Gannon volleyball huddle

Women's Volleyball Jeff Kirik, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon volleyball team set for home debut this weekend

Golden Knights set to host PSAC East program Kutztown on Friday and Bloomsburg on Saturday morning

ERIE, Pa. – After a long wait to start the home season, the Gannon women's volleyball team will make its 2023 debut at the Highmark Events Center with two matches this weekend.
 
Gannon (6-2) played its first eight matches on the road, competing in the Tampa Classic and the Charleston Invitational before visiting Ashland on Wednesday evening. Before that, coach Matt Darling's Golden Knights took a weeklong trip to Costa Rica during the preseason.
 
Gannon enters this weekend on a five-match winning streak as it welcomes against PSAC East programs Kutztown (5-3) and Bloomsburg (1-6) within a span of 16 hours. Gannon went 18-2 at home last season.
 
Here's a look at this weekend:
 
GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (6-2) VS. KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEARS (5-3)
DATE/TIME: Friday, September 15, 2023 | 7 p.m.
LOCATION:  Highmark Events Center, Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
THE GANNON-KUTZTOWN SERIES
Gannon is 13-1 in the all-time series against Kutztown. GU last faced Kutztown on Oct. 5, 2015, when it beat the Golden Bears 3-1 (25-11, 20-25, 26-24, 25-17).
 
 
GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (6-2) VS. BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES (1-6)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, September 16, 2023 | 10 a.m.
LOCATION: Highmark Events Center, Erie, Pa.
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO

THE GANNON-BLOOMSBURG SERIES
Gannon is 2-0 in the all-time series against Bloomsburg. The Knights last faced the Huskies on Sept. 28, 2019, when GU won 3-0 (25-7, 25-20, 25-21). Bloomsburg startED its volleyball program in 2018.
 
 
THE COACHES:
 
Matt Darling, Gannon: Darling is in his 17th season with Gannon and has a 385-140 career record. He has guided the Knights to 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Gannon is the defending PSAC and Atlantic Regional champion.
 
Allison Keeley, Kutztown: She is in her second season as head coach and has an 18-15 record, including a 13-12 mark in 2022. That was Kutztown's first winning season since 2011.
 
Dan Kreiger, Bloomsburg: He is in his sixth season as the Huskies' head coach and has posted a 35-87 mark since Bloomsburg founded its volleyball program in 2018.
 
 
RECENT TOP PERFORMERS
 
Gannon:
 
Junior Journey Blevins (Richwood, Ohio/North Union): The outside hitter, a transfer from Findlay, has led Gannon in kills in each of the first eight matches. She has 136 kills for an average of 17 per match.
 
Junior Ali Sorenson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way East): The middle blocker is coming off a career-high 13 kills with a remarkable .750 hitting percentage against Ashland. She ranks third on the team with 51 kills.
 
Senior Madde Blake (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central): The versatile senior outside hitter tied her season high with 10 kills against Ashland.
 
Redshirt junior Marta Roicka (Warsaw, Poland/North Central Texas Academy): She made her third consecutive start against Ashland and had 113 assists combined in those three matches.
 
Junior Emma Hall (Lowell, Mich./Lowell): The libero leads Gannon by a wide margin with 154 digs. She has moved into eighth place on Gannon's career dig list with 1,352.

 
Kutztown:
 
Graduate student Sadie Doss: The outside hitter leads Kutztown with 161 kills and had four consecutive matches with at least 20 kills. She's averaged more than 20 kills per match.
 
Graduate student Gabriela Fialova: The outside hitter is the other half of the Bears' big-hitting duo. She has 135 kills and has three matches with at least 20 kills. She is a transfer from Lock Haven, where she was the team leader in kills in 2022.
 
Senior Kat Farole: The setter/defensive specialist paces Kutztown with 176 assists.

 
Bloomsburg:
 
Sophomore Emma Antigua: The outside hitter leads Bloomsburg with 97 kills. She has two matches with more than 20 kills.
 
Freshman Elise Adelman: The setter is the Huskies' team leader with 224 assists.
 
Sophomore Allison Saalfrank: The defensive specialist leads Bloom with 91 digs.
 
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Players Mentioned

Madde Blake

#11 Madde Blake

OH
6' 0"
Senior
Early Childhood Education
Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

L
5' 11"
Junior
Accounting
Marta Roicka

#4 Marta Roicka

S
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Psychology
Ali Sorenson

#15 Ali Sorenson

MB
6' 2"
Junior
Nursing
Journey Blevins

#21 Journey Blevins

OH
5' 11"
Junior
Business

Players Mentioned

Madde Blake

#11 Madde Blake

6' 0"
Senior
Early Childhood Education
OH
Emma Hall

#6 Emma Hall

5' 11"
Junior
Accounting
L
Marta Roicka

#4 Marta Roicka

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Psychology
S
Ali Sorenson

#15 Ali Sorenson

6' 2"
Junior
Nursing
MB
Journey Blevins

#21 Journey Blevins

5' 11"
Junior
Business
OH