For LIVE STATS:

Thurs, Sept. 24 @ Youngstown State (6:00 p.m.), ESPN3 Coverage: HERE

Fri, Sept. 25 @ Cleveland State (6:00 p.m.), ESPN3 Coverage: HERE

Sat, Sept. 26 @ Oakland (1:00 p.m.), ESPN3 Coverage: HERE

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By Patrick Stumpf

GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – For the fifth consecutive weekend, the Green Bay volleyball team is on the road. With Horizon League play set to get underway, however, it may be the most important weekend yet for head coach Sean Burdette and his players, who are off to an impressive 9-4 start.

On Wednesday, the Phoenix embarked to Cleveland, Ohio, before it will open tomorrow night against Youngstown State (5-9), followed by matches at Cleveland State (11-3) on Friday and defending Horizon-champion Oakland (6-8) on Saturday. Green Bay returns home next Friday, Oct. 2, for its conference home-opener against Northern Kentucky (5-7).  

NON-CONFERENCE RECAP 
After junior Megan Powers, sophomore Lydia DeWeese and freshman Samantha Anthon all received Miami All-Tournament Team honors last weekend, Green Bay concluded pool play with a total of nine All-Tournament accolades, including two Horizon League Players of the Week Awards. The team concluded with winning records all four weekends. The recipient tallies were as follows:

Megan Powers – 3x
*Jillian Bauer – 2x
**Lydia DeWeese – 2x
Emily Riese – 1x
Samantha Anthon– 1x

* – Won Horizon Defensive Player of the Week (Week 2)
** – Won Horizon Offensive Player of the Week (Week 3) 

HORIZON RECAP
With every passing week, it's become more and more evident the Horizon League crown could face a number of challengers in 2015. Valparaiso continues to pace the field at 12-2, while Cleveland State, Wright State (11-4) and Green Bay all fared well in non-conference play. Although Oakland and Milwaukee (2-10) haven't kept pace, the expectation is that both teams will be in contention come mid-November.     

RADIO APPEARANCE
Before the Phoenix arrived in Ohio to begin last weekend's tournament, Appleton Sports Radio AM 1570 "The Score" host Marques Pfaff caught up with Green Bay head coach Sean Burdette to discuss the team's start to 2015. To listen to the full interview, click here.

DID YOU KNOW?

• After this weekend, it might be best not to mention the word "bus" around a member of the volleyball team. Green Bay has logged 5,000-plus miles (on a bus) over the course of its schedule thus far. Here was that itinerary (all trips except Wednesday's includes roundtrip):

Week 1: Kress Center to Savage Arena (Toledo, Ohio) – 884.37 miles
Week 2: Kress Center to Bramlage Coliseum (Manhattan, Kan.) – 1,514.35 miles
Week 3: Kress Center to Betty Engelstad SC (Grand Forks, N.D.) – 1,204.13 miles
Week 4: Kress Center to Millett Hall (Oxford, Ohio) – 963.35 miles
Today: Kress Center to Cleveland, Ohio – 547.58 miles

Total miles: 5,113.78 miles

Needless to say, an upcoming slate featuring a six-of-eight game stretch at the Kress Center should provide much needed respite. 

SCOUTING THEM OUT

Youngstown State – The Penguins will enter Thursday's match having lost four straight matches and five of its last six. YSU has been led by sophomore outside hitter Sam Brown (123 kills) and senior middle blocker Aly Ryan (122 kills), while junior setter Val Jeffery (485 assists) and senior Nikki Thompson (227 digs) have guided the Penguins' offense and defense, respectively.  

Cleveland State – The last two Horizon League Offensive Players of the Week will line up across from each other on Friday evening, as sophomore Christina Toth (223 kills) will be opposite DeWeese. Toth and Vikings' junior outside hitter Grace Kauth (202 kills) have formed a formidable offensive duo, as both rank in the top-5 in the conference in kills thus far. Green Bay will also need to make a conscious effort to mark sophomore Alexis Middlebrooks, who leads all Horizon players averaging 1.16 blocks per set. The Vikings have won in three straight and eight of 10.

Oakland – Despite a difficult 2-7 start to the season, the Golden Grizzlies have reeled off four wins in their last five matches, proving it will be out to repeat as Horizon Champions. Oakland is led by a pair of seniors, outside hitter Cassie Pelloni (162 kills) and setter Ciara Schultz (543 assists), as well as junior Melissa Deatsch (175 digs). Sophomore middle hitter Sammy Condon is the reigning Horizon Defensive Player of the Week after recording 21 blocks over her last four matches. 

SERIES HISTORY

Youngstown State – Green Bay is 26-8 all-time against YSU, after splitting the season series last year (the home team won both). The Phoenix have lost three of the last five meetings, after winning eight straight matches from Oct. 3, 2009 through Oct. 19, 2012. 

Cleveland State – The Phoenix are 17-33 against the Vikings all-time, and will look to avenge a pair of losses against Cleveland State last year (3-0, 3-1) after winning both meetings in 2013 (3-1, 3-2). 

Oakland – After upsetting the first-place Golden Grizzlies in the opening match of the season series at the Kress Center last year (3-1), Green Bay will look to beat Oakland in Rochester, Mich., for the first time since Oct. 7, 2001 (3-0). The Phoenix is 6-3 in the all-time series. 

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