Milwaukee Heads To Michigan For Loaded Weekend Tournament

Panthers to play Xavier, Tennessee before host Broncos

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee volleyball team will look to continue its impressive start to the 2016 season this weekend with three matches in Kalamazoo, Mich. as part of the Holiday Inn West Invitational hosted by Western Michigan. UWM will take on Xavier and Tennessee on Friday before a Saturday matchup against the host Broncos.

• Scouting Notebook
Milwaukee will take on three more quality opponents this weekend, with varying degrees of history in each of its counterparts. When UWM and Xavier square off Friday, that will mark just the second meeting between the two schools and the first since 1994 - a Milwaukee win. The Musketeers enter the weekend with a 3-4 record and were picked third in the Big East preseason poll.

Friday night's contest against Tennessee will be the first ever between the Panthers and Volunteers in both programs' long-tenured histories. UT is also 5-1 to start the year and will take on the host Broncos before that matinee with Milwaukee. Tennessee's lone loss on the year thus far came against fellow Horizon League school Cleveland State.

The Panthers and Broncos have plenty of history, squaring off each of the last five seasons. WMU holds a 7-2 all-time lead in the series, but Milwaukee has won the last two, including a 3-1 win in last year's season opener in Milwaukee. Western Michigan also has fallen to Cleveland State this season, and holds wins over Seton Hall and Fort Wayne.

• Strong Start
It has been quite a start to the season for Milwaukee this year. After sweeping their home Panther Invitational to start the season, Milwaukee went 2-1 out east to improve to 5-1 overall on the young season. That marks the third time under head coach Susie Johnson that the Panthers have started with at least five wins in their first six matches - even more impressive considering Milwaukee's traditionally hard non-conference scheduling.

Early Honors
After the first two weekends of competition, the Panthers have already garnered quite a few awards for their efforts. 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. Then, after a 2-1 showing at Sacred Heart's home tournament this past weekend, Ruiz was again named to the all-tournament team, joined this time by freshman Bridget Wallenberger.

• We're Going Streaking
The 2016 season got off to a smashing start for the Panthers. After dropping the first two sets of the season opener, Milwaukee roared back for a 3-2 win and never looked back, sweeping the next two matches. The nine-straight set wins marked the longest stretch for UWM since a strong run back in 2013 that saw them rattle off 14-straight set wins during a nine-match win streak. While that streak came to an end with Milwaukee's first loss of the year last weekend, the Panthers bounced back with another strong run, this time rattling off six-straight set wins to improve to 5-1 overall.

• Nice Net Work
Part of Milwaukee's success during its 5-1 start to the season stems from its work at the net. The Panthers posted an impressive 63 total blocks in the first six matches, including 11 and 13 in the first two matches alone, followed by performances of 11 and 16 this past weekend. That is especially impressive considering the Panthers only tallied double-digit blocks seven times all of the 2015 season.

UWM started strong on the offensive side of the net too, hitting .245 in the first six matches, including a whopping .376 in the sweep of Akron, followed closely by a .338 mark against George Mason last weekend. That already doubles last year's .300+ hitting matches in the first weekend after doing so just once one year ago.

• Young Panthers
Susie Johnson has quite a few newcomers on this year's Panther squad with many figuring to play 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, making them by far the youngest team in the conference this year.

• 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 to start this season. 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.

Ruiz is quickly climbing the charts as one of the all-time digs leaders in program history, already ranking fifth all time.

1. Lauren Felsing                                 1,929                                        2006-09
2. Becky Peters                                    1,875                                        2005-08
3. Laura Dallenbach                            1,600                                        1998-01
4. Leanne Felsing                                1,329                                        2004-07
5. Myanna Ruiz                                   1,320                                            2013-

• Up Next
UWM will stay on the road so-to-speak next weekend for its shortest road trip of the year. Milwaukee will make the short trip across town for a pair of matches hosted at Marquette. First, the Panthers will take on Missouri State Friday afternoon at 4 pm. They will then square off against the host Golden Eagles Saturday at 1 pm from inside the Al McGuire Center.

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