October 29, 2008 - It's only appropriate that a team dressed in orange and black would be playing on Halloween Night.

Friday night, the Hillsdale College volleyball team will host the University of Findlay in what is sure to be a festive Jesse Philips Arena. Game time is 7 p.m.

Any children in attendance dressed in their favorite Halloween costume, can trick-or-treat with many Hillsdale College sports teams before the game. Starting at 6:30 p.m., candy tables will be set up for kids to get their treats. Many Charger teams, including football, softball, track and basketball, will have athletes at the tables ready to hand out candy to all those in costume.

After the candy is handed out, there figures to be a very competitive volleyball match on the court between the Chargers and Oilers. Hillsdale has won five in a row and is 18-8 overall, with a 7-6 GLIAC record, good for first place in the South Division. Findlay is 11-17 on the season and 2-10 in conference play.

The Chargers have won six in a row over Findlay, including both regular season and postseason matchups. Hillsdale beat Findlay on the road, 3-0, back on Sept. 16.

After struggling through a stretch where it lost six of eight matches from Sept. 19 through Oct. 11. But since then, Hillsdale has upped its intensity and execution during its current five-match winning streak. Four of those wins have come by scores of 3-0 or 3-1, and the Chargers have put together some of their best numbers in team hitting percentage for single sets and matches during this streak.

Senior setter Stephanie Booms was named the GLIAC South Division Player of the Week Monday, after handing out 85 assists in the team's wins over Ashland and Tiffin last weekend. She is the second Charger player to win the award this season, joining freshman Ashlee Crowder.

Hillsdale is currently fighting for regional playoff positioning. Despite sweeping all four GLVC opponents its faced this season, the Chargers' six conference losses are proving costly to its chances of making the NCAA Tournament for a fifth year in a row. But with matches against Findlay this weekend, then against Northwood and Wayne State in next weekend's regular season finale, the Chargers can help their cause tremendously.

With one more win, Hillsdale can clinch its fifth straight season of 19 wins or more. In coach Chris Gravel's 12 full seasons, his teams have won 19 matches or more eight times.