Volleyball Concludes Home Schedule This Weekend

Wayne State will honor its three seniors prior to Saturday's match.

By: Cameron Weidenthaler, Assistant Media Relations Director

Volleyball | 10/23/2014 8:00:00 AM

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball team (6-12, 3-8 GLIAC) will return to league play this weekend following the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover. Northwood (6-12, 3-9 GLIAC) and Lake Superior State (2-17, 1-12 GLIAC) will visit the Matthaei. The matches will be played in Gym 111 with the new floor installation complete.

WSU will hold its Family and Senior Day on Saturday. The three Warrior seniors Carlee Hunt, Jamie Goryca and Hannah Williams will be honored before the match. The three Warriors have combined to play in 205 matches over the past four seasons.

SCOUTING THE TIMBERWOLVES
Northwood enters the weekend with an identical record to WSU (6-12, 3-8 GLIAC) and dropped all three of its GLIAC/GLVC Crossover matches and seven of its last eight contests. Head coach James Goodridge is in his first season after replacing Tim Koth. Goodridge spent the 2013 season as the assistant women's coach at Buffalo. Freshman outside hitter Allison Getty leads the team with 186 kills (2.91/set) while three other Timberwolves have posted over 100 kills. Freshman setter Hailey Jones has 360 assists (5.54/set). As a team NU is hitting .166 for the season.

SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Lake Superior State has lost seven straight with its last win coming at home over Laker Erie on Sept. 27th. Jennifer Constantino is in her second season with the program and also serves as the school's Compliance Director. Prior to LSSU, she was the interim assistant coach at Millersville. Sophomore outside hitter Jen Marren leads the team with 147 kills (2.26/set) while sophomore setter Janelle Nagy has 394 assists (5.97/set). LSSU is hitting just .111 for the season.

SERIES HISTORY
Northwood leads the all-time series with WSU 27-13 and have taken six of the last seven meetings. The Warriors last beat NU on Sept. 15, 2009 in Midland. The Green & Gold lead the all-time series against Lake Superior State 34-9 and have won six of the last seven meetings.

LAST TIME OUT
WSU concluded the Crossover weekend with a five-set loss to Maryville (13-8, 5-6 GLVC) inside the Great Lakes Center on Saturday. The Warriors took set one 25-21 before the Saints won a marathon set-two 30-28. The Warriors took a 2-1 match lead with a 25-22 set-three victory but Maryville was victorious in set four 26-24 and set five 15-12. The GLVC won its fifth straight Crossover, 37-11. Emily Norscia was named to the All-Tournament Team after leading the team with 57 kills (4.38 set) and a .297 hitting percentage. Four Warriors finished with double-digit kills led by Norscia's career-high 24. Guldan dished out a season-high 59 assists.

NEW LEADER
A familiar name in the GLIAC, Tim Koth came to WSU after 10 highly productive seasons at Northwood, which included 175 victories, five NCAA Tournament appearances and a GLIAC Tournament title in 2012. Koth will look to return the Warriors to the GLIAC Tournament after being absent in 2013 for the first time since 2006, and the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994. He carries a career record of 285-267 in his 19 years of coaching. He is assisted by Michael Lozier and Dale Hartzell.

2014 CAPTAINS
Coach Koth announced his team captains for the 2014 season on July 28th. Senior Carlee Hunt (Waterford, Mich. / Walled Lake Northern), junior Madison Reeves (Indianapolis, Ind. / Avon), junior Kelsey Bonewits (Griffith, Ind.) and sophomore Mikayla Shell (Croswell, Mich. / Croswell-Lexington) will serve as the team's leaders this season.

"We believe these four ladies each bring their own different qualities as leaders for our team," said Koth. "In naming Carlee, Kelsey, Madison, and Mikayla – we have a lot of faith that we will have good leadership both on the floor, in the locker room and out in the community – and that they will represent Wayne State Volleyball in the manner in which we expect. We are looking forward to getting started in a few weeks."

Hunt was named to the GLIAC All-Academic Team and served as a team captain in 2013. She played in 29 matches, started 21 times and appeared in 104 sets. Hunt was second on the team with 277 digs (2.66/set). Reeves, who was named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team last season, also served as a team captain. She was a CoSIDA Academic All-District nominee, started all 26 matches played and led the team with 909 assists (9.09/set). Bonewits was also named to the GLIAC All-Academic Team and played in 26 matches in 2013, starting 24 times. She was fourth on the team with 119 kills (1.37/set) and led team with 80 total blocks (0.92/set), including 11 solo blocks. Shell played in 23 matches and made 10 starts. She appeared in 66 sets and totaled 74 kills (1.12/set).

IN THE POLLS
The GLIAC announced its Preseason Coaches' Poll on Aug. 14 with the Warriors and first-year head coach Tim Koth predicted to finish fifth in the North Division. Grand Valley State was selected to win the North with 55 points and seven first-place votes with Ferris State picking up the eighth and final first-place vote. The coaches tabbed Ashland as the preseason favorite to win the South Division with 46 points and six first-place votes. Hillsdale snagged the other two first-place votes.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will finish the regular season with a five-match road trip beginning on Tuesday at Saginaw Valley State at 7 PM.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Kelsey Bonewits: MB; 6' 1"; Junior

#8 Jamie Goryca: DS; 5' 6"; Senior

#2 Carlee Hunt: DS; 5' 9"; Senior

#15 Emily Norscia: OH; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#3 Madison Reeves: S; 5' 9"; Junior

#20 Mikayla Shell: MB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#5 Hannah Williams: DS; 5' 7"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#4 Kelsey Bonewits
: 6' 1"; Junior
: MB

#8 Jamie Goryca
: 5' 6"; Senior
: DS

#2 Carlee Hunt
: 5' 9"; Senior
: DS

#15 Emily Norscia
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: OH

#3 Madison Reeves
: 5' 9"; Junior
: S

#20 Mikayla Shell
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: MB

#5 Hannah Williams
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Senior
: DS