GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - After a tough 3-2 loss at Milwaukee to open the second half of the Horizon League schedule, the Green Bay volleyball team is hoping to score a pair of victories this weekend at home. The Phoenix will take on two league opponents at the Kress Center, hosting Cleveland State on Friday at 7 p.m. and Youngstown State on Saturday at 2 p.m.

In the meeting against the Panthers Friday, Green Bay twice rallied and forced a decisive fifth-set before ultimately losing. Freshman Lyndsay Zabkowicz (Oak Creek, Wis.) had a career-high 18 kills.

In its first meeting earlier this season, Green Bay lost to Cleveland State 3-1 on Sept. 25. Although they played a strong first set, the Phoenix lost the last three sets to the Vikings, who are 7-2 in league play. Freshman Leah Van Zeeland (Kaukauna, Wis.) had 11 kills for the Phoenix, the highest for her team, and sophomore Carmen Leitermann (Schofield, Wis.) was not far behind with a total of 10 kills. 

Green Bay also played Youngstown State in the first half of the season, walking away with a 3-0 victory on the road on Sept. 24. A strong effort from the entire team contributed to the win. Led by 11 kills from junior Abbey Gitter (Hortonville, Wis.), the Phoenix finished the match with a season-high .317 hitting percentage.

COMPETE TO BEAT AUCTIONS ENDS SATURDAY: Visit GreenBayPhoenix.com's auction site to place your final bids on the Compete to Beat auction items. The auction in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends Saturday at 3 p.m. during the Youngstown State match.

FOLLOW IT LIVE: For those unable to make it to the Kress Center for the matches, live stats and live video will be available. To access the live video and live stats, go to the volleyball schedule page on GreenBayPhoenix.com.

PHOENIX IN THE RANKINGS:  Groth leads all Horizon League players in digs per set (5.46) in conference play. Through the first half of the league schedule, other Phoenix players are also among the league leaders. Senior Whitney Schott (Roscoe, Ill.) is fourth in the conference in assists per set (10.56).

MATCH POINT WITH DEBBIE KIRCH: Now on GreenBayPhoenix.com, watch this week's edition of Match Point with Debbie Kirch. The Phoenix head coach talks about the team's stretch of tough competition and this weekend's home games. To watch the show, click here.