The Malone University volleyball team returns to Great Midwest Athletic Conference play this weekend when it hosts G-MAC West Division frontrunners University of Findlay on Friday, October 20th and Hillsdale College on Saturday, October 21st.
 
Both Findlay (18-4, 9-1 G-MAC) and Hillsdale (18-3, 8-2 G-MAC) received votes in the AVCA Division II Top-25 poll this week.  The Pioneers (14-7, 8-2 G-MAC) went a combined 0-3 against the Oilers and Chargers in non-conference matches last season. This weekend marks the first time in which they will meet as members of the Great Midwest.
 
Match Info
10/20 Malone vs. Findlay – 7:00 pm
10/21 Malone vs. Hillsdale – 2:00 pm

Live Video will provided for both matches via the Great Midwest Digital Network at: portal.stretchinternet.com/malone
 
Malone Notes 

• Malone will look to rebound this weekend after suffering a three-set loss to Tiffin on Tuesday in which the Dragons posted a .350 hitting percentage, the highest by a Malone opponent this season. The previous high was .265 by Western New Mexico.
• Since that match against WNMU, the Pioneers had allowed opponents to hit just .143 before the blemish against Tiffin on Wednesday. Malone will need to play well defensively this weekend against two of the best hitting teams in the country.
• Malone ranks 2nd in the conference in blocks (2.00/set), 3rd in digs (16.41/set), and 3rd in opponents' hitting percentage (.166).
• The Pioneers are led defensively by junior middle hitter Mallory Adams, who is 4th in the G-MAC in blocks (1.02/set), and Maggie Hamrock, who is 9th in digs (3.57/set).
• Brooklyn Sullivan (0.82 blocks/set) and Hannah Eliason (0.69 b/s) have played well defensively at the net while Adams, Cathryn Miller, and Sydney Black are all averaging more than two digs per set in the back row.
• Veronica Gehring (2.83 kills/set), Adams (2.66), and Faith Lau (2.51) have led the Pioneers' attack. Malone is one of two teams in the G-MAC that has three players averaging more than 2.5 kills per set (Walsh).
• The Pioneers are 6th in the G-MAC in kills (11.79/set) and hitting percentage (.173) and 4th in aces (1.72/s).
• The Pioneers enter the weekend having won eight of their last nine conference matches. They are also 7-2 at home.
• Last season, Malone took Hillsdale to five sets in Osborne Hall after being swept by the Chargers on the road less than a month earlier. The Pioneers were also swept by Findlay that same day.

Findlay Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The Oilers come into the weekend 18-4 on the season, but just 3-3 in their last six matches. Findlay's only conference loss of the season came two weeks ago at Lake Erie.
• Most recently, Findlay topped Urbana in three sets on Wednesday. Amanda Winner had a team-high 12 kills in the match. She leads the G-MAC and is 22nd in the nation with 4.05 kills per set.
• Talented setter Hailee Olson, a 2016 All-GLIAC Second Team honoree, leads the league in assists per set (10.96) and is 12th in DII with 855 total assists this season. She also leads the team with 30 aces.
• Libero Kara Scherger is 4th in the G-MAC with 4.92 digs per set.
• UF as a team ranks second in the conference in both hitting percentage (.247) and opponents' hitting percentage (.150) and is third in kills (12.94/s)

Hillsdale Notes -  Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The Chargers lead the G-MAC and are 10th in the nation in hitting (.275). They also lead the league in opponents' hitting (.143), kills (13.94/s), and aces (1.88/s).
• Three players: Paige VanderWall (.326), Allyssa Van Wienen (.322), and Kara Vyletel (.303) each rank in the top-6 in the G-MAC in hitting percentage.
• Vyletel (3.92 k/s) and VanderWall (3.07 k/s) are also third and seventh in the conference in kills.
• Libero Taylor Wiese leads the conference with 5.19 digs per set.
• Hillsdale is 5-2 on the road this season and 8-2 in conference. Since losing back-to-back matches to Findlay and Cedarville in mid-September, the Chargers have won 11 straight.