Davenport University Athletics

DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY PANTHERS

Walter Cronk

Women's Volleyball 10/19/2023 1:19:00 PM Justice Steiner, Manager of Athletic Communications

Preview: Panthers Resume GLIAC Play in Pair of Pivotal Matches

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - After a break in conference play, the Davenport University women's volleyball team will resume GLIAC play this weekend against Parkside and Purdue Northwest. The Panthers (9-11, 5-4 GLIAC) will travel to Kenosha, Wis. on Friday for a battle with the Rangers at 8 p.m. (ET) before a quick trip back to Grand Rapids to host the Pride on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The three teams are all fighting for a top-four spot in the GLIAC, as at the end of the year, the four top teams host the first round of the GLIAC tournament.

Player Notes
Nicole Odeen

Eclipsed 2,000 career assists in the most recent match against Ashland (Oct. 14).
Fifth all-time in total assists in school history (2,001).
Leads the team in assists (476) and assists per set (6.26).

Stephanie Kalinowski

Leads the conference in both total digs (362) and digs per set (4.76).
Has recorded double-digit digs in 19 of 20 matches.
Currently, she is 16 digs away from reaching 1,000 in her career.
17 digs away from moving into the top 10 in school history.

Emmy Webb

The most efficient hitter on the squad.
Hitting .314 on the season, which would mark the fifth-highest percentage in school history if the season ended today.
Two kills away from tying her career-high for kills in a season (151), which came in her freshman season (2019).
Has hit over .500 in four matches this season.

Abby Alan

Second on the squad in kills per set (2.10).
Sitting at 82 kills on the year, needing 18 more to record the 100th of her career as a freshman.

Scouting the Opponents
Parkside (11-9, 5-4 GLIAC)
Series Record: DU leads 9-2.
Last Meeting: 10/29/22 - Davenport swept Parkside 3-0 in Kenosha, Wis.
About the Rangers

Tied for third in the GLIAC with Davenport and Michigan Tech.
Seeking their 12th win, which would be their most in a season since 2017, when they went 13-17.
As a team, they lead the conference in total digs (1,167) and digs per set (16.44).
Rank third in the GLIAC in assists per set (11.31) and kills per set (12.56).
Last time out, they swept Tiffin 3-0 at the Midwest Region Crossover Tournament (Oct. 14).
Six of their 11 wins have been sweeps.

Top Threats
Ava Irvin

Honorable mention All-GLIAC in 2022.
Fourth in the conference in total kills (240).
Sixth in the GLIAC in kills per set (3.38).

Elle Truckenbrod

Named week four GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week.
25 service aces on the season, marking the fifth highest in the conference.
14th in the GLIAC and second on the team in points per set (3.15).

Purdue Northwest (9-11, 4-5 GLIAC)
Series Record: DU leads 10-0.
Last Meeting: 10/28/22 - Davenport swept Purdue Northwest 3-0 in Grand Rapids, Mich.
About the Pride

Middle of the pack in the GLIAC, slotted at No. 6 in the conference standings.
Have never won a set against DU (the Panthers have won all 30 sets).
Their nine wins mark the second most in school history, the most being 18 in 2016.
Have lost six consecutive matches heading into this weekend.
Went on a seven-match winning streak at the beginning of the season, as they held an 8-3 record (3-0 GLIAC) to begin the season.
One of the nations' best serving teams, ranking fifth in total service (182) and 13th in aces per set (2.25) across all Division II.
Defensively, they rank second in the GLIAC in total digs (1,118) and total blocks (156).

Top Threats
Arra Cottrell

Honorable mention All-GLIAC in 2022.
Top offensive threat, leading the team in total kills with 205, marking the ninth most in the conference.
Has played in all 81 sets and 20 matches.
Third on the team in blocks (36).

Marina Gronkiewicz

Eighth in the GLIAC in total assists (415).
11th in the conference in assists per set (5.12).
Has recorded 190 digs, the second most on the team.

Livia Thomsen

Has notched double-digit digs in all but one match this season.
Leads team with 296 digs, marking the fourth most in the GLIAC.
Averages 3.65 digs per set, ranking seventh in the conference.
Second on the squad in service aces (30), ranking 10th in the GLIAC.

Live Coverage
Friday, Oct. 20 at Parkside (7 PM ET) - Live Video (FloSports) - Live Stats
Saturday, Oct. 22 vs. Purdue Northwest (2 PM) - Live Video (FloSports) - Live Stats

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Players Mentioned

#12 Stephanie Kalinowski: L; 5' 3"; Graduate Student

#6 Nicole Odeen: S; 5' 7"; Senior

#20 Emmy Webb: MB; 6' 0"; Graduate Student

#21 Abby Alan: OH/RS; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#12 Stephanie Kalinowski
: 5' 3"; Graduate Student
: L

#6 Nicole Odeen
: 5' 7"; Senior
: S

#20 Emmy Webb
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student
: MB

#21 Abby Alan
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: OH/RS