ROCHESTER, Mich. – On Tuesday, Oakland University Volleyball will host a three-game home stand this week starting with Robert Morris inside the Athletics Center O'rena at 6:00 pm. 

Oakland hosted a single match last weekend with Cleveland State resulting in a three-set loss. Previously, on September 20, the Golden Grizzlies tussled with Robert Morris in a 3-1 win that saw Patti Cesarini record her third-highest kills in a season at 19 while Rachel Rossman served 20 assists with Emily Wichmann at the same mark in digs.

Cesarini has the second-best kill average in the Horizon League at 3.68/set with a team-leading total of 350 on the year while Libby Gentile and Clarke Adams are just behind with 210 and 191, respectively, with averages of 2.21 and 2.01/set. AnnaBelle Tomei has delivered 422 assists on the year (4.85/set) to facilitate the Oakland offense.

Defensively, Wichmann has now moved into second in the conference in digs with 5.16/set with a team-leading 490 as Cesarini sits in second on the team with 244. Anna Nie has an efficient 0.63 blocks per set, 40 total though Jessica Riedl leads the front row with 52 total.

SCOUTING REPORT
The Colonials have just two #HLVB wins in 14 contests with victories over Purdue Fort Wayne and IUPUI. Following Tuesday's match, RMU will return home for three-straight games versus Youngstown State, Wright State, and Northern Kentucky. 

As a team, the Colonials allow some of the most blocks by their opponents with an average of 2.24 per set while recording the least in the conference with 1.31/set. Likewise, opponents in the conference record 12.88 kills per set over RMU. Statistically, one of the best service ace deliverers in the league is Ally Christman who has totaled 23 through 58 sets played.

 

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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.