Oct. 29, 2015  |
Gameday Information |
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Oakland (14-10, 8-2 HL) vs. UIC (12-13, 5-6 HL) Friday, Oct. 30, 2015 Athletics Center O'rena
Oakland (14-10, 8-2 HL) vs. Valparaiso (21-6, 7-4 HL) Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015 Athletics Center O'rena Game Notes  |
Coverage |
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Friday Oct. 30 vs. UIC 7 p.m. ET Saturday, Oct. 31 vs. Valparaiso 4 p.m. ET ESPN3 | |
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ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland women's volleyball team return home after a four-match road trip as the Golden Grizzlies put their five-match winning streak on the line against UIC and Valparaiso this weekend inside the Athletics Center O'rena. Saturday's match against the Crusaders will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
PROMOTIONS
On Friday, Oakland will be holding a Halloween contest as the person in the best costume will receive a prize. On Saturday, the Golden Grizzlies will be hosting Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night.
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Grizzlies are coming of a four-match road trip, including winning its last two matches against Milwaukee and Green Bay last week. Oakland has only dropped one set over its five-match winning streak and are currently second place in the Horizon League standings. Amanda Baker broke the school record for career blocks against the Phoenix.
INSIDE THE MATCHES
UIC is 2-4 all-time against the Golden Grizzlies including falling in straight-sets earlier this year in Chicago. Valpo is 18-7 all-time against Oakland, dating back to when both teams were a part of The Summit League, but dropped a four-set match against the Golden Grizzlies inside the ARC earlier this season.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
The Flames come into the match tied for fifth place in the Horizon League standings with a 5-6 league record. They are coming into the match having dropped three of its last four matches including a straight-set loss to Valparaiso on Tuesday. The Crusaders are in third place in the Horizon League standings, one and a half games behind the Golden Grizzlies in the standings, with a 7-4 league mark. Valpo has won four of its last five matches with its only loss coming at home to Northern Kentucky.
CLIMBING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
Several Golden Grizzlies are cementing their legacies within the Oakland volleyball program as they set several career records. Here is a list of Golden Grizzlies ranked in the top-10 all-time in the program's history:
Amanda Baker: Became arguably one of the best middle blockers in Oakland history as she broke the school's all-time record for both career blocks and block assists. She is third all-time in sets played and sixth in hitting percentage.
Ciara Schultz: Second all-time in program history in service aces with 113 after teammate Melissa Deatsch surpassed her last week. Earlier this season, she became just the third player in program history to surpass 3,000 career assists and needs 126 more to become the all-time leader. Schultz is also just 10 sets away from becoming the school's career leader in sets played.
Melissa Deatsch: Surpassed teammate Ciara Schultz for the school's all-time record in service aces with 114. She also became just the second player in team history to rank in the top-10 in both kills and digs.
Cassie Pelloni: Needs just 8 kills to become the fifth player in program history to join the 1,000 kills club at Oakland.
Jessica Dood: Moved into eighth place in both block and block assists in Oakland history, while ranking sixth in hitting efficiency and ninth in career kills.
ALL-LEAGUE PERFORMERS
Oakland returns a pair of All-Horizon League selections, both named to this season's preseason all-league team, in Sammy Condon and Cassie Pelloni. Condon was named to the all-league team and also became just the second freshman in Horizon League history to win Tournament MVP honors. Pelloni returns for her senior campaign after leading the team in kills per set a year ago. The Golden Grizzlies also return all-tournament team honorees Ciara Schultz and Jessica Dood. Schultz set the school record for assists in a season at 1,244 and Dood averaged 2.58 kills per set in 2014.
THE BEAM FILE
Head Coach Rob Beam returns for his ninth season at the helm of the Golden Grizzlies and is the defending Horizon League Coach of the Year. He guided Oakland to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014 while winning more than 20 games in a season for the first time since 1997. Beam has coached two Defensive Players of the Year and 12 all-league selections under his tenure.
UP NEXT
Oakland will take its final road trip of the regular season as they travel to Youngstown State and first-place Cleveland State.
#WEARtheBEAR