Volleyball Looks to Continue Momentum at Kent State Invite

ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University Volleyball will make the trip to Kent, Ohio for the Kent State Invitational for three games September 2-3 against Southern Indiana, Cornell, and host Kent State.

Patti Cesarini leads the offensive efforts for Oakland with 40 kills while Libby Gentile and Clarke Adams reinforce the onslaught with 26 and 24 kills, respectively, as Cesarini holds the best attacking percentage of the three at .184.

Emily Wichmann is third in the Horizon League in digs with an average of five per set, 74 in total. Along the front row, Jessica Riedl has eight blocks to her credit with three other individuals tallying six apiece in Madison Ross, Gentile, and Cesarini.

Oakland Head Coach Krista Rice picked up her first win as the Golden Grizzlies' leader with a 3-2 victory over Akron at the Top Dawg Challenge in Indianapolis, Indiana last weekend as the team went 1-2 in the event.

Oakland's Kent State Invite Schedule:
Friday, September 2 - Southern Indiana, 10 AM
Friday, September 2 - Cornell, 4 PM
Saturday, September 3 - Kent State, 7 PM

SCOUTING REPORT

SOUTHERN INDIANA
The first year NCAA Division I team is entering its first invite of the season as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Screaming Eagles were beaten 2-3 and 1-3 by Murray State in a two-day doubleheader in Evansville, Indiana.

CORNELL
The Big Red have yet to play a game in the 2022 campaign meaning the matchup with the Golden Grizzlies will be the first team Cornell has seen all season. The Big Red were selected seventh in the Ivy League Volleyball Preseason Poll with seven newcomers on the roster.

KENT STATE
Host Kent State returns to Ohio from the JMU Invitational in Harrisonburg, Virginia with a 2-1 record with victories over Albany (N.Y.) and Horizon League opponent Robert Morris before dropping a game to host James Madison. Gracey Jarecke earned MAC East Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday after two 20-plus dig games.

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.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Clarke Adams: OH; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#21 Patti Cesarini: OH; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#12 Libby Smith: MB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore

#14 Jessica Riedl: MB; 6' 0"; Graduate Student

#6 Emily Wichmann: DS/L; 5' 3"; Sophomore

#5 Madison Ross: S; Senior

#2 Lyse Bates: DS/L; Freshman

#16 Anika Prisby: MB; Freshman

#9 Rachel Rossman: S; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#17 Clarke Adams
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: OH

#21 Patti Cesarini
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: OH

#12 Libby Smith
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore
: MB

#14 Jessica Riedl
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student
: MB

#6 Emily Wichmann
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: DS/L

#5 Madison Ross
: Senior
: S

#2 Lyse Bates
: Freshman
: DS/L

#16 Anika Prisby
: Freshman
: MB

#9 Rachel Rossman
: Freshman
: S