(GREEN BAY ATHLETICS) GREEN BAY – Diane Pichelman collected 12 kills with an .857 hitting percentage to help carry the Green Bay volleyball team to a three-set victory (25-11, 25-18, 25-19) against the Western Illinois Leathernecks Saturday at home at Kress Events Center. The non-conference victory improved Green Bay’s overall record to 7-4 on the season.
GB got 10 digs from Kelsey Justman along with seven blocks from Olivia Neumann and five rejections from Alexa Hernandez to lead them defensively. Hernandez also racked up 34 assists on the day.
“This was a really helpful weekend for us as we prepare for the Horizon League schedule,” said head coach Abbey Sutherland. “Playing Western Illinois back-to-back gave us a chance to experience just how hard it is to turn around and play the same team again on day two, and that experience prepares us really well for what’s ahead in Horizon League play. Diane put together a really strong weekend, and Olivia continues to hold down such an important foundation for us with her blocking and her ability to slow down pin hitters. At this level, being able to slow down those attackers is huge, and she continues to give us that consistently.”
Sutherland continued, “It’s hard to believe non-conference play is already over. This has been our most successful non-conference season in years, and we’re really proud of what this group has done. Now we want to keep building on it and take everything we’ve learned into Horizon League play.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1 | The Phoenix won the first point and never trailed to secure the first set, 25-11. Green Bay opened up its biggest lead, 14 points, to close out the set. GB got a solid defensive performance from a front row that blocked four Western Illinois attacks in the set.
SET 2 | After their win in the first set, Green Bay put themselves on the cusp of a sweep with a 25-18 victory in set number two. The Phoenix took the first points again and never looked back in the set to earn the victory. The Phoenix offense hit .385 over the course of the set.
SET 3 | Green Bay then ended the match with a victory in set number three, 25-19. Green Bay dominated once again offensively, finishing with 17 kills in the frame.
GAME NOTES
» Pichelman’s .857 attack percentage is a career-high mark.
» Kendall Schara and Pichelman each led GB with two aces.
» Olivia Neumann had a match-high seven blocks.
» The Green Bay front row did a great job defensively, picking up 10 blocks in the match.
» Green Bay’s all-time record against Western Illinois is now 10-7.
COMING UP
The Phoenix look to extend their winning streak to six as they open Horizon League play, hosting Oakland on Friday, Sept. 25, scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first serve. Green Bay will host the Golden Grizzlies the following day at 2 p.m. CT.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
GREEN BAY 1, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 0
DEKALB, ILL – Green Bay women’s soccer opened the Horizon League slate on the road Saturday, grabbing a 1-0 win over Northern Illinois thanks to a game-winning 82nd-minute goal from Allison Raasch, her first of the season. The Phoenix grabbed three points in the Horizon League table and are now 6-0-2 on the season.
“I am so proud of how our kids battled for 90 minutes today,” said head coach Matt Kagan. “I thought that we created enough chances to win the game. But we had to be very persistent and finally broke through in the second half on a great set piece. Conference games on the road are very difficult, but our team continues to play for each other and have a positive belief.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Phoenix controlled the game in the first half, outshooting NIU 5-1. However, they were unable to find a breakthrough in the first 45 minutes.
Green Bay finally found the game’s first and only goal when Raasch fired a shot past the Huskies’ keeper. Ava Nielsen and Ella Rogowski tallied assists on the play. The Phoenix defense allowed NIU just one shot in the final 10 minutes, as Dahlia Rodriguez’s shot in the 89th minute was saved by GB goalkeeper Anna Scott.
GAME NOTES
• Scott totaled two saves for the Phoenix out of five total Huskies shots.
• Green Bay recorded five shots on goal.
• Green Bay outshot NIU 10-5.
• No cards were shown in Saturday’s game.
• Green Bay’s all-time record against the Huskies is now 11-9-2. GB has won three straight between the two teams.
COMING UP
The Phoenix is returning home for its Horizon League home opener on Thursday. Green Bay will host Detroit Mercy at 4 p.m. CT.
MEN’S SOCCER
GREEN BAY 1, CLEVELAND STATE 1
CLEVELAND, OHIO – The top two teams in the Horizon League preseason poll, Green Bay and Cleveland State, played to a 1-1 tie Saturday afternoon at Krenzler Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The draw earned the Phoenix a point, moving to four points in the Horizon League table.
“It was a good hard-fought point on the road,” said head coach John O’Reilly. “Playing away in the Horizon League is difficult, and that point will be important for us in the league standings.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
Green Bay started the scoring early when Noah Lechelt scored his fourth goal of the season in the seventh minute off a blocked shot into the left side of the net; the deflected shot was taken by Michael Hennessy, who received an assist on the play.
The Phoenix held the 1-0 advantage at halftime, but seven Vikings shots to one Phoenix shot in the second half resulted in a goal from Domenic Ruggiero in the 65th minute, assisted by Tom Mertz and Bora Eldem to tie the game at 1-1. Neither team was able to find a winner in the final 25 minutes, and the two teams split the points.
GAME NOTES
- Drew Swancutt racked up three saves for the Phoenix out of ten total Vikings shots.
- The Phoenix totaled three shots on goal.
- Noah Lechelt’s fourth goal is the most on the Phoenix this season, and is tied for the HL lead.
- Green Bay holds a 26-18-9 record all-time against the Vikings.
COMING UP
The Phoenix return to Aldo Santaga Stadium for their final game in the month of September, hosting the Robert Morris Colonials for Youth Soccer Day on Saturday, Sept. 26, with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m. CT.
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