GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) ---  The Green Bay volleyball team (5-7) will start their 2018 Horizon League slate with a stretch of four road matches, beginning this weekend at Northern Kentucky (8-3) on Friday and IUPUI (3-11) on Saturday.

"The entire conference is starting at 0-0, and as a result, we are going to be playing in some high-energy matches this weekend," said head coach Abbey Sutherland. "We are excited to be a part of that atmosphere and embrace it. Our goal hasn't changed; we will continue to work to get better each and every point. We will compete like "Champions" instead of "Contenders." In other words, we will have guts and believe in each other. It's a mindset that we will work to have one hundred percent of the time, and that starts with what we do in practice on a daily basis."
 
Schedule
Friday, September 21
at Northern Kentucky @ 5:00 p.m. CT
Saturday, September 22
at IUPUI @ 3:00 p.m. CT
 
Media
The Green Bay vs. Northern Kentucky match can be watched on ESPN . Live stats and tweets will also be available for fans to follow along with during each match.

Northern Kentucky | Watch | Stats | Twitter
IUPUI | Stats | Twitter

The live stats and video links can also be found on the Green Bay Phoenix volleyball schedule page. In addition, to view live tweets, follow @gbphoenixvb.

Opponent Outlook
Northern Kentucky boasts a winning record in nonconference play, grabbing eight wins and only three losses. The Norse are on a six-match win streak, finishing as back-to-back tournament champions at the Dunn Hospitability Tournament hosted by Evansville as well as the SIUE Cougar Classic.

Northern Kentucky currently leads the Horizon League in digs, averaging 19.93 per set, and is second to Green Bay in hitting percentage, calculating .185 paralleled to the Phoenix's .191. However, Green Bay is barely second to the Norse in kills and assists, with NKU turning in 13.09 per set and 12.39 per set, respectively, while the Phoenix have an even 13 kills per set and 12.17 assists per set. The Norse are led by two-time Offensive Player of the Week senior outside hitter Haley Libs, who is second to sophomore Taylor Wolf  in the league in both kills and points.

Green Bay has won three of the last matchups against Northern Kentucky, with the last face-off also being held on the Norse home turf in Highland Heights. In that game, the Phoenix won 3-1 in the last match right before the 2017 Horizon League Tournament, solidifying NKU's number six spot in the league compared to Green Bay's number four finish.

IUPUI, on the other hand, has a 3-11 overall record so far this season, but will be hoping to start League play with a win against UIC on Friday night. Their only wins have come against Purdue Fort Wayne, SIUE, and Nicholls State.

The Jaguars are ranked second in the Horizon League in digs, averaging 18.67 per set, with help from one-time Defensive Player of the Week freshman libero Rachel Hickey. Meanwhile, IUPUI sits near the bottom of the league in hitting percentage, assists, and service aces.

However, the Jaguars do own the last three meet-ups against the Phoenix, winning the last match in five sets against Green Bay at the Kress Center. Last year, IUPUI finished third in the league with a 12-4 conference record, losing only to Cleveland State and Oakland, but fell to Northern Kentucky in a shocking first round of the 2017 Horizon League Tournament. They graduated their top outside hitter as well as their top libero from last year, which may contribute to their nonconference play record.
 
Last Weekend Recap
The Phoenix fell to #7 Minnesota as well as Kansas State at the Gopher Fall Classic last Thursday and Friday. The Gophers took Green Bay in three sets, while the Wildcats were pushed to four. The tournament was not completed, with the host team canceling the final match against Kansas State due to the arena overheating.

"Minnesota and Kansas State are high-caliber teams, and getting the opportunity to compete against them provided us with more information about our mental and physical potential," explained Sutherland. "We have a better understanding of what we will to do to prepare for Horizon League play. It was a weekend full of challenges, and we are better because of it. No matter what, we fight for each other and make it a priority to be a unified team on and off the court."
 
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