LIVE LINKS
Hillsdale: Watch | Live Stats
Michigan Tech: Watch | Live Stats
Northern Michigan: Watch | Live Stats

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - This week, the Davenport University women's volleyball team will wrap up an 11-match road trip to begin the 2022 season. The Panthers will travel to No. 20 Hillsdale on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. start before opening GLIAC play on Friday at No. 19 Michigan Tech (6 p.m.) and Saturday at RV Northern Michigan (2 p.m.). DU has rattled off seven wins in a row which is tied for the program's longest winning streak since racking up 11 straight in 2014 (also won seven in a row in 2015).

Starting with Hillsdale, the Chargers enter Tuesday's showdown against the Panthers with an overall record of 6-2 and already have four home matches under their belt (3-1 record). Offensively, Hillsdale has been paced by senior outside hitter, Karoline Shelton and sophomore setter, Lauren Passaglia. Shelton leads the G-MAC in total kils (104) and ranks third in kills per set (3.25) while Passaglia is first in total assists (291) and fourth in assists per set (9.39).

Also on the attack, sophomore libero, Alli Wiese is tied for fourth in service aces (11). Defensively, Wiese is first in the G-MAC in digs (165) and third in digs per set (5.16) while sophomore middle, Maize Brown is on top of total blcoks (46).

Friday's outing in Houghton will be the seventh all-time meeting between Davenport and Michigan Tech (Tech leads 5-1). The Huskies are 4-0 against the Panthers inside SDC Gym with the most recent matchup coming in the semifinals of last fall's GLIAC Tournament. DU dropped that match in four sets after taking the first but was appearing in the semifinals of the league tournament for the first time since 2018.

Fast forward to this season and the Huskies enter this week with a record of 6-1 having won all six of those matches in straight sets, but will be playing at home for the first time. So far this fall, Michigan Tech has been led by senior right side, Jillian Kuizenga (71 kills), senior setter, Lina Espejo-Ramirez (215 assists), senior defensive specialist, Grace Novotny (14 aces), senior DS, Carissa Beyer (79 digs), and senior middle, Janie Grindland (21 blocks).

As for Northern Michigan, Davenport is 3-6 all time against the Wildcats, but two of those three victories have come in Marquette. This includes a four-set victory over NMU last fall inside Vandament Arena. This season, the Wildcats have won seven of their first eight matches just like the Panthers, enter this week on a six-match winning streak and are 3-1 at home.

Individually, Northern Michigan's team leaders include sophomore outside, Jacqueline Smith (138 kills), junior setter, Lauren Van Remortal (220 assists), sophomore setter, Caylie Barlage (15 aces), redshirt junior defensive specialist, Alli Yacko (132 digs), and sophomore middle, Meghan Meyer (10 blocks).

Story by: Cooper Weidenthaler