MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois volleyball squad (0-3) will look to pick up their first victory of the season this weekend (Sept. 1-2) at the 2012 Drury Inn Jessica Barkman Memorial Classic hosted by Indiana State.
The Fighting Leathernecks open the weekend with two matches on Saturday (Sept. 1) against SIU-Edwardsville and Loyola (Chicago). SIU-E sits 1-2 on the season, while Loyola (Chicago) stands unbeaten on the year with a 4-0 mark. Western then finishes action in the tournament versus hosts Indiana State (1-3).
LAST TIME OUT: In last weekend's SIU-Edwardsville Cougar Classic, the Leathernecks were unable to come out on top in any of their matches, falling to Montana State (3-2), SIU-Ewardsville (3-1) and Santa Clara (3-0). Head coach April Hall talked about how the team's struggles could actually benefit them heading forward.
"It may be hard to explain to some how an 0-3 weekend and start to the season is actually a good thing, but for this team it is," said coach Hall. "We grew this weekend and made more strides in two days than we have in two weeks. Although the record states that we are 0-3, the lessons we learned and the new path we have created for ourselves as a team goes well beyond wins and losses. We will take the week to work hard in practice to claim victory this upcoming weekend at Indiana State."
THE MATCHUPS
Who: Western Illinois (0-3) vs. SIU-Edwardsville (1-2)
When: Saturday, Sept.1 • 10 a.m. ET
Location: Terre Haute, Ind. • The ISU Arena (500)
Series History: Western leads 4-4
Last Meeting:
Aug. 25, 2012 (SIU-E 3, WIU 1)
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Who: Western Illinois (0-3) vs. Loyola (Chicago) (4-0)
When: Saturday, Sept.1 • 4 p.m. ET
Location: Terre Haute, Ind. • The ISU Arena (500)
Series History: Western leads 11-8
Last Meeting:
Sept. 5, 2009 (Loyola 3, WIU 0)
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Who: Western Illinois (0-3) at Indiana State (1-3)
When: Sunday, Sept.2 • 2 p.m. ET
Location: Terre Haute, Ind. • The ISU Arena (500)
Series History: Western leads 14-11
Last Meeting:
Sept. 3, 2011 (WIU 3, ISU 0)
FOLLOW THE ACTION
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MORE LEATHERNECK VOLLEYBALL INFO
Weekly Match Notes
2012 Quick Facts
2012 Information Guide
A LOOK AT THE COUGARS:
SIU-Edwardsville enters 2012 with second year head coach Leah
Johnson (Missouri State '04) who guided the Cougars to a 13-19 overall
mark and 8-12 league record while competing in the Ohio
Valley Conference for
the first time last season...So far this season SIU-E is 1-2 after hosting the Cougar Classic last weekend...The Cougars are led by Brooke Smith who has 36 kills (3.0 per set) and 33 digs (2.75 per set), Sammi Minton who has 121 assists (10.08 per set) and 27 digs (2.25 per set), and Chelsea Colclasure who owns a team-best 63 digs (5.25 per set)...Western holds the all-time series advantage over SIU-E, 4-3...The Cougars downed Western last weekend 3-1 in the Cougar Classic...Besides the Leathernecks, SIU-E will play hosts Indiana State and Loyola (Chicago).
A LOOK AT THE RAMBLERS: Under second year head coach Chris Muscat, the Rambers are off to a 4-0 start to their 2012 season...Last year in his first season at the helm, Muscat and the Ramblers went 4-22 overall and 1-15 in Horizon League action...Anna Eytchison leads Loyola with 59 kills this season, 4.92 per set, Brittany Brown leads the team in assists with 131 (10.92), and Stephanie Kinane leads all Ramblers with 52 digs (4.33 per set)...Western owns an all-time record of 11-8 against Loyola...They fell to the Ramblers in their last meeting in 2009, 3-0...Besides Western, Loyola will face Indiana State and SIU-Edwardsville.
A LOOK AT THE SYCAMORES: Indiana State enters the weekend with a 1-3 overall record under the guidance of fifth year leader Traci Dahl...Last season ISU went 14-17 overall and 6-12 in Missouri Valley action, making their first appearance in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in seven years...The Sycamores are led by Shea Doran who owns 56 kills on the season (3.29 per set), Erika Nord who has 103 assists on the year (7.92 per set), and Ashlen Buck who has 61 digs in 2012 (3.59 per set)...Western owns the all-time series lead 14-11 over Indiana State, defeating them last season, 3-0...Besides the Leathernecks, ISU will face Loyola (Chicago) and SIU-Edwardsville.
AT THE HELM: April Hall was named head volleyball coach on February 20, 2012, becoming the ninth head coach in the Western Illinois volleyball program's history. Hall spent last year as an assistant coach at Northern Kentucky University while the Norse were in the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I. NKU went 26-6 last year and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
JUST KEEP DIGGING: Senior defensive specialist Bridget Murphy finished last season with 580 digs, the fourth best single-season total in Western's program history, and 5.98 digs per set, which is the second best single-season performance in Western's record books. She enters the 2012 season with 1,301 career digs, ranking fifth in program history (Jennifer Alexander ranks first with 2,343)...Murphy sits 102 digs away from moving into fourth in program history.
DISHING OUT ASSISTS: Junior setter Sarah Fetter racked up a game-high 50 assists in the five sets in the team's first match versus Montana State, tying her career high. She had 50 assists at South Dakota (Oct. 2) last season. Fetter owns 1,104 career assists in only her second season at Western.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Senior middle blocker Katie Hosteng was named to the 2012 Cougar Classic All-Tournament team after finishing the invite with 31 kills (2.58 per set) and a .297 hitting percentage.
THE SCHEDULE: Western is slated to take part in three invitationals, 16 Summit League matches, 11 non-conference contests and nine matches combined between Brophy Hall and Western Hall.
CLASS BREAKDOWN: The Leathernecks return nine members from last year's team led by seniors Bridget Murphy and Katie Hosteng...They have two juniors that returned to the squad in Sarah Fetter and Heather Smith...A sophomore class of five return to Western in Ann Miller, Molly Murphy, Bailey Kaloupek, Mallory Gibson and Samantha Fournier...The Leathernecks enter the 2012 season with three newcomers, all freshmen, in twin sisters Leighanne Novak and Kaitlynn Novak, and Jordan Jackson.
WHAT'S NEXT?: The team will compete in there final non-conference invitaional of the season, the Butler Classic in Indianapolis, Ind. before opening its home schedule inside Western Hall against Chicago State on September 11.
2012 ROPES COURSE VIDEO:
2012 PICTURE DAY VIDEO:
