CROSSOVER WEEKEND
The Wayne State University volleyball team (6-10 overall) will participate in the fourth annual
GLIAC/GLVC Crossover this weekend at the Great Lakes Center in Aurora, Ill. Wayne State will face the University of Southern Indiana (12-5) and the University of Missouri-St. Louis (12-6) on Friday, and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (10-8) on Saturday.
The Warriors are looking to get back on track after dropping six of seven matches over the last two weeks, including a pair of five-set losses to Northwood and Lake Superior State last weekend in Detroit.
USI has won five straight and six out of seven coming into the Crossover. UMSL is 4-2 in its last six matches, while Wisconsin-Parkside has put together a four-match winning streak heading into tonight's match at Saint Xavier (Ill.) University.
A total of 48 matches will be played this weekend between teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Great Lakes Valley Conference, as well as Cedarville and Madonna Universities.
AT THE HELM
Phil Nickel is in his fourth season as Wayne State's head volleyball coach and has a record of 57-43. In his six-year career, which includes two seasons at Thomas More College, Nickel is 91-86.
USI's Leah Mercer, who led the Screaming Eagles to the NCAA Midwest Regional last year, is in her seventh year at her alma mater with a record of 117-84. Ryan Young is in his first season as the head coach at UMSL, as is Christine Paciero at Wisconsin-Parkside.
SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State and Southern Indiana met in last year's Crossover, which resulted in a 3-1 win for the Screaming Eagles. WSU shut out USI in the 2009 TownePlace Suites Classic in Findlay, Ohio.
The Warriors opened the 2011 season with a 3-0 loss to the Tritons at the UMSL Classic, snapping a four-matching winning streak against Missouri-St. Louis dating back to 1997.
Wisconsin-Parkside has not been on WSU's schedule since 2003, when the Warriors defeated the Rangers in four sets at Grand Valley State.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Screaming Eagles have won in straight sets in three of their last four matches. Southern Indiana's top hitter is senior Danielle LaGrange, who ranks sixth in the GLVC with a .298 hitting percentage and a 3.55 kills per set average. Running the USI offense is sophomore setter Jorae Bradbury, who has the sixth-highest assists average (9.49) in the conference.
Senior Weslie Gaff, who hit .438 with nine kills and five blocks in UMSL's three-set win over Wayne State on Sept. 2, ranks fourth in the GLVC in hitting percentage (.326). Sophomore setter Anna McNulty is averaging 11.11 assists per set this season.
The Rangers are led up front by sophomore Adrienne Uthe, who has a GLVC-best 70 blocks this season, and senior Addie Kramer, who leads the team with 195 kills and a.260 hitting percentage.
WARRIOR NOTEBOOK
As part of Dig For a Cure Night on Friday, the Warriors raised over $500 for breast cancer research and prevention. They will carry on their fundraising efforts throughout the month of October.
Sophomore
Kristen Bulkiewicz led WSU with 49 kills last week, including a career-best 21 on Friday against Northwood. She posted her seventh double-double of the season Saturday vs. LSSU, totaling 18 kills and 12 digs. Bulkiewicz ranks sixth in the GLIAC at 3.53 kills per set.
Sophomore
Nicole Arends had team-highs in blocks (15) and hitting percentage (.258) last week. Her seven blocks Saturday against LSSU tied for the highest total by a Warrior this season.
Wayne State went 0-3 in last year's Crossover, but in the first two years of the event WSU lost just one of its six matches combined. The Warriors were the only GLIAC team to win all three of its matches at the 2009 Crossover in Lansing.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Warriors will return to Detroit on Tuesday to face Hillsdale. It will be “Max the Matthaei” night and students with a WSU OneCard can receive free pizza before the match. Green t-shirts will be available for $2.00 in order to “greenout” the Matthaei.
Next Friday, Wayne State will travel to Ohio Dominican.
