MATCH #25
@ Oakland | Saturday, November 5 | 4:00 p.m. | Rochester, Mich.
Live Stats | Live Video
MATCH #26
Youngstown State | Sunday, November 6 | 4:00 p.m. | Woodling Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video
CLEVELAND STATE MATCH NOTES VS. OAKLAND & YOUNGSTOWN STATE
QUICK SETS
The Cleveland State volleyball team will look to continue its winning ways this weekend, as the Vikings continue Horizon League play with a pair of matches. The Vikings, who enter the weekend with a 20-4 overall record and an 11-1 mark against league opponents, will travel to Oakland for a 4:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, November 5, before returning home to host Youngstown State at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 6.
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 POST PERFECT RECORD DURING OCTOBER
With the pair of 3-0 sweeps over Valparaiso and Northern Kentucky last weekend, Cleveland State posted a perfect 9-0 record during the month of October. This marked the sixth time under head coach Chuck Voss that the Vikings have gone undefeated during an entire month, and the first since Cleveland State went 7-0 in October during the 2012 season.
…AND EXTEND WINSTREAK
Cleveland State's two wins last time out also extended the Vikings' current winstreak to 11 straight matches. This marks the third time that the Vikings have won at least 11 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 maintained its lead over Horizon League opponents with its two wins last weekend, as the Vikings enter Saturday's contest at the top of the league standings with an 11-1 record. The Vikings are currently two matches ahead of second place teams Green Bay and Oakland - both teams that the Vikings will face over the final two weeks of the regular season.
CLEVELAND STATE NOTCHES 20-WIN SEASON
With the 3-0 sweep of Northern Kentucky last time out, the Vikings picked up their seventh 20-win season under head coach Chuck Voss, entering the weekend with a 20-4 overall record this season. This marks the 16th 20-win season in program history, and also marks the fifth time that the Vikings have recorded back-to-back 20-win campaigns (Cleveland State went 26-7 last year).
VIKINGS PICK UP PAIR OF WEEKLY HONORS
After posting a pair of 3-0 sweeps last weekend, the Vikings were honored with a pair of Horizon League weekly honors, as Gina Kilner was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Shannon Grega was named the Defensive Player of the Week. This was the second accolade of the season for Kilner, and the first of her career for Grega.
...KILNER NAMED OFFENSIVE POW
Throughout the two matches last weekend, Gina Kilner averaged 13.17 assists/set, recording 44 helpers against Valparaiso and 35 against Northern Kentucky. Kilner helped the Cleveland State offense notch a .219 hitting percentage on the weekend, while also adding 16 digs and four kills.
...GREGA NAMED DEFENSIVE POW
Shannon Grega led the Viking defense during the two wins last weekend, averaging 5.83 digs/set. The junior libero notched 17 digs against Valparaiso and 18 against Northern Kentucky, as the Vikings held their opponents to a .076 hitting percentage on the weekend. For the season, Grega ranks sixth among Horizon League players averaging 3.73 digs/set, while she is averaging 4.43 digs/set in league matches only.
MIDDLEBROOKS CONTINUES CLIMB UP CSU RECORD BOOK
After notching 10 block assists in the two matches last weekend, Alexis Middlebrooks is now just one block shy of moving into seventh place in the CSU Career Record book with 288 career block assists. Middlebrooks, who is averaging 1.03 blocks per set this season, has tallied three or more blocks during 16 matches this year, including a season-high of seven four times. Entering Saturday's match at Oakland, Middlebrooks is just 12 block assists shy of becoming the seventh Viking all-time to eclipse 300 block assists on their career, and would be the first since the 2010 season.
KILNERTRACKING 3,000 CAREER ASSISTS
Following a 35-assist performance against Northern Kentucky last time out, junior Gina Kilner eclipsed the 2,900-assist mark for her career, and enters Saturday's contest ranked sixth in the CSU Career Record book with 2,925 helpers. Kilner, who ranks second in the Horizon League averaging 10.75 assists per set, is just 75 assists shy of becoming the sixth Viking all-time to record 3,000 career assists. For the season, Kilner has recorded 978 total assists, and has notched five 50+ assist matches this season.
KAUTH CLOSING IN ON 1,200 CAREER DIGS
Senior Grace Kauth enters Saturday's match against Valparaiso chasing down 1,200 career digs, entering the weekend with 1,167 digs on her career. With 33 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 2.85 digs per set, and is one of just four Horizon League players to record 300 kills and 250 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 Saturday's match against the Grizzlies ranked fourth all-time with 1,371 kills on her career. Kauth, who ranks second in the Horizon League averaging 3.64 kills per set, would become just the fourth Viking all-time to record 1,400 kills with 29 more kills this season. Kauth has notched double-digit kills during 19 matches this year, and has been Cleveland State's top offensive threat 16 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.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State will close out the regular season next week, traveling to Green Bay for a midweek contest on Wednesday, November 9 before hosting Wright State for Senior Day on Friday, November 11.
