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BEACH NIGHT
At the midway point of its five-match homestand, the Wayne State University volleyball team (7-3, 2-0 GLIAC) will host the University of Findlay (4-5, 1-1 GLIAC) on Tuesday night at 7:00.  The theme is Beach Night at the Matthaei as the Warriors look to follow up on their back-to-back shutout wins over the weekend.

Wayne State opened conference play with 3-0 victories over Lake Erie on Friday and Ashland on Saturday.  Facing the same foes last weekend, Findlay lost in four sets to the Eagles and blanked the Storm.


AT THE HELM
Phil Nickel is in his fifth season as Wayne State's head volleyball coach and has a record of 72-50.  In his seven-year career, which includes two seasons at Thomas More College, Nickel is 106-93.

Wick Colchagoff has a record of 301-185 in 15 seasons at Findlay.  His career record, which includes three years at Nebraska Wesleyan, is 381-244.


IN THE POLLS
Wayne State was ranked fifth in the 2012 GLIAC preseason coaches' poll, while Findlay was slotted ninth.  The Warriors also received votes in last Monday's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II National Poll.


SERIES HISTORY
Wayne State is 13-18 all-time against Findlay dating back to 1997.  Findlay's 3-0 win against Wayne State last November snapped the Warriors' seven-match winning streak against the Oilers.  Four of the last six meetings between Wayne State and Findlay have lasted five sets.


SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Findlay's 3-0 win over Lake Erie on Saturday ended a four-match skid for the Oilers, who come in as the second-best blocking team in the GLIAC (2.60 blocks/set), trailing only Wayne State (3.08).  That effort up front is led by junior Danielle Taflinger, who ranks second in the conference in blocking (1.42) and hitting percentage (.378).  Taflinger had 25 kills over two matches last weekend.


WARRIOR NOTEBOOK
Wayne State ended its first home weekend without dropping a set, including its first shutout win over Ashland since 2008.

Freshmen Essence Jackson-Jones, who leads the GLIAC with 1.51 blocks per set, and Kelsey Bonewits, who ranks fourth (1.21), combined for 17 blocks over the weekend.  Junior Kristen Bulkiewicz is sixth in blocking (1.04) and seventh in kills per set (3.21).

The Wayne State freshman class (Jackson-Jones, Bonewits, Heather Weiss, Madison Reeves) has combined for 125 kills, a .266 hitting percentage and a 1.17 blocks/set average this season.

Senior libero Lindsey Graciak became the sixth player in Wayne State history to reach 1,200 digs in a career.  She also ranks sixth all-time in digs per set (3.76).

Senior setter Cydney Biessel had 26 assists in Saturday's win over Ashland, which ties for her highest total in a three-set match this season.


UPCOMING MATCHES
Wayne State will conclude its homestand against Saginaw Valley State on Friday at 7:00 and Lake Superior State on Saturday at 2:00.  The Warriors will head to the Upper Peninsula next weekend for matches against Northern Michigan (Sept. 28) and Michigan Tech (Sept. 29).