DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball team (7-9 overall, 3-5 GLIAC) is set for its final matches before leaving for Hammond, Ind. and the Midwest Region Crossover on Oct. 16-17.  The Warriors will play host to top-ranked Ferris State (16-0 overall, 8-0 GLIAC) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Northern Michigan (8-8 overall, 5-3 GLIAC) the following Saturday at 4 p.m.

Coach's Corner
"We are looking forward to being at the Matthaei for Homecoming weekend," said head coach Tim Koth.  "Ferris State has had an exceptional season so far and Northern Michigan is playing very well as of late.  It should be some exciting volleyball this weekend."

Warrior Strong
Starting on offense, three players have fueled Wayne State's attack.  That trio includes senior outside hitter Katie Smith (171, .242), junior outside hitter Saige Martin (155 kills, .158 hitting percentage) and sophomore middle hitter Katerina Stout (134, .308).  After missing the season's first five matches due to injury, junior opposite Kyleigh Weck is up to 104 kills and a .349 hitting efficiency, tops on the team.  Senior setter Kayla Dulgar continues to lead the Green and Gold in assists with 580 assists while Smith has paced the service ace department with 19, already five more than her previous career high set as a freshman in 2023.  The senior is one of four with double-digit aces, the other three being rookie middle hitter Doga Muhtaroglu with 16, Dulgar with 14 and freshman libero Giselle Burlingame with 11.  Defensively for the Warriors, Burlingame (203 digs) and Stout (51 total blocks) are the squad's frontrunners.

Last Time Out - Ferris State (Sept. 15; L, 0-3)
- Wayne State hit .167 for the match with 36 kills and 18 errors on 108 total attacks.
- Ferris State countered with a .253 clip, including 32 kills and eight mishaps on 95 attempts.
- The Warriors' efficiency improved as the match went on, .132 to .185 to .186.
- The .186 clip included 13 kills and only five errors on 43 swings.
- The Bulldogs' were at their best offensively in the second with a .391 (11-2-23).
- Each category of the team head-to-head was decided by five or less.
- Wayne State held the advantage in kills (36-32) and digs (44-42), while the assists were even (27-27).
- Ferris State's edge came in total points (43-40), service aces (6-1) and total blocks (5-3).

- Individually, WSU's kill department was paced by Lauren Essenpreis with nine (.179 hitting percentage).
- Right on her heels were Katie Smith (.200) and Katerina Stout (.214), each with six kills.
- Nicole Dupre as efficient in her own right with a .375 clip, five kills, two errors, and eight total attacks.
- Abby Parrish and Kayla Dulgar split time at setter, finishing with 10 assists apiece.
- Essenpreis recorded the Warriors only ace of the night and did so in the second set.
- Defensively, all six of the Green and Gold's total blocks were assisted.
- Four players recorded those six total blocks -- Saige Martin with two, Stout with two, Smith with one, and Dupre with one.
- Dig wise, a trio of performers finished with double-digits, Essenpreis (11), Giselle Burlingame (11) and Martin (10).

Scouting Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan is coached by Koth's former assistant, Mike Lozier, now in his 10th season in the helm of the Wildcats.  Under Lozier, NMU has accumulated an overall record of 155-110, good for a .585 winning percentage.  So far this season, starting on the offensive side of things, Northern Michigan's attack has been spearheaded by a two-headed monster in sophomore outside hitter Kaylie McIntosh and senior setter Allie Barlow.  McIntosh has racked up a team-high 206 kills (.201 hitting percentage) and Barlow has assisted on 628 of her squad's 776 total kills.  Nationally, Barlow is ranked 19th in assists per set (10.3) and 20th in total helpers.  Defensively, senior libero Liesl Haugen (263 digs) and sophomore middle blocker Larsen Bonnstetter (38 total blocks) have headlined the action.

Up Next
As mentioned above, Wayne State will head to the annual MIdwest Region Crossover at the Hammond Sportsplex on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 16-17.  The Warriors' three opponents are to be decided.