Volleyball Returns Home This Week to Host Seattle U and Utah Valley

Freshman Sofia Gruden

Match #24
Seattle U (11-11, 4-5) at Chicago State (3-20, 1-7)
Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016 - 7 p.m.
Jacoby Dickens Center - Chicago, Ill.
Live Stats

Match #25
Utah Valley (10-12, 6-3) at Chicago State
Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016 - 12 p.m.
Jacoby Dickens Center - Chicago, Ill.
Live Stats

CHICAGO -

This Week: Chicago State volleyball returns to the Jacoby Dickens Center this week for a pair of Western Athletic Conference matches to end the month of October. CSU kicks off this week's slate on tomorrow night against Seattle U beginning at 7 p.m. then host Utah Valley in another WAC matchup on Saturday with the first serve set for 12 p.m.

Scouting CSU: CSU brings a season record of 3-20 into this week's home contests and has produced a 1-7 record against conference opponents following last week's action where it dropped three-set decisions to Valparaiso at home and on the road at UMKC. The Cougars are led by senior right side hitter Dzeni Hadzisehovic (Belgrade, Serbia/First Private School for Catering and Tourism), who is currently averaging 2.68 kills per set with a .183 hitting percentage. Junior outside hitter Juma Armando (Toronto, Canada/Archbishop Romero) is second in kills at 2.29 per set, while freshman defensive specialist Megan Klavitter (Fenton, Mich./Linden) has recorded team highs of 216 digs (2.77 per set) and 18 service aces. Junior setter Kelsey Taylor (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian School) is dishing out a team-high 307 assists for an average of 3.94 a set, and freshman middle blocker Sofia Gruden (Washburn, Ill./Metamora) has tallied team-best 61 blocks (57 assisted, four solo – 0.84 bps).

Scouting SU: Seattle comes to the Windy City on Thursday sporting an 11-11 overall record with a 4-5 conference record while earning a split over its last six matches since the beginning of the month. The Redhawks captured a 3-2 home victory over UT Rio Grande Valley last Thursday before dropping a 3-0 decision to New Mexico State on Saturday. Senior outside hitter Matea Mamic has produced a team-high 290 kills (3.45 kps) to lead SU, while sophomore middle blocker Maja Stokanovic holds team leads of a .326 hitting percentage and 59 blocks (56 assisted, three solo – 1.13 bps). Sophomore setter Shae Harris has dished off a team-leading 466 assists, freshman outside hitter/right side hitter Katarina Marinkovic is the team leader in service aces with 33 and senior libero Iris Ivanis has notched a team-best 322 digs (4.35 dps) on the season.

Scouting UVU: Utah Valley has posted a 10-12 season record and is 6-3 versus WAC opponents while winning five of its last six matches heading into Thursday's showdown at UMKC. UVU earned a split in a short homestand last weekend with a 3-2 loss to NM State before claiming a 3-2 win over UTRGV. Junior outside hitter Lexi Thompson has posted a team-leading 218 kills for an average of 2.83 per set. Junior middle blocker Madison Dennison is the team leader in hitting percentage (.279) and blocks (130 – 1.48 bps), while junior setter Sierra Starley has recorded 674 assists (8.64 aps) and 18 service aces to lead the Wolverines. Senior defensive specialist Nakisha Willden paces UVU's defense with 450 digs (5.11) on the season.

Up Next: CSU hits the road for the final time in the regular season next week with a two-match road swing out west beginning Nov. 3 at CSU Bakersfield with a start time of 9 p.m. followed by its road finale two days later in Phoenix against Grand Canyon starting at 2 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Juma Armando: OH; 5' 11"; Junior

#12 Megan Klavitter: DS; 5' 3"; Freshman

#10 Dzeni Hadzisehovic: RS; 6' 5"; Senior

#5 Kelsey Taylor: S; 5' 8"; Junior

#7 Sofia Gruden: MB; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#3 Juma Armando
: 5' 11"; Junior
: OH

#12 Megan Klavitter
: 5' 3"; Freshman
: DS

#10 Dzeni Hadzisehovic
: 6' 5"; Senior
: RS

#5 Kelsey Taylor
: 5' 8"; Junior
: S

#7 Sofia Gruden
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: MB

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned