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The Wayne State University volleyball team (5-3) will begin conference play with a five-match homestand starting Friday night at 7:00 against Lake Erie College (1-3).  The Warriors will host Ashland University (7-1) at 4:00 on Saturday.

Wayne State went 3-1 at the Findlay Fall Classic last weekend, earning victories over Urbana, Wheeling Jesuit and California (Pa.).  The latter two teams were 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifiers.


AT THE HELM
Phil Nickel is in his fifth season as Wayne State's head volleyball coach and has a record of 70-50.  In his seven-year career, which includes two seasons at Thomas More College, Nickel is 104-93.

Lake Erie interim head coach Megan Florence, a former All-GLIAC player at Findlay, is in her first year with the Storm.

Cass Dixon is in her second season at Ashland, having led the Eagles to a 15-13 record last year.  She has a career record of 185-57 including her five years at Walsh.


IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was ranked fifth in the 2012 GLIAC preseason coaches' poll, while Lake Erie and Ashland were 16th and sixth, respectively.  The Warriors also received votes in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II National Poll.


SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State holds four three-set victories over Lake Erie since the Storm joined the GLIAC.  Ashland has won 16 of the last 20 meetings with Wayne State dating back to the 2003 season.


SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
After winning its season-opening match in five sets against West Virginia State on Friday, Lake Erie lost its next three matches at the Gannon-Mercyhurst Invitational.  The Storm, coming off a three-win season in 2011, are led by junior outside hitter Jamie Hoppe, an Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selection a year ago, and sophomore middle hitter Sara Aultz, who has team-highs in kills (37) and blocks (12).

Ashland enters its match Friday at Findlay with a 7-1 record after winning all four matches at the Lock Haven Classic over the weekend.  Senior outside hitter Brittany Snider was named AVCA National Player of the Week after tallying 69 kills, seven aces and 55 digs in AU's four wins.  This season Snider is averaging 4.36 kills per set, which leads the conference.


WARRIOR NOTEBOOK
Wayne State's 3-2 win over Wheeling Jesuit on Friday is thus far the only blemish on the Cardinals' record this season.  Wheeling Jesuit was ranked 25th in the AVCA preseason poll and was receiving votes last week before moving into the No. 21 position in this week's poll.

Senior libero Lindsey Graciak was named to the Findlay Fall Classic All-Tournament Team.  She totaled 62 digs, averaging 3.88 per set, and had three service aces with a .952 serve reception percentage.  Graciak also moved into sixth-place all-time at Wayne State in career digs (1,180).

Two weeks ago junior outside hitter Kristen Bulkiewicz was named to the NSU Sharks Classic All-Tournament Team.  She led the Warriors in kills each of the last two weekends, with 49 kills (3.27 per set) at the Sharks Classic and 38 (3.45 per set) at the Findlay Classic.  Her 3.35 kills per set and 1.00 blocks per set averages for the season rank sixth in the GLIAC.

Freshman middle blocker Essence Jackson-Jones hit .328 with 27 kills and a team-high 22 blocks last weekend.  Jackson-Jones ranks second in the GLIAC with a 1.48 blocks per set average.

Jackson-Jones and Bulkiewicz, along with freshman middle blocker Kelsey Bonewits (1.18; fifth) and sophomore outside hitter Candice Ottey (0.79; 12th) make up four of the top 12 in the conference in blocking.


UPCOMING MATCHES
Wayne State's five-match homestand continues Tuesday against Findlay.  The Warriors will also host Saginaw Valley State next Friday (Sept. 21) and Lake Superior State next Saturday (Sept. 22) before heading to the Upper Peninsula the following weekend for matches against Northern Michigan (Sept. 28) and Michigan Tech (Sept. 29).