DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball team (8-1 overall, 2-0 GLIAC) is ready to hit the road in league play for the first time this season.  The Warriors will be at Davenport (5-4 overall, 2-0 GLIAC) on Friday night for a 6 p.m. first serve before seeing 12th-ranked Ferris State (7-3, 2-0 GLIAC) on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

Coach's Corner
"GLIAC road trips are always very challenging," said head coach Tim Koth.  "We are playing two very good teams in very tough environments, but are looking forward to the challenge."

1,000 Career Digs
Senior libero Kendyl Andrews (Flushing, Mich.) became the newest member of Wayne State volleyball's 1,000 digs club on Saturday in the 3-0 sweep of Lake Superior State.  Andrews needed just eight more against the Lakers to reach quadruple digits for her career and finished with 11 in the victory.  Once the veteran defensive specialist can rack up 88 more, she'll be in sole possession of 10th place on the Warriors' career digs chart, overtaking Deanna Lowe (1988-92) and her total of 1,090.  That top 10 list hasn't seen a new name since Maddy Benoit (2019-22), who's in third place with 1,571 digs.

History in the Making
Wayne State has beaten four straight opponents in straight sets, something the program hadn't previously done in 16 years.  That 2009 squad swept its first six opponents of the season.  That Green and Gold team was also the last to start a campaign at 10-1, something this year's Warriors have a chance to do this week.  WSU is also off to a 2-0 start in conference action for the first time since 2021, a team that was victorious in its first four GLIAC outings.

National Spotlight
WSU received 48 total points in this week's Division II American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, which is good for 29th in the country.  In order of release, the Warriors received eight points in the preseason poll (August 27), 11 for week one (September 8), 16 for week two (September 15) and now 48 for week three (September 22).

Scouting Davenport
Davenport, off to a 2-0 GLIAC start for the first time in program history (ninth season in Division II), is coached by second-year leader Charley Andrews (15-23 overall).  Statistically as a team, the Panthers are 19th in the country in team attacks per set (38.85), 23rd in assists per set (12.67), 31st in digs per set (17.27) and 49th in kills per set (13.24).

Individually, junior outside Abby Alan (115 kills) and freshman setter Madison Berry (362 assists) are at the forefront of DU's attack.  Alan ranks first in the GLIAC and 17th in the nation for swings per set (11.47) while Berry is first in the league and 12th in the country for assists per set (10.97).  The rookie's 362 helpers are also good for second in the conference and 27th in all of Division II.  Behind the service line, Alan (17 aces), sophomore defensive specialist Julia Frederick (13 aces) and sophomore libero Hayley Carr (12 aces) have excelled.

Defensively, two more names are leading the way in Carr (166 digs) and senior middle Morgan Tydings (1.17 blocks per set).  Carr is slotted second in the GLIAC and 33rd in the nation for digs per set (5.03) while Tydings is third in the league and 37th in the country for blocks per set (1.17).  Senior middle Kaitlin Jordan is the team's ringleader in total stuffs with 28, but Tydings and sophomore middle Kaitlyn Marsh are right behind her with 27 each.

Scouting Ferris State
Head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm is back for her 30th season at Ferris State with an overall record of 677-247 in that span.  Team wise, the Bulldogs are 18th in the country for digs per set (17.76), 22nd for kills per set (13.85), 25th for team attacks per set (38.45) and 42nd for assists per set (12.36).  The first two of those four numbers are better than any other squad in the GLIAC.

Individually, starting on offense, sophomore outside Gabby Piazza (131 kills), sophomore setter Hayley Wegener (333 assists, nine service aces) and senior outside Emma Bleecher (nine aces) are at the top.  Piazza ranks first in the GLIAC and 27th in the nation for kills per set (3.97) to go with 28th in the country for points per set (4.44), also tops in the league.  Wegener is 27th and 43rd, respectively, for assists per set and total assists, both of which are third in the conference.

Defensively, senior libero Jasmine Wallet (118 digs) and Wegener (107 digs) have both eclipsed triple digits in the dig department.  Above the net, junior middle Lilly Peterson has racked up a team-high 21 total blocks.