The Malone University volleyball team will look to continue its torrid run through the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) this weekend when it meets Ohio Dominican University and Cedarville University in a pair of road matches. The Pioneers enter the weekend 12-5 overall and 7-1 in G-MAC play. Since losing to Walsh on September 12th, Malone has reeled off seven straight conference wins and now sit in a tie with Walsh atop the G-MAC East Division Standings. The Pioneers will be tested this week against two teams that they went a combined 0-4 against last season.
 
Matches
(10/6) Malone at Ohio Dominican – 7:00 pm
(10/7) Malone at Cedarville – 3:00 pm
 
Both matches will be streamed on portal.stretchinternet.com/malone via the Great Midwest Digital Network.
 
Malone Notes 

• The Pioneers are coming off of a five-set non-conference loss to West Liberty on Tuesday night. Malone hit just .062 and totaled 224 attack attempts (the most since 2010) in the marathon match as the Hilltoppers' defense collected 114 digs and 19 blocks.
• Although Malone struggled offensively, the defense, particularly the back row, played well, finishing with 106 digs – the most since 2014.
• Mallory Adams scooped up a career-high 26 digs in the contest. Through 17 matches this season, she has already surpassed her previous career-high with 188 total digs. On the season, Adams is averaging 2.69 kills, 2.76 digs, and 1.01 blocks per set while also leading Malone with 26 aces.
• Malone libero Maggie Hamrock posted 25 digs in the match at West Liberty and has 75 in her last four. She enters the week ranked 10th in the G-MAC with 3.84 digs per set.
• Outside hitter Veronica Gehring finished with a career-high 58 attacks on Tuesday. She leads Malone with 2.79 kills a set.
• Faith Lau tied a career-high with 15 kills as she led Malone on Tuesday. On the year, she is averaging 2.52 kills a set. Lau, a sophomore, is 25 kills shy of 400 in her career.
• Setter Cathryn Miller is 6th in the G-MAC with 411 assists (6.42 per set) and has seven double-doubles on the year.
• Defensive specialist Sydney Black, one of three players to play in all 68 sets this season (Adams, Hamrock), finished with 16 digs on Tuesday – the second-most in a match in her career.
• As a team, Malone ranks second in the G-MAC in digs (16.7/set) and blocks (2.00/s) and is third in opponents' hitting percentage (.160).
• The Pioneers lost twice to Friday's opponent, Ohio Dominican, in non-conference play last season, winning just one set.
• Malone was swept by Cedarville in two matches last season, including the G-MAC Tournament Semifinal. 

Ohio Dominican Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The Panthers enter Friday's match just 3-13 on the season and just 2-5 in conference. ODU dropped a four-set non-conference match to Urbana on Tuesday.
• Ohio Dominican ranks 12th among 13 teams in the G-MAC with a .107 attacking percentage. The Panthers did, however, hit a season-high .213 against Urbana and have hit .202 or better in four of their last five matches.
• Ciara Ralston hit .325 with a 17 kills and a team-high 16 digs on Tuesday. She leads the Panthers this season with 2.44 kills per set.
• Defensive specialist Anna Ficker is 7th in the G-MAC in digs (4.30 d/s).

Cedarville Notes -  Roster | Schedule | Stats

• After starting the season 1-7, the defending G-MAC Champions have won six of their last nine and are 5-2 in conference.
• The Lady Jackets are coming off of a four-set loss to Kentucky Wesleyan at home last Saturday. Cedarville is 26-2 all-time in G-MAC home matches
• Senior middle hitter Gabby Olson, the 2016 G-MAC Player of the Year led Cedarville with 14 kills and three blocks in the match. On the season, she leads the conference in blocks (1.12/set) and is sixth in kills (3.15 k/s) and attacking percentage (.301).
• All-Conference outside hitter Krissy Pratt is averaging 2.49 kills and 3.17 digs per set.
• As a team, Cedarville averages a conference-best 2.31 blocks a set. Freshman middle Lauren Willow ranks third in the conference with 1.05 per set.