TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo women's volleyball team (4-2) will host the Toledo/ASICS Invitational for their first home appearance of the season. UT will face Saint Francis Friday, Sept. 9 at 10:00 a.m. followed by Fort Wayne at 7:00 p.m. The Rockets will then take on Marshall on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 2:30 p.m. to close out the weekend.
    Throughout the invitational, groups of 10 or more can purchase match tickets for $1.00 each. On Saturday, fans can present their football ticket for the Maine game later in the evening get into the volleyball match for $1.00.
 
Toledo/ASICS Invitational Schedule
All games played in Savage Arena
Friday, Sept. 9
    Saint Francis at Toledo, 10:00 a.m.
    Fort Wayne vs. Marshall, Noon
    Marshall vs. Saint Francis, 5:00 p.m.
    Fort Wayne at Toledo, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 10
    Fort Wayne vs. Saint Francis, Noon
    Marshall at Toledo, 2:30 p.m.
          Freshman MH Zoe Birnbrich is returning to the court after being awarded MAC West Defensive Player of the Week for her performance last weekend at the Houston Baptist Labor Day Invitational. Birnbrich collected a season-best eight blocks in UT's 3-2 win over North Florida. She also tallied five blocks vs. Houston Baptist and three rejections vs. Penn. For the season, Birnbrich is the Rockets' second-most efficient attacker with a .342 ATK%; she also leads UT with 1.17 bps. Junior MH Rachel Vidourek leads as the Rockets' most-efficient attacker with a .350 ATK%. Junior OH Saige Thomas leads the team with 71 total kills and an average 2.73 kps.
        Toledo is coming home after winning two and losing one match in the Houston Baptist Labor Day Classic. Toledo defeated Penn, 3-2 (25-17, 25-23, 20-25, 17-25, 15-10), in its first match and won its second match against North Florida, 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-27, 15-8). UT then dropped a difficult battle against host Houston Baptist, 3-1 (16-25, 25-27, 25-20, 19-25). Sophomore OH/MH Gracey Tuifua tallied 39 kills during the weekend with an average of 2.79 kps. Vidourek led the team offensively with a .316 ATK%. Sophomore libero Maurissa Leonard held the team on defense recording 4.29 dps and a total 60 digs. Both Lenonard and senior RSH Mary O'Connor were selected to the all-tournament team for their efforts this weekend.  
          Marshall (3-3) is traveling to the Glass City after a 3-0 sweep at Bowling Green on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Previously the Thundering Herd visited the West Virginia Capital Classic where they took away two wins and one loss. The team averages 12.8 kps and has held their opponents to only 11.1 kps.
          Fort Wayne (3-4) visits Toledo following a 3-0 victory over Eastern Michigan at home on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Over Labor Day weekend, the Mastodons visited the BGSU invitational where they dropped two matches against Bowling Green and Northern Kentucky. Sophomore OH Nicole Rightnowar leads the team with 2.71 kps followed by junior OH Lauren Hoffman at 2.61 kps. Senior libero Olivia Hahn records 4.91 bps leading the 'Dons defense.
          The Red Flashes (3-4) are coming to compete in the ASICS Invite after a 2-1 weekend at the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational. SFU lost its first match against Duquesne befor rebounding to post wins over Buffalo (3-2) and Coppin State (3-0). The team averages 11.2 kps and 16 dps. Junior libero Jenna Veres leads the Flashes with 5.52 dps.
 

• The Rockets have a 4-7 overall record against The Herd, the last match being in 2004 which resulted in a 2-3 loss.
• The Rockets have seen Fort Wayne ten times, three of those resulting in wins, including their last match in 2014.
• Toledo has swept SFU in all three matches they have faced.

          The Rockets will travel to Minneapolis, MN next weekend to participate in the Diet Coke Classic hosted by Minnesota. UT will see Green Bay (5-0) on Friday, Sept. 16 at 4:30. The following day Toledo will face host Minnesota (3-1) at 10:00 followed by North Dakota (2-4) at 4:30.