With postseason bid in hand, YSU volleyball heads to CSU for reg - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Youngstown State volleyball team will play its final regular-season match of the 2012 campaign on Thursday against Cleveland State. First serve against the Vikings at Woodling Gymnasium is set for 7 p.m. Live video will be streamed on the Horizon League Network, and live stats will be available through csuvikings.com.

The Penguins have clinched a spot in next week's Horizon League Volleyball Tournament, which will also be held at Cleveland State. YSU split its two matches against Valparaiso and Wright State last week and got some help from other teams in the standings to earn its postseason berth. The Penguins were competitive in a 3-1 loss to Valparaiso on Friday evening, and they swept Wright State on Saturday evening. 

YSU is 15-12 overall and 5-8 in Horizon League play heading into this week. In their first season under head coach Mark Hardaway, the Penguins have their highest win total since 1999, have secured their best winning percentage ever in Horizon League matches and have qualified for the conference tournament for the first time since the field was trimmed to six teams in 2009. Additionally, the Penguins have won 10 more matches than 2011, which is tied for the third-best improvement in the nation. They've also surpassed their win total from the previous three seasons combined. 

The Penguins can finish as high as fifth in the regular season standings with a win over Cleveland State and two losses by Green Bay. Regardless of its seed, YSU will play its first tournament game on Friday, Nov. 16, at Cleveland State. 

Alexis Egler is the reigning Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week, and Missy Hundelt and Jenna Cavanaugh have also been weekly honorees by the league. Egler averaged 4.71 digs and 0.71 blocks while going 46-for-46 on serve receive chances last week. Hundelt averaged 5.00 kills per set last week and ranks fourth in the conference in kills per set. Cavanaugh is the league's top blocker with 1.26 per set.