage, 13.80 kills per set, and 12.67 assists per set. After 22 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 (310 kills) and Alexis Middlebrooks (222).
KAUTH CLOSING IN ON 1,200 CAREER DIGS
Senior Grace Kauth enters Friday's match against Valparaiso chasing down 1,200 career digs, entering the weekend with 1,148 digs on her career. With 52 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 2.82 digs per set, and is one of just three Horizon League players to record 300 kills and 200 digs on the season.
...AND LOOKING TO MOVE UP CAREER KILLS LIST
Grace Kauth also enters the weekend looking to move up the CSU career kills list, entering Friday's match against the Crusaders ranked fifth all-time with 1,350 kills on her career. Kauth, who leads the Horizon League averaging 3.67 kills per set, would become just the fourth Viking all-time to record 1,400 kills with 50 more kills this season. Kauth has notched double-digit kills during 18 matches this year, and has been Cleveland State's top offensive threat 15 times.
KAUTH NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE
Senior outside hitter Grace Kauth has been named one of 30 candidates for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate volleyball, which highlights excellence in community, classroom, character, and competition. Among her volleyball and community service accolades, Kauth holds a 3.88 GPA in marketing, and is serving as the Cleveland State SAAC President this season. The candidate field will be narrowed down to 10 finalists later in the season, with the award winner being selected by a nationwide voting system at the end of the 2016 campaign.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will split its time on the road and at home next weekend, traveling to Oakland for a 4:00 p.m. match on Saturday, November 5, before returning home to host Youngstown State in a 4:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, November 6.
