GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) – The Green Bay volleyball team will open the Horizon League schedule this weekened at the Kress Center, playing host to Oakland on Friday (6 p.m.) night and Youngstown State (4 p.m.) on Saturday afternoon. The Phoenix (4-7) wrapped up its nonconference season last weekend in the Green Bay Country Inn & Suites Classic, and will now turn its attention to the 16-match league schedule in search of its first regular season title in program history.
GREEN BAY COUNTRY INN & SUITES CLASSIC (Green Bay, Wis. / Kress Center)
Friday, Sept. 22 (GREEN BAY - Kress Center)
6 p.m. - Green Bay vs. Oakland | Watch: ESPN3 / LIVE STATS
Saturday, Sept. 23 (GREEN BAY - Kress Center)
4 p.m. - Green Bay vs. Youngstown State | TV: Spectrum Sports / LIVE STATS
Ticket Information
Social Media: Twitter
OPPONENT OUTLOOK
Oakland finished 5-7 in the nonconference, and has dropped six of its last eight matches overall. The Golden Grizzlies finished 1-2 at their home invitational tournament last weekend, beating Kent State before falling to Fort Wayne and Towson at the O'Rena. Oakland leads all Horizon League teams in blocks, averaging 2.43 blocks per set and is tied for third in the league with a .209 hitting percentage. Darien Bandel leads the HL in kills per set with 4.04 and Krysteena Davis is tops in the league in blocks per set with 1.39.
Series History: It's been all Golden Grizzlies of late in the all-time series, winners of five-straight matches with three of those coming in straight sets. Oakland leads all-time 7-6.
Youngstown State sits an even 7-7 so far this season, and will open League play on Friday night at UIC. YSU has won back to back matches, defeating Tennessee Tech and Toledo and began the season 4-0 before dropping seven of eight matches in early September. The Penguins lead all Horizon League teams in service aces (1.65 per set and 86 total), but rank near the bottom of the league in kills, digs and assists.
Series History: The Phoenix owns a strong 29-9 all-time record over YSU and has won four of the last five in the series including both matches last season.
LEAGUE OPENERS
Green Bay has won three of its last four Horizon League openers and began last season with a perfect 5-0 record in league play before eventually finishing 12-4, the best Horizon League record in program history. The Phoenix went 7-1 last year at home in HL play and has the opportunity to start strong again this year with four in a row starting at home.
DYNAMITE DEWEESE
Lydia DeWeese leads the Phoenix again this season with a hitting percentage (.376) that also leads the entire Horizon League. The program's all-time leader in that category will look to keep her strong start rolling into league play this weekend, also averaging 3.35 kills per set. The senior also leads the team in blocks with 34, with seven of those coming the solo way.
FRESHMEN FACTOR
The Green Bay attack is boasted by the talents of three strong freshmen, who all rank in the top five on the team in kills . Taylor Wolf (110 kills) is second on the team, while Roberta Todd (77 kills) and Ashley Sledge (42 kills) and fourth and fifth, respectively. Junior Jessica Wolf is enjoying another strong season, averaging 2.38 kills per set and has also accumulated 19 blocks.
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