TUESDAY PREVIEW
The Wayne State University volleyball team (10-11, 6-7 GLIAC) will play its second of three consecutive Tuesday matches this week at Tiffin University (5-16, 4-8 GLIAC).

Wayne State defeated Ohio Dominican, 3-1, on Friday in Columbus, WSU's fourth win in its last five matches.  Tiffin, in the midst of a seven-match homestand, lost to Findlay and Hillsdale over the weekend.

The Warriors are in third place in the GLIAC South Division with six matches remaining in the regular season.


AT THE HELM
Phil Nickel is in his fourth season as Wayne State's head volleyball coach and has a record of 61-44.  In his six-year career, which includes two seasons at Thomas More College, Nickel is 95-87.

Dana Cordova is in her second season at Tiffin with a career record of 20-31.


SERIES HISTORY
A 3-2 loss at the Matthaei last October was the first blemish for WSU against Tiffin.  The Warriors had won the previous six matches versus the Dragons, and also earned a 3-0 win over Tiffin on Sept. 18 in Detroit.


SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
After an 0-7 start, the Dragons are 5-9 in their last 14 matches, including conference victories over Lake Erie, Ohio Dominican and Michigan Tech.  They have a difficult stretch ahead, however, as three GLIAC North schools – Saginaw Valley State, Grand Valley State and Ferris State – come to Tiffin this weekend.

The Dragons are led up front by sophomore outside hitter Danielle McQuade, who ranks among the top 10 in the conference in hitting percentage (.290) and kills per set (3.58).  Libero Lindsay Heller has the sixth-best digs average (3.92) in the GLIAC.


FRIDAY RECAP
Sweeping the 2011 season series, Wayne State defeated Ohio Dominican, 3-1, on Friday night at Alumni Hall.  After dropping the first set, 25-15, the Warriors took the next three (25-20, 25-22, 26-24).

Kristen Bulkiewicz (LaSalle, Ont./Sandwich) led the way with her ninth double-double of the season, totaling 19 kills and 15 digs.

Madie Kent (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North) finished with 17 kills and eight digs, while Nicole Arends (Ravenna, Mich.) contributed nine kills and a team-best six blocks.

Cydney Biessel (Ruby, Mich./Yale) managed the offense with 42 assists, and Lindsey Graciak (Westland, Mich./Livonia Churchill) led all players with 21 digs.

The Panthers led for nearly all of the first set, and most of the second as well until Wayne State grabbed a 14-13 lead and never trailed again in the set.

Down 22-20 late in the third, the Warriors ended the set on a five-point run.  ODU led for much of the fourth until a 10-4 run by Wayne State put the match away.


LOOKING AHEAD
Wayne State will play its final home matches of the 2011 regular season this weekend, as Ashland and Lake Erie come to the Matthaei.  Saturday's match against the Eagles will feature a Halloween theme, including a costume contest between the second and third sets.  On Sunday the WSU athletic department will sponsor a food drive as the Warriors face the Storm.

The regular season will conclude with road matches against Findlay (Nov. 1), Northern Michigan (Nov. 4) and Michigan Tech (Nov. 5).