FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

SOMERS, Wis. (Sept. 26, 2013)-- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside volleyball squad embarks on its first road trip of the Great Lakes Valley Conference season this weekend, facing the University of Missouri-Saint Louis on Saturday and Maryville University on Sunday.

The Rangers face UMSL at 5 p.m. on Saturday and close out the trip on Sunday with a 1 p.m. showdown against Maryville.

About the Rangers: UW-Parkside (7-4, 1-1 GLVC) heads to Saint Louis after finishing last week with a 2-1 record, winning a non-conference clash and splitting a pair of GLVC games. The Rangers rallied past Northern Michigan University 3-2 (20-25, 25-16, 25-22, 19-25, 19-17) on Sept. 17 before defeating Quincy University 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21) on Sept. 21. The Rangers finished the weekend by falling 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-15) to then-14th-ranked Truman State University.

Of the players appearing in all 11 matches, Makenzie Fahnestock leads the group in kills, averaging 2.4 kills a set. Bridget Nickel leads the team overall at 3.9 but has missed the last five games with an injury. Freshman Lauren Hickson leads the team in assists, averaging 7.7 per set while posting a team-best 16 service aces on the year. Defensively, Sarah Mlachnik leads the way with 4.9 digs a set. Meghan Conley and Kendyl Danelski lead the Rangers in blocks, recording 22 and 21, respectively while Fahnestock has 18 on the season.

About the Tritons: Missouri-Saint Louis (7-4, 3-0 GLVC) heads into Saturday's clash having won four straight matches, including three GLVC contests. The Tritons opened conference play on Sept. 17 with a 3-0 win over Maryville in the team's lone home game so far. UMSL hit the road last weekend, emerging with 3-1 victories over both McKendree University and the University of Illinois Springfield.

Chelsea Burkle averages 3.8 kills a set to lead the Titans and the GLVC along with a team-high 12 aces while Haley Brightwell is second on the squad in kills, averaging 2.0 per set. Lindsay Meyer is the primary setter, averaging 6.3 assists per set along with 11 aces.

The Rangers and Saints did not face each other in 2012, having last squared off on Oct. 1, 2011 in Saint Louis. The host Tritons won that match 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-18).

About the Saints: Maryville (5-8, 0-3 GLVC) heads into the weekend still searching for its first victory in conference action. The Saints opened GLVC play on Sept. 17 against UMSL, stumbling 3-0 before falling by an identical score on Sept. 21 against Illinois Springfield. The Saints almost pulled out a win on the road against McKendree on Sunday, falling in a marathon five set match 3-2 (25-14, 21-25, 25-17, 20-25, 23-21).

Ali Lampen leads the team in digs per set and is third in the GLVC at 5.0 while offensively, Mikarela Lahm leads the Saints, averaging 2.6 kills a set.

UW-Parkside and Maryville last met on Oct. 2, 2011 with the visiting Rangers emerging with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 26-24) victory.

DeSimone Advantage: Over the past four seasons, UW-Parkside has compiled a record of 29-9 in home games at DeSimone Gymnasium. The Rangers are 5-2 in home games this season with both losses coming at the hands of nationally-ranked foes.

100-Club: Head Coach Christine Paciero notched her 100th career win in the season opener against Anderson University on Sept. 6. Paciero, now in her third season at UW-Parkside, owns a career mark of 106-68 and a 43-30 record with the Rangers. Paciero compiled a 63-38 record in three seasons at Dominican University (2008-2010) before taking over the reins at UW-P.

Preseason Prognostications: UW-Parkside was selected to finish third in the GLVC East Division by the league's 16 head coaches in the annual preseason poll. The University of Indianapolis was the preseason favorite in the East followed by Lewis University. Truman State was picked to win the West Division with 2012 GLVC Champion Rockhurst University selected to place second.

GLVC in the Top 25: Two GLVC schools appear in the week 3 AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. Truman State leads the way, dropping four spots to 18th while the University of Indianapolis is 23rd. Lewis University appears in the "others receiving votes" section of the poll.