MATCH #16
Green Bay | Thursday, October 7 | Woodling Gymnasium | 6:00 p.m.
MATCH #17
Milwaukee | Friday, October 8 | Woodling Gymnasium | 6:00 p.m.
MATCH #18
UIC | Sunday, October 10 | Woodling Gymnasium | 2:00 p.m.
CLEVELAND STATE MATCH NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
QUICK SETS
The Cleveland State volleyball team will continue its current five-match homestand this week, hosting a trio of matches against Green Bay, Milwaukee and UIC. The Vikings will open the week against the Phoenix on Thursday, October 7, before facing the Panthers on Friday, October 8 and the Flames on Sunday, October 10. Entering this stretch of matches, the Vikings stand at 6-9 overall this season and hold a perfect 4-0 record in Horizon League play.
COVID PROTOCOLS
All fans attending home matches inside Woodling Gymnasium during the 2021 season are required to wear a mask at all times, regardless of vaccination status. For more information on #SafeCampusCSU please READ HERE.
CLEVELAND STATE OPENS #HLVB PLAY WITH 4-0 START
The Vikings kept their #HLVB record perfect with a pair of wins against IUPUI and Oakland last time out, entering the week standing at 4-0 in league play. This marks just the third time that the Vikings are 4-0 to start league play under head coach Chuck Voss (2015 & 2018), while the two wins put Cleveland State at 186-120 in regular season #HLVB matches under Voss.
…IN THE #HLVB STANDINGS
Cleveland State is one of three teams to remain perfect in league play this season, joining Milwaukee (4-0) and UIC (3-0) at the top of the league standings entering Thursday's match. Prior to the CSU/Milwaukee match on Friday, the Panthers will face Oakland (Thursday, October 7), while UIC is also scheduled to face the Grizzlies (Friday, October 8) prior to Sunday's CSU/UIC matchup.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
This week's matches against Green Bay, Milwaukee & UIC will continue a stretch of five straight home matches for the Vikings, as they are in the midst of their nine-match home slate for the 2021 season. After playing the first five weeks on the road, the Vikings are finally benefiting from home court advantage, as Cleveland State now owns a 43-14 record over the last five seasons when playing in Woodling Gymnasium.
PORTIS ON THE OFFENSE
After the first two weeks of Horizon League play, senior London Portis continues to lead the league with a .458 hitting percentage (40-7-72), while she ranks sixth averaging 3.64 kills per set. Portis has posted double-digit kills in all three #HLVB matches that she has played in so far this year, including a season-high 16 kills against Youngstown State. Portis also notched a career-high .667 hitting percentage against the Penguins, notching her 16 kills on 24 total attempts with zero errors.
CLEVELAND STATE FROM THE SERVICE LINE
After the first four #HLVB matches of the season Cleveland State continues to be one of the top serving teams in the league, as the Vikings rank second averaging 2.21 service aces in league play only. Entering the week, seven Vikings have recorded at least one service ace in league play, including Abby Miller who ranks second individually with nine aces through the first four #HLVB contests.
MILLER CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER ASSISTS
Entering this week's matches sophomore Abby Miller is closing in on 1,000 career assists, as she currently has 934 helpers. Miller, who has posted 40+ assists twice this season, ranks fifth among league players averaging 7.98 assists per set. Last year, Miller posted 567 total assists during the shortened campaign as a true freshman, while she has notched 367 assists so far this season.
McCONIHE LEADING THE VIKING DEFENSE
Junior libero Audrey McConihe continues to lead the Viking defense, entering the week averaging 3.60 digs per set on the season. In the two home matches last week, McConihe combined for 38 total digs, including a 22-dig performance against IUPUI, her third 20-dig effort of the season. In league games only, McConihe ranks eighth in the #HLVB standings averaging 3.71 digs per set.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM HONORS
Through non-league play Cleveland State had three players earn All-Tournament Team recognition; London Portis (Baltimore Invitational), Audrey McConihe (Eagle Challenge) and Ainslie McLaughlin (Colgate Invitational). All three Vikings were named to an All-Tournament Team for the first time in their collegiate careers.
HEAD COACH CHUCK VOSS
Chuck Voss is in his 22nd season at the helm of the Vikings, and owns a 377-250 (.601) overall record at Cleveland State. Under Voss the Vikings have recorded 17 winning seasons, including a streak of 10 straight from 2009 to 2018. Cleveland State has eclipsed the 20-win mark eight times since Voss took over the program, and has captured Horizon League Tournament titles five times (2007, 2012, 2015, 2016 & 2017) under his guidance. During the 2016 season Voss became the all-time winningest coach in program history, and then later became the only active Horizon League coach to reach the 350-win mark at their current school.
UP NEXT
The Vikings will return to the road for a trio of matches next week, traveling to Purdue Fort Wayne (Tuesday, October 12), Wright State (Friday, October 15) and Northern Kentucky (Saturday, October 16).
