VOLLEYBALL: An Exciting Weekend Of Action Is Coming Up

BIG RAPIDS - Ferris State University improved to 7-3 on the season and has won five of its last six matches in the process.

This weekend, head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm's Bulldogs get a little more serious as they begin Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on the hard court in Ewigleben Sports Arena. Ferris begins conference action with two home matches against Wayne State University on Friday at 7 p.m. and then against Northwood University on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Ferris will be led into this weekend's action by reigning GLIAC North Division Player of the Week Kristy Gilchrist. She continued her hot play against Davenport University on Wednesday as she led the team's big-time balanced effort with eight kills as Ferris defeated the Panthers, 25-22, 25-14, 25-12.

The good thing about the early portion of Ferris' schedule is that it has had a chance to play some tough competition that should have the team a little more battle tested as it begins GLIAC action with the Warriors and Timberwolves.

Here are the scouting reports for this weekend's GLIAC opponents:

Wayne State: Ferris State has a 43-27 lead over Wayne State in the all-time series. In the last meeting a season ago (9/13), Ferris claimed a 3-2 road win over the Warriors in Detroit, Mich. FSU, which has won the last 11 meetings to date, is 20-6 at home and 23-21 on the road in the series. The Warriors, under second-year head coach Phil Nickel, are 8-0 overall and 0-0 in GLIAC play to date following a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Missouri-St. Louis last Saturday (9/5) at the TownePlace Suites Classic in Findlay, Ohio. WSU is among other teams receiving votes in this week's (9/7) AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll. Wayne State was 17-12 overall and 9-7 (second place) in the GLIAC's South Division a season ago. Tia Brandel-Wilhelm vs. WSU - 11-3.

Northwood: Ferris State sports a 27-21 mark in its all-time series versus Northwood although the Timberwolves have prevailed in 13 of the last 20 matchups between the two teams. NU posted a 3-1 home decision versus the Bulldogs last season (9/12) in Midland, Mich. Ferris State is 15-7 at home and 12-14 in road/neutral matches against Northwood. The Timberwolves are presently 2-6 overall and 0-0 in the GLIAC to date this season. NU, under sixth-year head coach Tim Koth, snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-0 win against Midwestern State last Saturday (9/5) at the Hampton Inn & Suites Midwestern State Invitational in Wichita Falls, Texas. Northwood finished 16-14 overall with a first-place 10-6 conference ledger in the GLIAC's South Division as the Timberwolves earned a NCAA-II Midwest Regional Tournament berth. NU visits nationally-ranked Grand Valley State this Friday (9/11) prior to Saturday's tilt at Ferris State. Tia Brandel-Wilhelm vs. NU - 12-17.