Volleyball | 11/15/2017 9:00:00 AM

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball program (15-12, 10-6 GLIAC) will enter the 2017 GLIAC Tournament as the fifth-seed and meet fourth-seed Grand Valley State (16-11, 11-5 GLIAC) on Wednesday night in Allendale, Mich.  A three-match losing streak prior to the season finale prevented the Warriors from hosting a quarterfinal.

The winner of Wednesday night's matchup will move onto the GLIAC Semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 18th.  The highest remaining seed will be the host of that match and times have yet to be determined.

SERIES HISTORY
- Since 1994, Wayne State is 7-25 against Grand Valley State, with a 3-11 mark at the GVSU.  The win in September earlier this season was the first  that the Warriors have topped the Lakers since 2011, snapping a seven-match losing streak.  However, GVSU got its revenge in the most recent meeting, winning in five sets inside the Matthaei.

SCOUTING THE LAKERS
- Grand Valley State is 16-11 overall and 11-5 in the league.  GVSU played well down the stretch winning seven of the final eight matches but did fall at home to Davenport to end the regular season.  The Lakers are led by a trio of big hitters, as junior Staci Brower has picked up 292 kills and 2.83 kills per set, which rank ninth and 13th in the league, respectively.  Senior Sydney Doby has tallied 252 kills and 2.42 kills per set this season, both of which rank in the top-20 in conference play and sophomore Jayci Suseland, as the right side hitter has racked up 242 kills and 2.44 kills per set this fall.  Supplying a vast majority of the kill opportunities is senior setter Katie Olson. Olson has tallied 871 total assists this season and is pumping out 8.38 assists per set.  Head coach Deanna Scanlon is in her 23rd season with the Lakers and i just the second coach in program history.  She carries a 577-190 (.752) record into Wednesday night's contest.

HARD-HITTING HAILEY
Junior Hailey Richardson (New Boston, Mich. / Huron) has put together another All-GLIAC caliber season.  She ranks fourth in the league with 345 kills and 3/56 kills per set.  The outside hitter 13 tallied double-doubles, including five straight to end the regular season. She ranked fifth in the league with 35 service aces.  In a five-set victory at Grand Valley State, she posted a career-high 24 kills on her way to earning GLIAC South Division Play of the Week on Sept. 25th. She finished second on the team with 286 digs (2.95/set) and also has 19 total blocks.

POSTSEASON AGAIN
- The Green & Gold are playing in the conference tournament for the second straight season and 14th time overall.  The last time WSU made the postseason in consecutive seasons was 2012 when Wayne State made the tournament from 2008 until 2012.  Since 1987, Wayne State is 2-16 in the GLIAC Tournament.  The wins came in 2012 and 2008.

RECORD HOLDER
- Senior Michelle Asiedu (Holland, Ohio / Springfield) broke the program record for hitting percentage last season, by hitting .353.  This season she is hitting .337, which ranks fourth in the league.

WSU LEADER
- Head coach Tim Koth is in his fourth season and continues to build Wayne State into a league and regional contender.  Koth has won 55 matches in his time in Detroit.  In 2016, the 19 wins were the most overall wins for the volleyball program since 2009 and the 10 league victories were the most since 2012.  Wayne State also just missed another milestone, which was being ranked for the first time since 1997.

FROM COACH KOTH
"Looking forward to playing GVSU again. Both of the earlier matches were very competitive contests that came down to the wire.  I expect this time to be the same.  It's the time of year where you either win and advance or go home - so both teams should be pretty desperate!"