MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Milwaukee volleyball team reaches the midway point of the Horizon League schedule this week, taking on in-state rival Green Bay on Friday at 6:00 pm. The Panthers will then look to avenge a setback from earlier this year as they host IUPUI on Tuesday.
 
The match against the Jaguars on October 18 is Panthertoberfest, a student appreciation night with free snacks and activities for UWM students.
 
Both matches will be carried on ESPN+ this week with Matt Menzl on the call on Tuesday. Live stats will also be available for the Horizon League contests. All links can be found on MKEPanthers.com.
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Green Bay is off to a solid start to the Horizon League schedule, opening at 6-2 with its only losses coming to Wright State and Oakland in five sets. The Phoenix bounced back from the loss with a 3-2 win over Cleveland State on October 8.
 
GB leads the league with a .248 attack percentage and is also holding opponents to just a .169 hitting percentage thanks to a league-best 2.44 blocks per set. Alexandra Zakutney has been terrific for the Phoenix, leading with 256 kills (3.24/set) and ranking second with 211 digs. Northern Illinois transfer Angie Gromos has been a welcomed addition as she leads the league with 91 total blocks and has put away 125 kills at a .328 clip.
 
Predicted eighth in the preseason poll, IUPUI has put together a strong start to the league schedule with wins over Milwaukee, Youngstown State, and Robert Morris.
 
Sophomore Briana Brown has carried the offense, averaging 3.46 kills per frame which puts her third in the Horizon League. On the defensive side, Addie Evans (332 digs) and Brooke Phillips (158 digs) pace the Jaguars. Phillips also leads the league with 33 service aces this season.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Milwaukee has owned the all-time series against Green Bay, winning 50 of 71 matchups dating back to 1990. The Phoenix had won eight in a row from 2015 to 2018, but the Panthers have won all six matchups since.
 
In 12 all-time meetings, Milwaukee has been triumphant eight times against IUPUI. The Panthers won four in a row from 2019 to 2021, but the Jaguars surprised MKE with a 3-1 win earlier this season on September 27. The Panthers were haunted by 16 reception errors, 10 service errors, and 23 attack errors in that loss.
 
SWEEPIN' THE WEEKEND
Milwaukee got back on track this past week, picking up sweeps of Cleveland State and Oakland on consecutive nights. Against the Vikings, MKE recorded 50 kills and 61 digs, both three-set season highs. One night later, the Panthers recorded 10 blocks and forced 22 Oakland errors in a 3-0 win.
 
Ari Miller hit .462 with 21 kills in the two matches while Natalie Schmitz piled up 22 kills, five digs, and two blocks. The setter tandem of Josie Johnson and Kaley Blake totaled 70 assists and 35 digs. Sarah Schrader averaged 5.17 digs per frame in the wins.
 
BLOCK PARTY
In Saturday's win over Cleveland State, Bri Geurts racked up a career-high nine blocks. As a team, Milwaukee recorded 10 blocks, its ninth match this season with double figure stuffs. It marks the most matches with at least 10 blocks since 2016 when Milwaukee had 15 double-figure outputs.
 
The Panthers currently rank second in the league with 2.59 blocks per set in league play. Milwaukee's 70 total blocks sits just one half of a block behind Northern Kentucky.
 
MILLER ON A MISSION
Ari Miller has been a leader for the Panthers all season but since Horizon League play began, her numbers have continued to improve.
 
In eight league matches, Miller paces the Panthers in attack percentage (.401), kills (3.81), blocks (1.33), and points (4.87) per set. Those numbers also put her in the league's top three of each category.
 
Miller has tallied at least 10 kills in 14 matches this season and has recorded at least six blocks on six occasions. 
 
The junior currently ranks 85th in the nation in total points with 269.
 
YEAR 50
This year marks the 50th season of Milwaukee volleyball. Susie Johnson has been on the bench for more than half that time, spending 10 seasons as an assistant coach and embarking on her 16th at the helm this year. Johnson is just 17 victories away from surpassing Kathy Litzau for the most NCAA Division I wins in program history (272).
 
As a program since inception in 1973, the Panthers have claimed 14 league championships and have been to 10 NCAA Tournaments. Milwaukee volleyball also has 21 Bud K. Haidet Hall of Famers, 12 All-Americans, 11 league players of the year, and much more in its history.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
Dating back to March 15, 2021, Milwaukee has won 15 consecutive Horizon League contests on its home floor. The Panthers won their final two home league contests in the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, finished 9-0 against league opponents last year, and are 4-0 so far this season.
 
It marks the longest undefeated streak at home against Horizon League opponents since 2008 when Milwaukee recorded its fifth straight perfect home league schedule. From 2004-08, MKE won 36 consecutive home matchups against league opponents.
 
Since 1990, MKE is 270-112 (.707) overall at the Klotsche Center and 167-47 against league opponents on its home floor.
 
MAKING IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Natalie Schmitz has wasted no time contributing in her first year for the black and gold. The freshman ranks second on the team with 174 kills (2.52 per set).
 
Fellow freshman Josie Johnson has helped control the offense at the setter position. Johnson has dished up 300 assists and has added 100 digs and eight aces, which ranks third on the team.
 
Kara Erdmann currently ranks fifth on the team with 92 digs.
 
Czhen Beneby has also made an impact, totaling 96 kills and 55 blocks in her first season with the black and gold.
 
A GRAND MILESTONE
On September 17 against San Jose State, junior Ari Miller put away 13 kills which put her over 1,000 for her career. Miller became the 15th player in program history to reach the milestone.
 
Additionally, Miller currently ranks sixth in career kills per set (3.16) and first in attack percentage (.337).
 
PRESEASON POLL
The Panthers picked up four first-place votes and 93 total poll points as they were predicted to finish second in this year's Horizon League preseason poll. MKE was edged by Northern Kentucky, who earned six first-place votes and 96 poll points. Wright State was picked third (78 points) followed by Green Bay (69) to round out the top four.
 
NO SLOUCH IN NON-CONFERENCE
Head Coach Susie Johnson put together one of the toughest non-conference schedules in program history and that continues in California. The Panthers had two ranked matches and three more against teams receiving votes in the top-25 poll.
 
The last time the Panthers saw at least two ranked opponents in a single season was 2014 when MKE took on No. 19 Minnesota and No. 25 Michigan State.
 
CATCH ALL THE ACTION
Thanks to ESPN+, Milwaukee volleyball will be readily available for viewers. The Horizon League and ESPN have an agreement that includes ESPN hosting the league's digital network on the ESPN+ platform.
 
ESPN+, which will host the Horizon League women's soccer, men's soccer, and volleyball championships, offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content, and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) and cancel at any time.
 
For road games, visit MKEPanthers.com for live coverage links.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers hit the road to take on Robert Morris (Oct. 21) and Youngstown State (Oct. 22). MKE will be back at the Klotsche Center for three straight matches beginning with Northern Kentucky on October 28.