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2017 vb team

Women's Volleyball

Milwaukee Volleyball Kicks Of 2017 Season Friday

Team hosts annual Panther Invitational inside Klotsche Center

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee volleyball team kicks off the 2017 season Friday by hosting the annual Pepsi Panther Invitational. UWM will open things up at Noon on Friday by taking on South Dakota State before a 7:30 pm match against Idaho State. The Panthers close out this year's tournament on Saturday with a 1:30 pm contest against Virginia Tech. Milwaukee will also host Northern Illinois inside the Klotsche Center Monday, with first serve scheduled for 6 pm.
 
• The Week Ahead
The 2017 season will get going in a busy way for the Milwaukee volleyball team this weekend. First, the UWM will host the annual Pepsi Panther Invitational inside the Klotsche Center, starting Friday. Milwaukee will open things up with a noon contest against South Dakota State before a 7:30 matchup against Idaho State.  The Panthers then close out their home tournament Saturday at 1:30 against Virginia Tech. 
 
After a quick break in the action Sunday, Milwaukee will return to its home court for a 6 pm contest on Monday against Northern Illinois.
 
• Scouting Notebook
Milwaukee does not have an abundance of history with its three tournament opponents. The Panthers last played South Dakota State back in 1989 - the lone competition between the two schools. The Jackrabbits are coming off a 5-23 season on year ago and - like Milwaukee just last year - sport an incredibly young roster that features seven freshmen.
 
When UWM takes on Idaho State Friday, it will be the first time the two teams have played each other. However, the two programs are linked as Panther head coach Susie Johnson played collegiately for the Bengals, earning All-Big Sky and All-Northwester Region honors as a setter. Head coach Rick Reynolds helped ISU to a 16-15 mark last year features a roster headlined by returning senior outside Marissa Dance who was named Second Team All-Big Sky last year.
 
Saturday will mark just the fourth time the Panthers and Hokies square off against one another, with UWM holding a 2-1 lead in the brief all-time series. In fact, the last time the two schools played was back in 2007 at the Panther Invitational - a 3-1 Milwaukee win. Virginia Tech's Jill Lytle Wilson makes her head coaching debut this weekend after 10 years with LSU.
 
UWM has plenty of history with Monday's opponent in Northern Illinois. The two teams have played 22 times overall, with NIU holding a slim 12-10 edge in the all-time series. The Huskies went an impressive 25-6 last year, making it all the way to the NCAA Tournament.
 
• Young Panthers
Milwaukee once again has a young squad, with nine of this year's 14-player roster made up of underclassmen. That comes one year after UWM sported the youngest team in the Horizon League with seven true freshmen, with three of those seven starting nearly every match last year. 
 
• All-Horizon League
Milwaukee's youth movement last year garnered plenty of postseason awards, including a trio handed out by the Horizon League. Bridget Wallenberger was named Horizon League Freshman of the Year last season, while also being named to the all-league and all-freshman squads. Fellow newcomers Jenn Dore and Kylie Wilks each also earned spots on the league's all-freshman squad last year.
 
• For Starters
The 2017 season marks the 45th season of Milwaukee Panther volleyball and the 28th at the Division-I level. UWM has won six of its last seven season openers dating back to 2010 and is 6-4 all-time in openers under head coach Susie Johnson. Milwaukee will look to keep the scales tipped in the right direction on Friday, with a 14-13 edge in the record in season openers since moving to the DI ranks in 1990.
 
• Panther Invitational History
While it has gone through some name changes over the years, this year marks the 19th running of the Pepsi Panther Invitational and the 17th time in the last 19 years Milwaukee has hosted its own tournament. UWM has had plenty of success while bringing in some of the best teams in the nation to its court, going 42-20 since the move to Division I, including posting a perfect record six times - most recently just last year.

• The Big 2-0-0
Milwaukee head coach Susie Johnson will reach the 200-win milestone at some point this season - the only question is when that will happen. Now in her 11th year as head coach of the Black and Gold and 13th season serving as head coach in her career, Johnson enters the 2017 season with a 198-166 overall record - just two wins shy of the milestone victory. 

• Setting The Record Straight
With so many freshmen seeing significant minutes last season, the Milwaukee freshman record book was seemingly rewritten during the 2016 season. Last year alone saw the following added to its freshmen top-10 all-time lists: Jenn Dore, 1,142 assists (3rd); Bridget Wallenberger, 308 kills (3rd); Kylie Wilks, 271 kills (6th); Wallenberger, 2.91 kills/set (3rd); Wilks, 2.58 kills/set (5th); Wallenberger, 1.08 blocks/set (t-4th).
 
• Opening The Dore
Being a true freshman playing setter is no easy task, but Milwaukee's Jenn Dore handled the pressure just fine last year. Starting at the position from day one, Dore racked up a whopping 1,142 assists last year while helping the young Panthers to the Horizon League Tournament. That mark ranks third all-time for a freshman in school history and was just shy of 10th for any season in program history. 
 
• 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 9-2 mark last year to up their home record to 91-30 under head coach Susie Johnson, good for a winning percentage of .752. Here's Milwaukee's year-by-year home record under Johnson:
 
2016: 9-2
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 hits the road for the first time this season, heading just across the state line for the Rambler Challenge. UWM will take on three opponents in two days next weekend at host Loyola, starting with Fairfield at 11 am Friday.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Jenn Dore

#8 Jenn Dore

S
5' 11"
Sophomore
Bridget Wallenberger

#12 Bridget Wallenberger

MB
6' 2"
Sophomore
Kylie Wilks

#14 Kylie Wilks

OH
5' 8"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Jenn Dore

#8 Jenn Dore

5' 11"
Sophomore
S
Bridget Wallenberger

#12 Bridget Wallenberger

6' 2"
Sophomore
MB
Kylie Wilks

#14 Kylie Wilks

5' 8"
Sophomore
OH