The Wayne State University volleyball team will host three matches this weekend at the Matthaei, beginning Friday night at 7:00 against Saginaw Valley State. WSU will meet Ferris State at 4:00 on Saturday, and Grand Valley State comes to Detroit for a 2:00 match on Sunday.

Tickets are available at the box office on game day. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children and $7.00 for chairback seating. Wayne State students can receive free admission with a OneCard.

Live stats will be available for all three matches. Fans can also watch all the action on Warrior All-Access for $5.95 per match or $9.95 for a monthly subscription.

There will also be special events surrounding each match. Friday will be Student Organization Night, Saturday is Youth Day and Sunday is High School Team Day.


WEEK IN REVIEW
Wayne State won two road conference matches in Ohio last weekend, shutting out Tiffin on Saturday night and Ohio Dominican on Sunday afternoon. After posting a season-best .337 hitting percentage against the Dragons, the Warriors followed up with a .306 mark at ODU in their fourth shutout victory of the year.

Katarzyna Sak (Warren, Mich./Cousino) finished the weekend with 27 kills, seven blocks and six service aces. Maureen MacDonald (White Lake, Mich./Marian) played well up front also, collecting 20 kills and three blocks while also contributing 18 digs.

Setter Cydney Biessel (Ruby, Mich./Yale) averaged 13.67 assists per set, and Nicole Arends (Ravenna, Mich.) led the team with a .542 hitting percentage.

Inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season, Madie Kent (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North) totaled 16 kills and 13 digs in six sets.


SCOUTING SAGINAW VALLEY STATE
The Cardinals will arrive in Detroit in the midst of a five-match road trip. They have won three of four conference matches this season, including a shutout at Lake Superior State last Friday and a five-set win at Northwood on Sunday.

Junior Katie Fitzgerald came into this week as the GLIAC's top hitter with a .372 percentage. Classmate Annie Buxton ranks among the top 10 in kills as well as service aces.

The Cardinals have defeated the Warriors in each of the last four meetings, including a 3-1 result last year at University Center. Wayne State had won 12 of 14 matches prior to the four-match skid.


SCOUTING FERRIS STATE
The Bulldogs, who were picked in the GLIAC preseason poll to tie for first place in the North Division, will head into Friday's match at Hillsdale with a 6-3 overall record and a 4-2 conference mark. FSU is currently 2-1 on its six-match road swing, with wins at Northwood on Saturday and LSSU on Sunday.

Ferris State is led up front by senior Arielle Goodson, who is third in the GLIAC with a 4.03 kills/set average. Sophomore setter Samantha Fordyce is the latest GLIAC North Division Player of the Week. FSU is also the top serving team in the conference, averaging 2.44 aces per set.

Wayne State is looking to break a 12-match losing streak to Ferris State which dates back to 1998. The last two meetings were five-set results.


SCOUTING GRAND VALLEY STATE
Also embarking on a long road trip are the Lakers, who will play at Findlay and Hillsdale before arriving in Detroit for Sunday's encounter with the Warriors. GVSU has won four of its five conference matches including three straight.

Senior Rebeccah Rapin is GVSU's top hitter and blocker, while the Warriors will also have to keep an eye on Krysta Kornack (2.52 K/S) and Eno Umoh (35 blocks, .290 hitting) up front.

Wayne State defeated Grand Valley State 3-1 last year in Allendale to snap a 12-match losing streak against the Lakers.


AT THE HELM
Phil Nickel is in his third season as Wayne State's head volleyball coach and has a record of 41-25. In his four-plus year career, which includes two seasons at Thomas More College, Nickel is 75-68.

Saginaw Valley State head coach Will Stanton has a career record of 98-124 in his eighth season. Tia Brandel-Wilhelm is in her 15th season at FSU with a record of 294-153, and is 412-173 overall in 17-plus years. Deanne Scanlon has amassed a career mark of 408-119 in her 16th season at Grand Valley State.


WARRIOR NOTEBOOK
Sak is tied for the conference lead in blocking (1.55 B/S) and ranks fourth in hitting percentage (.356), kills (4.00) and aces (0.62). Nationally, she is third in blocking, 15th in kills and 37th in aces.

Biessel is 33rd in Division II and third in the conference, averaging 10.17 assists per set.

Seven of WSU's nine matches, including the last five, have been three-set results. Wayne State has four shutout victories this season.