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The Viking Report (Sept. 20)
Sept. 20, 2010
Contact: Brian McCann
Complete Release in PDF Format
Horizon League Play Comes To Cleveland... The Horizon League schedule for the three fall teams that play a round robin league slate begins this week with both the volleyball and women's soccer teams hosting league opponents and men's soccer off for what is perhaps the most difficult road trip of the season. The volleyball team, which opened league play with a 3-0 win over UIC to improve to 10-0, will host pre-season Horizon League favorite Milwaukee on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7:00 p.m. and Green Bay on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 4:00 p.m. The Milwaukee contest will be a rematch of the last two Horizon League championship matches. The women's soccer team will put its unbeaten home record on the line when the Vikings host Green Bay on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7:00 p.m. and then face defending league champion Milwaukee on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 12:00 noon. Both contests will be played at Krenzler Field. The men's soccer team will be in Chicago to open its league schedule, playing at UIC on Friday, Sept. 24 at 8:00 p.m. before closing the weekend at Loyola with a 2:00 p.m. match on Sunday, Sept. 26. Both tennis squads will be in action for the second time this fall. The men's squad will be in Muncie, Ind. for the three-day Ball State Invitational, with play running from Friday, Sept. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 26. At the same time, the women will be in East Lansing, Mich. to take part in the Michigan State Invitational. The cross country team will be in Athens, Ohio to take part in the Ohio Invitational, which begins on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 11:15 a.m. Volleyball Returns Home To Host Milwaukee & Green Bay The undefeated Cleveland State volleyball team (10-0) returns home to open Horizon League play when the Vikings start a five-match homestand with a pair of matches in Woodling Gym this weekend. CSU hosts Milwaukee on Friday (Sept. 24) at 7:00 p.m. in a rematch of the last two league title contests, before hosting Green Bay on Saturday (Sept. 25) at 4:00 p.m. "This will be a big weekend for us with two league matches on our court and we need to take care of business at home," head coach Chuck Voss said. "We have been playing very well to open the season and have to continue to come out with that same intensity and aggressiveness and take care of our side of the net. I expect us to be focused and ready to go this weekend." CSU continued its best start in school history and opened Horizon League play with a 3-0 sweep at UIC on Saturday (Sept. 18). It was the Vikings 10th consecutive win to open the season, keeping the Vikings as one of just 10 unbeaten teams in Division I. The win also snapped a three-match losing streak in the Flames Athletic Center. Amy Benz led the Vikings with 13 kills, hitting .545 (13-1-22), while Jackie Dabbelt notched 10 kills and did not commit an attack error in 16 attempts (.625). Jordan Goad handed out 31 assists in leading CSU to a .337 attack percentage, while Amy Grabiec recorded a match-best 12 digs. Women's Soccer To Host Green Bay & Milwaukee The women's soccer team will put its 4-0-2 home record on the line this week when the Vikings open Horizon League play with a pair of matches. CSU will entertain Green Bay on Friday, Sept. 24 at 7:00 p.m. before hosting defending league champion Milwaukee on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 12:00 noon. "This is an important week for us," CSU head coach Derrek Falor said. "We have worked over the last month to get ready for the start of league play and I think we are. We were able to get a couple of starters back in the lineup over the weekend who will really help us when we play again on Friday. We have played well at home this season so it is important that we continue to do that and put some wins on the board." The Vikings dropped a pair of matches in Seattle over the weekend as five Vikings were able to make a homecoming to the pacific northwest. CSU fell, 5-1, at Washington on Friday before losing at Seattle, 3-0, on Sunday. Junior Natalie Daniels continued her torrid scoring pace, registering the lone goal of the week. She continues to lead the Horizon League in goals (7) and points (16), needing just one goal to tie the school record for goals (8) and points (17) in a season, currently held by Jennifer Wieand (2007). Men's Soccer Opens League Slate With Two Matches In Chicago The Cleveland State's men's soccer team opens conference play with a pair of matches in Illinois this weekend. The Vikings will play UIC (2-3-0) on Friday, Sept. 24, in an 8:00 p.m. EDT contest. It will be the first meeting between these teams since Cleveland State knocked UIC out of the Horizon League Championship in an overtime shootout in the tournament's quarterfinals last year. CSU (2-4-0) will also take on Loyola (0-5-1) on Sunday (Sept. 26) at 2:00 p.m. EDT. "These will be two tough games, against two teams that should be near the top of the conference by the end of the season," head coach Ali Kazemaini said. "Those are two difficult places to play, and both matches will test our team. We're hoping for at least a split. If we can leave the trip with a win, it will mean we're making good progress." The Vikings used a first half penalty kick by Manual Conde and strong play in goal from Brad Stuver (7 saves) to defeat IPFW, 1-0 on Sunday. Earlier in the weekend, CSU dropped a 2-0 decision at SIU-Edwardsville. Men's Golf Takes Week Off To Prep For Piper Invitational The men's golf team will be out of action until Sept. 27-28 when the Vikings play in the 54-hole John Piper Invitational at the par-72, 7,064-yard Sand Ridge G.C. Bowling Green will serve as the host of the two-day event. "We are starting to put some things together and come around as a team," head coach Steve Weir said. "There are positives that we have been able to take away from our early season tournaments are we are continuing to work hard and improve our games." The Vikings placed 14th of 15 teams at the Marshall Invitational on Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 13-14) at the par-71, 6,534-yard Guyan Golf Club. CSU opened with scores of 289 and 290 in the first two rounds before a final round 285 in which three players shot par or better. Senior Kent Monas was the Vikings top finisher, tying for 12th place at 208, including three rounds under par (70-69-69). Sophomore Michael Klaric tied for 52nd with a final round 71, while freshman Andrew Bailey carded a one-under-par 71 in the final round en route to tying for 56th. Cross Country Heads To Ohio Invitational The cross country team continues its season on Saturday (Sept. 25) when the Vikings travel to Athens, Ohio, to compete in the Ohio University Invitational. The race will begin at 11:15 a.m. on the OU Golf Course. "Everyone has been working extremely hard this year and that has been showing in the times that we have been posting this fall," head coach Joe Jaketic said. "I have been working them very hard in practices during the week and they are responding very well. They are running in packs during the races, helping each other and really feeding off one another." The Vikings placed eighth of 12 teams at the Cedarville Friendship Invitational on Saturday (Sept. 18). Junior Allison Craine placed 15th overall with a time of 19:31 and has been CSU's top finisher in all three events this year. Junior Brittany Elmlinger was 23rd in 19:39, while junior Kelly Zaleski was 37th in 20:12 and junior Kari Haywood 42nd in 20:29. That trio has finished second, third and fourth for the Vikings in each race this year. Ball State Invitational Up Next For Men's Tennis The men's tennis team continues its fall slate when the Vikings head to Muncie, Ind., to compete in the Ball State Fall Invitational from Friday through Sunday (Sept. 24-26). "We got off to a great start in our first fall tournament at Indiana over the weekend," head coach Brian Etzkin said. "I don't think we are where we need to be in terms of our physical and mental shape, but that will come with the more court time we see. I feel that we have a lot of depth on this team and I hope to change up some of our doubles lineups the rest of the fall to see what works best for us." The Vikings opened the fall season with eight players competing at the Indiana Invitational from Friday through Sunday (Sept. 17-19). Junior Yannick Goossens captured the "A" flight singles title, while senior John Haley won the "C" flight, becoming the first two players in school history to win titles at IU. Goossens won three of his four singles matches in three sets, while Haley breezed through the competition with four straight set wins. In addition, Goossens teamed with junior Chris Klepatz for the best doubles showing by a Viking squad, claiming fourth place. Women's Tennis Continues Fall Slate At Michigan State After a strong showing in their season-opening performance at Bowling Green over the weekend, the Viking women's tennis team will travel to East Lansing, Mich. to compete in the Michigan State Invitational. The tourney begins on Friday, Sept. 24 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 26. "Our fall schedule will be a pretty good challenge for us and I expect that we will learn a lot about our team this weekend at Michigan State," CSU head coach Brian Etzkin said. "We started the fall schedule with a great first day at Bowling Green and then let up a little bit and didn't finish as strongly as we were capable. Still, it was a great showing against a solid field of teams, especially considering how young we are this year." The Vikings stormed out of the gates at Bowling Green last week, going 10-3 in singles and 3-0 in doubles on the opening day, sending four players to the finals of their respective singles flights. Sophomore Mengdi Liu went on to win the No. 8 singles title while Kara Sherwood, Nicole Janek and Alex Bush each finished second and Sanda Bjelan bounced back from a semi-final loss to finish in third place. In doubles play, the team of Bjelan and Bush won the championship in the No. 4 flight while Power and Janek finished second in No. 3. Viking High Fives Yannick Goossens: The junior men's tennis standout captured the "A" Flight at the Indiana Invitational over the weekend by going 4-0. Volleyball Team: The Vikings continued the best start in school history by sweeping UIC on Saturday for their 10th straight win, keeping CSU as one of just 10 unbeaten squads nationally in Division I. Mengdi Liu: The sophomore women's tennis player opened her season in fine fashion, winning all three singles matches that she played to capture the No. 8 singles title at the Bowling Green Invitational. Brad Stuver: The sophomore goalkeeper was at it again, stopping his second penalty kick of the year (in as many attempts) to help CSU blank IPFW, 1-0. This Week's Schedule Sept. 24 (Friday) Women's Soccer hosts Green Bay Men's Soccer at UIC Men's Tennis at Ball State Invitational Women's Tennis at Michigan State Invitational Sept. 25 (Saturday) Volleyball hosts Green Bay Men's Tennis at Ball State Invitational Women's Tennis at Michigan State Invitational Sept. 26 (Sunday) Men's Soccer at Loyola Women's Soccer hosts Milwaukee Women's Tennis at Michigan State Invitational |
