MATCH #16
@ Wright State | Wednesday, October 9 | Fairborn, Ohio | 6:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Video
MATCH #17
UIC | Sunday, October 13 | Woodling Gymnasium | 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Video
QUICK SETS
The Cleveland State volleyball team will split its time on the road and at home this week, traveling to Wright State for a midweek matchup on Wednesday, October 9 before hosting UIC on Sunday, October 13. Entering the week, the Vikings stand at 5-10 on the season and 1-3 in Horizon League play.
LAST TIME OUT...
The Vikings picked up their first #HLVB win of the season, defeating the reigning Horizon League champions Green Bay in a five-set thriller. Emily DeGeorge led the Viking offense with 20 kills against the Phoenix, while Lindsey Tout posted a team-best 28 digs. As a team, Cleveland State recorded a .228 hitting percentage on the match, and posted 11.0 total blocks.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
This weekend's match against UIC will be the third of eight Horizon League matches in Woodling Gymnasium for the Vikings during the 2019 campaign. Over the last five seasons, Cleveland State has enjoyed playing on its home court, as the Vikings own a 45-9 record in Woodling Gym during this span. Under head coach Chuck Voss, the Vikings stand at 154-74 when playing at home.
VIKINGS FACE TOUGH NON-LEAGUE SCHEDULE
Throughout the first part of the 2019 campaign, Cleveland State faced one of its hardest non-league schedules in recent years. The Vikings went up against a pair of top-15 teams, two teams that were receiving votes in the top-25 poll, six teams that made a postseason appearance last year, and five teams that recorded 20+ wins during the 2018 campaign.
GRECOL ON THE CSU CAREER ASSIST TOP-10 LIST
Sophomore Christina Grecol eclipsed the 1,600-assist mark for her career after combining for 111 helpers last weekend, entering Wednesday's match at Wright State with 1,681 career assists. Grecol currently ranks ninth in the CSU Career Record Book, and needs 261 more helpers to move into eighth place on the list. Grecol is one of just nine Vikings all-time to reach 1,600 career assists.
VERBIAK MAKES RETURN TO LINEUP
After missing the first part of the season due to injury, senior Jordan Verbiak returned to the lineup against Green Bay, finishing with 12 digs and one service ace in her first match of the year. Entering her final campaign, Verbiak had 800+ career digs as a major part of the Viking defense, but was sidelined after sustaining an injury during the preseason. Against the Phoenix, Verbiak was one of five Vikings to record double-digit digs as Cleveland State recorded 90 total digs on the match.
DeGEORGE CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER DIGS
Entering this week's matches, Emily DeGeorge is closing in on the 1,000-dig mark for her career, standing at 957 after the first six weeks of the season. DeGeorge, who set a CSU freshman class record with 325 digs as a rookie, is averaging 3.31 digs per set this year and has posted a pair of 20-dig performances. DeGeorge would become the 20th Viking to reach the 1,000-dig plateau, and would make 2019 the fifth straight year that a Viking has joined the 1K dig club.
VIKINGS ON THE BLOCK
Cleveland State continued its strong blocking efforts against Milwaukee and Green Bay last time out, posting 10+ team blocks in both matches. Against the Panthers, the Vikings tied their season-high with 15.0 total team blocks, while they added 11.0 blocks against the Phoenix. So far this season, the Vikings rank fourth in the Horizon League with 2.41 blocks per set, while Trinniti Hall (6th - 1.14 bps) and Hannah Greene (8th - 1.10 bps) rank in the top-10 individually.
TOUT LEADING THE VIKING DEFENSE
Last time out, libero Lindsey Tout recorded a career-high 28 digs against Green Bay, marking the sixth 20-dig match of the year for the sophomore. Tout, who ranks sixth in the league averaging 4.37 digs per set, has been leading a Viking defense that ranks second among #HLVB teams with 17.12 digs per set this season.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will close out a three-match homestand next weekend, hosting Youngstown State on Friday, October 18 and Oakland on Saturday, October 19.
