Women's Volleyball October 19, 2016

Volleyball Back At Home For Weekend Showdowns

All fans wearing pink on Friday admitted for just $1

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee volleyball team returns home this weekend for a brief home stand, welcoming Youngstown State to the Klotsche Center Friday night at 7 pm before a Saturday afternoon showdown against league-leading Cleveland State at 4 pm.

Panther Points
While the season is still early, it seems safe to say the Panthers have rebounded from an uncharacteristically down year in 2015. With just 19 matches in the books, Milwaukee has already surpassed its win total from all of last year with 11.

• Susie Johnson has quite a few newcomers on this year's Panther squad with many already playing key rolls this season. In fact, Milwaukee sports one of the youngest teams, not only in the Horizon League but in the entire country. With seven true freshman and only five upperclassmen, that makes them by far the youngest team in the conference this year.

• The Panthers were picked tied for fifth in the 2016 Horizon League preseason poll after finishing sixth overall one season ago.

• Susie Johnson is in her 10th year as head coach at Milwaukee. Her teams have claimed either the regular season or league tournament title in six of her nine years thus far.

• The Week Ahead
The Milwaukee volleyball team returns home this weekend for a brief home stand, welcoming Youngstown State to the Klotsche Center Friday night at 7 pm before a Saturday afternoon showdown against league-leading Cleveland State at 4 pm.

• Scouting Notebook
Youngstown State comes to Milwaukee with a 1-7 conference record and just 7-15 overall. The Penguins lone league win came at Valparaiso, but they have shown plenty of fight along the way - taking Oakland to five sets to start conference play and battling UWM to four sets just two weeks ago. Senior Lori Vanbeek was big for YSU in that one, leading the team with 22 kills and eight blocks, while fellow middle blocker, Sarah Varcolla, also did well with 14 kills. Youngstown State is still one of the top serving teams in the conference, averaging just over 1.5 aces per set.

Cleveland State enters the weekend as the leaders of the Horizon League. The defending league champs dropped their opening match at home against Oakland and are a perfect 7-0 in conference play since. Statistically, CSU has been dominant all year long - leading the league in hitting percentage (.254), kills (13.91/set) and assists (12.75/set). Four Vikings rank in the top seven overall in hitting percentage, while Grace Kauth leads the league in kills (3.64/set) and Gina Kilner has a slight edge in assists (10.68/set). The Vikings will play at UIC Friday before Saturday's match in Milwaukee.

• Don't Call It A Comeback
Milwaukee had an uncharacteristic down season in 2015, finishing sixth in the Horizon League and tallying just nine wins overall. Now at the midway point of this season, it's safe to say last year is far in the rearview mirror. With 19 games in the books, UWM has already surpassed last year's win total with an 11-8 overall record, with quite a few notable wins already under their belt. Not only that, but the Panthers are sitting right at the top of the league standings in the early going with a 5-3 league mark thus far.

• A Look At The League Ranks
Right at the halfway point of league play, Milwaukee has certainly made an early impression on the conference rankings. As a team, the Panthers rank first in blocks (2.62/set), third in assists (12.41/set), and second in kills (13.00/set) in league-only play. What is notable about those ranks is that - outside of the play of freshman Jenn Dore as team's primary setter - no one else from the Black & Gold lead the league in any individual category.

• Liking League Play
This year is the 10th with Susie Johnson as the head coach of Milwaukee volleyball. In each of those 10 years, the Panthers have won their Horizon League opener. The streak was continued this season when Milwaukee took down Northern Kentucky Sept. 23 in five sets to make it a perfect 10-for-10. UWM also won its next two to improve to 3-0 - the sixth time the team has been perfect through three league matches under Johnson.

• Strong Start
It is no secret Milwaukee traditionally schedules a very challenging non-conference schedule, with this year being no exception. This year's 6-5 record in non-conference play certainly had its memorable moments and could be the start of something special. Three times Milwaukee won at least six non-conference games (2007, '08, '11) heading into Horizon League play under head coach Susie Johnson, with all three of those seasons resulting in a league title.

• Early Honors
While it is still early in the season, the Panthers have already garnered quite a few accolades throughout the weeks. After sweeping its home Panther Invitational to start the season, sophomore Caitlin Schultz was named the tournament MVP, while senior Myanna Ruiz and freshman Jenn Dore were each named to the all-tournament squad, as well. Ruiz went on to be named all-tournament after each of the next three tournaments, while Bridget Wallenberger joined her on that list at Western Michigan's home tournament.

The Horizon League has also taken note of some of the Panther performances thus far, with Ruiz being named defensive player of the week Aug. 29 after the opening tournament, before Dore was named league offensive player of the week Sept. 26 after helping the Panthers to a 2-0 start to league play.

• Opening The Dore
Freshman setter Jenn Dore is off to a nice start to her collegiate career, dishing out 786 assists in her first 19 matches as a Panther. That already ranks as fifth most for a freshman in school history. If her pace holds, she could reach 1,000 assists for the season, something only done two total times in program history by a freshman (Lindsey Spoden - 2000 and Kayla Price - 2011).

• Young Panthers
Susie Johnson has quite a few newcomers on this year's Panther squad with many already playing key rolls this season. In fact, Milwaukee sports one of the youngest teams, not only in the Horizon League but in the entire country. With seven true freshman and only five upperclassmen, that makes Milwaukee by far the youngest team in the conference this year.

• Nice Net Work
Part of Milwaukee's success during its 11-8 start to the season stems from its work at the net. The Panthers posted a solid 175 total blocks in the first 19 matches, including 11 and 13 in the first two matches alone. That is especially impressive considering the Panthers only tallied double-digit blocks seven times all of the 2015 season, already surpassing that total (10 so far this year) with at least eight matches left on the schedule. In fact, UWM has reached double figures in blocks in five of its last six matches and has done so in all but two matches in league play.

UWM is also doing well on the offensive side of the net, hitting .190 through its first 19 matches. In fact, the Panthers have hit .200 or better in seven matches and .300 or better twice this year - all wins. So far, the statistics show that if Milwaukee hits .175 or better, they should win, sitting 10-1 when hitting that benchmark so far this season.

• Hitting The Century Mark
Myanna Ruiz reached a milestone mark last year when she collected her 1,000th dig during her Milwaukee career. Ruiz achieved the memorable feat Oct. 10th at UIC, becoming the 12th player in program history to reach the remarkable accomplishment.

• She Can Dig It
Myanna Ruiz picked up right where she left off last year. After being named All-Horizon League a year ago with one of the best defensive back row seasons in program history, Ruiz led all players in the Panther Invitational with 48 digs in the three matches, earning her Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honors and has consistently been the defensive leader for Milwaukee all season.
Ruiz is quickly climbing the charts as one of the all-time digs leaders in program history, already ranking fourth all time.

1. Lauren Felsing                                 1,929                                        2006-09
2. Becky Peters                                    1,875                                        2005-08
3. Laura Dallenbach                            1,600                                        1998-01
4. Myanna Ruiz                                   1,537                                            2013-
5. Leanne Felsing                                1,329                                        2004-07

• 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 last year and are already 6-1 at Klotsche this season to up their home record to 88-29 under head coach Susie Johnson, good for a winning percentage of .752. 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

• Up Next
Milwaukee has an unconventional road trip next weekend. The Panthers start Friday with a trip just across the border to UIC, before waiting until Sunday to head north to Green Bay for a 4 pm contest from the Kress Center.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#17 Caitlin Schultz: OH; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#8 Jenn Dore: S; 5' 10"; Freshman

#12 Bridget Wallenberger: MB; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

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

#17 Caitlin Schultz
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: OH

#8 Jenn Dore
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: S

#12 Bridget Wallenberger
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: MB