DETROIT -- The second-seeded Wayne State University volleyball team (22-5 overall) is set for its eighth appearance in the GLIAC Tournament semifinals in program history and first since 2021.  The Warriors will be tasked with sixth-seeded Parkside (19-8 overall) on Saturday in Big Rapids, a team that knocked off third-seeded Northern Michigan on Wednesday night in the round of eight.

Coach's Corner
"We are excited to have the opportunity to be playing in the GLIAC Tournament semifinals against Parkside," said head coach Tim Koth.  "They are a very good, well-coached team.  It should be a great match."

Koth's GLIAC Tournament History
2016: L, 2-3 at Ashland
2017: W, 3-2 at Grand Valley State; L, 1-3 at Ferris State
2018: L, 0-3 at Saginaw Valley State
2019: W, 3-1 at Saginaw Valley State; L, 0-3 at Ferris State
2021: W, 3-0 vs. Saginaw Valley State; L, 1-3 vs. Ferris State (in Houghton)
2022: L, 0-3 vs. Michigan Tech
2024: L, 1-3 vs. Michigan Tech
2025: W, 3-0 vs. Michigan Tech

Regional Rankings
Wayne State was ranked fifth of 10 teams listed in the NCAA's third set of regional rankings released on Wednesday, Nov. 19.  That marked the last edition of the rankings to be released before the NCAA Selection Show on Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. eastern time.   Come Selection Sunday, the top eight teams in each of the country's eight regions will qualify for the NCAA Tournament.  For the Midwest Region, three of those eight selections go to the respective conference tournament champions while the other five will be of the at-large variety.   Wayne State last made the NCAA's field of 64 in 2021, the program's first time since 1994, before falling to Michigan Tech in Big Rapids for the quarterfinal round.  The Warriors' third of three all-time appearances in the event came in 1987.

All I Do Is Win Win Win No Matter What
Wednesday night against Michigan Tech, the Warriors amassed 12 home wins (12-1) in a single season for the first time since 1997 (13-2).  Overall, Wayne State reached 22 victories, something the program hadn't done since that same campaign in 1997 (29-8).  If the Warriors can rattle off two more wins to get to 24, they'll be tied-for-10th (24-11, 1985) in school history for wins in a single season.

Last Time Out - vs. Parkside - Oct. 10 (3-2; -23, -23, 25-27, 23-25, -14)
- All five sets were decided by the minimum of two points.
- Wayne State hit .254 for the match with 74 kills and 24 errors on 197 total attacks.
- WSU improved to 6-0 on the season when hitting at least .240 for the match.
- Parkside countered with an output of .227 including 69 kills and 25 mishaps on 194 attempts.
- The Warriors' most efficient individual set was the second at .375 (17, 2, 40).
- The Rangers best period was the fourth, also with a clip of .375 (18, 3, 40).
- After winning the first two sets, Wayne State had match point in the third, 24-23.

- Kayla Giroux proved once again why she's one of the best players in the country with a career-high 24 kills.
- Giroux did so with just five errors on 52 total attacks, the most she's ever had in a single match, and still hit .365.
- Right on her heels was Paige Giehtbrock with 20 kills, her most since 23 as a sophomore at Rider on August 31, 2024 against Fairleigh Dickinson.
- Giehtbrock totaled 55 attempts (season high) with only five errors for a .273 hitting percentage.
- Thanks to 22 digs (personal best), she locked up her 13th career double-double and third as a Warrior.
- Those were two of four in the Green and Gold to send home double-digit kills along with Lauren Essenpreis (11, tied career high) and Katerina Stout (10).
- Staying on offense, Kayla Dulgar racked up 62 assists, the most by a Warrior in nearly six years.
- The last output better came from Kamryn Duffield with 71 on Oct. 18, 2019 vs. William Jewell at the Crossover.
- Behind the service line, Wayne State finished with four service aces, three by Macalaguim and the other from Giroux.

- Dulgar was the second WSU player with a double-double as those assists were accompanied by 10 digs.
- Essenpreis took home that third double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs.
- Two more Warriors tallied double-figure digs including Kendyl Andrews (19) and Abby Macalaguim (15, season high)
- Stout was a force above the net defensively as well with nine total blocks (one solo, eight assisted), a program high for 2025.
- Others with multiple stops included Giehtbrock with five, Leigha Baldwin with four, Giroux with three and Essenpreis with two, all of which were assisted.

Scouting Parkside
Parkside is coached by eighth-year leader Leigh Barea (92-127 overall record, .420 winning percentage).  The Rangers were also great at home (11-1) to go with an 8-7 mark away from their court, which included a 4-1 ledger in true-road matches.  UWP won eight in a row before dropping its final two outings of the regular season, but bounced back to begin the GLIAC Tournament.

Offensively, Parkside's attack has been paced by junior right side Sam Fisch (354 kills) and redshirt junior outside hitter Ava Irvin (330 kills).  Lacy Russ has primarily run point for the Ranger hitters with 777 assists while junior libero Natalie Harris has been the ringleader behind the service line with 38 aces.  Russ has been great from behind the line in her own right with 37 aces to her name.  Defensively, Harris spearheads the digs department with 543 while above the net, senior middle blocker Mariena Coon has been the standout with 94 total blocks.