Women's Volleyball November 17, 2015

Panthers Head To Cleveland For League Tournament

Milwaukee to take on Valparaiso Friday

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee volleyball team starts its postseason with a Horizon League Tournament quarterfinal matchup against Valparaiso Friday afternoon at 3:30 pm Central from Cleveland, Ohio.

Panther Points
• UWM enters this year's league tournament as the No. 6 seed. While that is the lowest ranking of a Panther team in league tournament history, Susie Johnson has shown she knows how to win. Since Johnson was named head coach in 2007, the Panthers have won four tournament titles and made it to at least the semifinals all seven times.

• With Cleveland State taking this year's regular season title, that marks the 12th time in the last 13 years that either Milwaukee or the Vikings were crowned league champs, with the Panthers winning nine of trophies in that span.

• The all-league teams were announced earlier this week with a pair of Panthers being honored in the postseason awards. Myanna Ruiz was named All-Horizon League and was one of the top defenders in the conference this season after making the switch over to libero for the first time in her career. Newcomer Maddie Williams also was honored, earning a spot on the all-freshman team after an outstanding first collegiate season.

• The Week Ahead
The Panthers start the Horizon League Tournament as the No. 6 seed, taking on Valparaiso Friday afternoon at 3:30 pm Central in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Scouting Notebook
Valparaiso is the No. 3 seed in this year's league tournament ... the Crusaders finished the season with a 25-7 overall record and an 11-5 league mark ... the 25 wins is the most in the Horizon League this season ... Milwaukee and Valpo split the head-to-head matchup this season, with each team defending its home court ... the two teams met in last year's league tournament in the semifinal, with No. 2 UWM taking down No. 3 VU in straight sets ... Emily Campbell and Allison Ketcham were named All-Horizon League earlier this week, while newcomers Kayla Currier and Katherine Carlson were named to the all-freshman squad ... Campbell leads Valpo with 4.27 kills/set on the season ... Morganne Longoria leads the defense with 437 digs, with Ketcham close behind at 387.

• The Rest Of The Tournament
Cleveland State hosts this year's league tournament after winning the regular season title. This is the third time in recent history that the Vikings have hosted the league tournament, also doing so in 2008 and 2009. If Milwaukee beats Valparaiso Friday, they will take on CSU Saturday at 2 pm Central, win Sunday's championship match scheduled for 1 pm Central.

• All-Horizon League
Myanna Ruiz and Maddie Williams each were awarded All-Horizon League honors when the list came earlier this week. Ruiz was named to the All-League Team after leading Milwaukee with an outstanding 555 digs this season for an average of 5.00 digs/set. Meanwhile, Williams earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team. The newcomer from Normal, Ill. has appeared in all 29 matches this season, making 26 starts. She is second on the team in kills with 244 and first on the team in blocks with 67.0, with both of those figures ranking in the top-10 in program history for a freshman.

• Leading The League
Senior Kayla Price and junior Myanna Ruiz swept the Horizon League Player of the week honors a week ago after helping the Panthers sweep their competition over the weekend. Price combined for a whopping 104 assists in the two wins, while Ruiz racked up 52 digs over the weekend - including 31 in the four-set win Saturday.

• Making A Career Of It
Fifth-year senior Kayla Price broke the all time matches played record in Milwaukee history Nov. 7 against Valparaiso. By playing in both matches that weekend, it marked the 124th and 125th times Price has taken the court for Milwaukee - tying and breaking the mark previous set by Julie Schloemer from 1992-95.

• She Can Dig It
Myanna Ruiz moved from outside to libero this season and has made a seamless transition. In fact, the junior's average of 5.00 digs per set would be just shy of a single-season school record - with Lauren Felsing's mark of 5.04 back in 2008 currently the top mark. Additionally, her digs-per-set average also ranks 33rd in the nation.

Ruiz also is on pace to finish in the top-10 in total digs for a season. With at least one match left on the schedule, she currently has 555 digs on the season - just 17 shy of second for a single season. Felsing is also the record-holder in that category with 645, also in 2008.

• Hitting The Century Mark
A pair of Panthers have reached milestone marks in their collegiate careers this season as both senior Kayla Price and junior Myanna Ruiz reached 1,000 digs for their Milwaukee careers. Ruiz was first to crack the list, accomplishing the feat Oct. 10th at UIC. Then, Price reached the century mark Oct. 23 in a home match against Youngstown State. The two become the 12th and 13th players in program history to achieve the remarkable accomplishment.

• The Price Is Right
Kayla Price enters her senior season as one of the top setters in Milwaukee history. A starter from her first season on campus, the fifth-year senior has racked up a whopping 4,961 assists. That mark is good for third in program history. Katie Schneider holds the program record with 5,276 from 1996-99.

• Gimme Five
Milwaukee has played in some thrilling matches this season, including eight that have gone the full five sets. The Panthers are 6-3 thus far this season when playing five, claiming wins over Furman, Oakland, Wright State, Youngstown State, Northern Kentucky and UIC.

• Flying High
The Panthers were statistically dominant in their five-set win at Oakland this season. In fact, four Panthers set career highs during the win. Kaisa Mattson had a career-high 21 kills, surpassing her old mark of 14. Myanna Ruiz (36), Maggie Dunbar (17) and Mykie Olsen (14) all tallied career bests in digs, while Kayla Price was just shy of PRs in both digs (18 - one away) and assists (58 - four away).

• Getting It Dun-Bar
Maggie Dunbar has put together quite a few memorable performances this season. The senior started the year coming off the bench to notch a then-career-high 25 kills in the five-set win over Furman. Dunbar hit a whopping .465 to lead UWM to the comeback win. Then, Dunbar upped her career-high to 28 against Cleveland State Oct. 24. That total equals the most in the Horizon League this season. Just for perspective, that tied for the second-most kills in program history for a five-set match.

• On The Road Again
After opening the season with three-straight home matches as part of the Pepsi Panther Invitational, Milwaukee didn't play another home game the whole month of September. UWM faced 12-straight road matches, including playing away from home every weekend during the first month of school. Tournaments in North Dakota, Iowa and Illinois started the big road swing before a three-game road trip to Oakland, Youngstown State and Cleveland State to start conference play ended the month-long stretch.

• It's Good To Be Home
When it comes to home court advantage, Milwaukee has proven to make the Klotsche Center one of the toughest places to play. The Panthers posted a 7-4 mark this year to up their home record to 82-28 under head coach Susie Johnson, good for a winning percentage of .745. Here's Milwaukee's year-by-year home record under Johnson:

2015: 7-4
2014: 9-3
2013: 8-1
2012: 5-7
2011: 12-2
2010: 10-4
2009: 8-4
2008: 10-2
2007: 13-1

• All-Tourney Team
The Panthers played in four non-conference tournaments this year and boasted some great individual performances to start the season. Kayla Price and Myanna Ruiz were both named to the all-tournament team following the season-opening Pepsi Panther Invitational. Then, Price was at it again after the tournament in North Dakota. Maggie Dunbar was named to the all-tourney team in Iowa before freshman Maddie Williams got the nod after a strong showing at the Wildcat Invitational at Northwestern.

• Up Next
Three-straight wins would put the Panthers in the NCAA Tournament for the 11^th time in program history. Any loss will bring the 2015 season to a close.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Maggie Dunbar: RS; 6' 2"; Senior

#13 Kaisa Mattson: MB; 6' 2"; Junior

#11 Mykie Olsen: DS; 5' 6"; Sophomore

#5 Kayla Price: S; 5' 9"; Senior

#2 Myanna Ruiz: L; 5' 8"; Junior

#15 Maddie Williams: MB; 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#12 Maggie Dunbar
: 6' 2"; Senior
: RS

#13 Kaisa Mattson
: 6' 2"; Junior
: MB

#11 Mykie Olsen
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: DS

#5 Kayla Price
: 5' 9"; Senior
: S

#2 Myanna Ruiz
: 5' 8"; Junior
: L

#15 Maddie Williams
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: MB