ROCHESTER, Mich. – This weekend Oakland University Volleyball and Cleveland State will collide in both teams' single matchup this weekend on Saturday, October 29 in the Athletics Center O'rena for the second time this season.

In the two team's last meeting on the first day of October, Oakland fell 3-0 in Wooding Gymnasium as Patti Cesarini was the only Golden Grizzly to record double-digit kills on the day with 11 while AnnaBelle Tomei put up 15 assists, and Emily Wichmann with 17 digs. CSU owns the series 19-10 dating back to 2000. 

The senior still has put up 3.68 kills per set with a team-leading 339 for second in the Horizon League so far this season with Libby Gentile and Clarke Adams just behind with 202 and 187, respectively. Tomei has now facilitated 404 assists and sits seventh in Oakland's career assists leaders while Madison Ross moves into ninth after crossing the 1,000 assist mark earlier this year.

Jessica Riedl and Anna Nie still front a blocking effort that has generated 89 between the two on the year, 42 of which have gone solo to Riedl. Wichmann still locks down the defensive efforts with 480 digs cumulated so far while Cesarini joins her in second on the team with 236. 

SCOUTING REPORT
CSU has gone 2-5 since defeating the Golden Grizzlies back on October 1 with the only wins coming against IUPUI and Robert Morris with the Vikings coming to the O'rena on a three-game road streak with a recent five set loss to Wright State on October 22. 

As a team, Cleveland State ranks towards the bottom of the kills and assists categories in the conference with averages of 10.94 and 9.81 per set, respectively, with Laken Voss fifth overall in kills at 3.33/set. At the same time, Lydia Latimer sits eighth in hitting percentage at .255. Two Vikings find themselves in the top ten list in blocks for the Horizon League in Latimer and Madison Olinger who combine for 2.21/set.

 

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LARGEST UPSET IN THE NCAA
Oakland's 3-2 win over Green Bay in Wisconsin was characterized as the biggest upset this season in NCAA Division I volleyball with the 280th-ranked Golden Grizzlies beating the 60th-best team in the NCAA RPI.

START YOUR MVP CHANTS
Riedl was named the Kent State Invitational MVP following 21 kills and seven block assists as Oakland went a team-best 2-1 in the event.

OAKLAND SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL
The Golden Grizzlies earned 51 points in the 2022 #HLVB Preseason Coaches Poll for sixth place. Northern Kentucky is predicted to be the champion with 96 points and six first-place votes.

RICE NAMED HEAD COACH
In March of 2022, Oakland welcomed Krista Rice as Head Coach of the Golden Grizzlies after a stint as Associate Head Coach at Central Michigan. Rice then filled out her staff with Kyle Stahl of Western Michigan and Rick Wootten-Smith already at Oakland.

THREE NEW FACES
Oakland adds three freshmen to the fold in a new era of Golden Grizzlies volleyball in Lyse Bates, Rachel Rossman, and Anika Prisby.