KENOSHA, Wis. — Parkside volleyball returns to action for a busy week, beginning with a nonconference matchup at Lewis University on Tuesday, October 6, at 6 p.m. in Romeoville, Illinois. The Rangers will then return home to De Simone Arena for Homecoming, hosting Michigan Tech in the Homecoming game on Friday, October 9, at 6 p.m. before closing out the weekend against Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, October 10, at 3 p.m.
Parkside enters the week with a 10-5 overall record and a 4-4 mark in GLIAC play, currently sitting seventh in the conference standings. The Rangers earned a five-set victory over Purdue Northwest last week before falling to Northern Michigan on the road.
As a team, Parkside leads the GLIAC in assists with 749 and digs with 1,028. The Rangers average 16.58 digs per set, which ranks second in the conference, and have recorded 813 kills, also ranking second in the GLIAC. Parkside has limited its opponents to a .172 hitting percentage this season.
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Natalie Harris continues to lead the GLIAC in both digs per set (5.60) and total digs (347). She ranks fifth nationally in digs per set and 11th in total digs. Avary Polavin leads the Rangers with 217 kills and ranks second in the GLIAC with 3.56 kills per set, while her 3.66 points per set rank third in the conference.
Monica Lukasiewicz leads Parkside with a .338 hitting percentage, while Maia Olson has recorded a team-best 52 total blocks, ranking second in the GLIAC. Lucy Russ has added 406 assists on the season, averaging 6.66 assists per set.
Scouting Lewis University
Lewis enters Tuesday's matchup with an 11-6 overall record and a 5-2 mark in GLVC play. The Flyers have been strong defensively at the net, leading the conference with 144 total blocks and averaging 2.22 blocks per set, which ranks third in the GLVC. Lewis also averages 1.80 service aces per set, good for third in the conference, with 117 aces on the season. The Flyers have limited opponents to a .185 hitting percentage while hitting .202 as a team.
Sarah Newberry leads Lewis with 63 total blocks, ranking second in the GLVC, while also contributing 174 kills and averaging 3.40 points per set. Newberry is hitting .351 on the season. Marin Grossman and Lauren Buxton have also provided offensive production with 161 and 155 kills, respectively.
Kynzie Lilly leads the Flyers with 36 service aces, ranking first in the GLVC and seventh nationally. She has also recorded 176 digs on the season. Elena Gubera leads Lewis with 252 total digs.
Parkside and Lewis last met in 2019, when the Flyers earned a 3-0 victory. The Rangers are 1-24 all-time against Lewis.
Scouting Michigan Tech
Michigan Tech enters the week with a 9-7 overall record and a 5-3 mark in GLIAC competition, sitting fifth in the conference standings. As a team, the Huskies lead the GLIAC in total kills with 818. They also rank second in the conference in team assists with 742, while ranking third in service aces with 96 and team digs with 999. Michigan Tech has hit .227 as a team this season while limiting opponents to a .218 hitting percentage.
Rachel Zurek leads the Huskies with 264 total kills, which also leads the GLIAC and ranks 10th nationally. Zurek averages 4.19 kills per set and 4.40 points per set. Madelynn Kreider leads the conference with 636 total assists and averages 10.10 assists per set, while Keely Nellis leads Michigan Tech with 254 total digs. Tricia Kennedy has recorded a team-best 47 blocks on the season.
The Rangers are 7-11 all-time against Michigan Tech, with Parkside taking the most recent matchup in a 3-0 victory.
Scouting Saginaw Valley
Saginaw Valley State enters the weekend with a 12-5 overall record and a 5-3 mark in GLIAC play, sitting fourth in the conference standings. The Cardinals lead the GLIAC in several team categories, including blocks per set (2.10), digs per set (16.77) and total blocks (128). They also rank second in the conference in team service aces with 97 and total digs with 1,023. Saginaw Valley State has limited opponents to a .149 hitting percentage while hitting .201 as a team.
Marissa Roe leads the Cardinals with 64 total blocks, ranking first in the GLIAC, while averaging 1.05 blocks per set. Rachel Townsend leads Saginaw Valley State offensively with 188 kills, averaging 3.19 kills per set and 3.62 points per set. She has also recorded 190 digs on the season.
Kendall White leads the Cardinals with 246 total digs, ranking fifth in the GLIAC, while her 4.10 digs per set rank sixth in the conference.
Parkside and Saginaw Valley State met earlier this season, with the Cardinals earning a 3-2 victory. The Rangers are 7-8 all-time against Saginaw Valley State.
For all things Parkside volleyball, including links to live coverage, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.
