TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State volleyball team (8-3) continues road play as it travels to Missouri State and preseason Missouri Valley Conference favorite Wichita State to open league action Friday and Saturday. Live video and live stats for both games are available each team's website and can also be found on ISU's schedule page on GoSycamores.com.  

Quick Hits

Indiana State Sycamores

Head Coach: Traci Dahl-Skinner

Career Record: 65-129 (7th Season)

Record at ISU: Same

2014 Record: 8-3

Scouting the Opponents

Missouri State Bears

Head Coach: Melissa Stokes

2014 Record: 6-5

Last Time Out: at HotelRED Invite (Madison, Wisc.)

W, Ball State, 3-2

L, #4 Wisconsin, 1-3

W, Miami, 3-0

Wichita State Shockers

Head Coach: Chris Lamb

2014 Record: 6-4

Last Time Out: at Bluejay Invite (Omaha, Neb.)

W, Bowling Green, 3-2

W, Pepperdine, 3-1

L, Creighton, 1-3

2014 ISU Stat Leaders

Kills - 132, Bree Spangler

Hitting Percentage - .430, Cassandra Willis

Digs -  156, Stephanie Bindernagel

Assists - 428, Erika Nord

Points - 144.5, Bree Spangler

Blocks - 30, Cassandra Willis

Aces - 17, Stephanie Bindernagel

Series Histories

vs. Missouri State: Bears lead 2-55

vs. Wichita State: Shockers lead 12-43

News and Notes

·         ISU opens up the conference portion of the schedule on Friday when it travels west to Missouri State followed by a trip to visit Wichita State on Saturday. It marks the first league openers at the respective schools since 2010.

·         Junior middle blocker Cassandra Willis ranks 21st in the nation in hitting percentage (.430) and first in the Missouri Valley Conference to being the first week of league action.

·         As a team, the Sycamores are ranked in the top of a variety of MVC stats after the first three weekends of regular season play.  ISU leads in hitting percentage (.230 per set), assists (12.52 per set) and kills (13.43 per set). ISU ranks second in opponent hitting percentage (.172) and service aces (1.52 per set), and fourth in digs (15.60 per set).

·         Individually, Willis (.430) and senior middle blocker Kyla Thomas (.363) rank first and second respectively in hitting percentage. Junior setter Erika Nord is second in assists (10.44 per set) while freshman libero Stephanie Bindernagel leads in service aces (0.40 per set) and eighth in digs (3.71 per set). Sophomore outside hitter Bree Spangler ranks seventh (3.44 per set) and Cassandra Willis (3.23 per set) ranks 10th in points.

·         The Sycamores have gone 8-3 in the non-conference portion of their schedule so far. They will wrap up play at Saint Louis on Oct. 14.

·         The 8-3 record through 11 games of the start of the season marks one of the best starts in program history. ISU's best start through 11 games was in 1982 when it started off 10-1. The Sycamores have matched the second-best start through 11 games with the 8-3 record which they also accomplished in 1989.

·         Non-conference tournament play wrapped up last weekend at the SIUE Cougar Classic with ISU going 2-1 in action defeating Southern Utah (3-2) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-0). Indiana State suffered its lone defeat against the host Cougars (1-3) in the tournament finale.  Junior middle blocker Cassandra Willis made All-Tournament team honors for the Sycamores.

·         Freshman defensive specialist Danielle Waedekin and Stephanie Bindernagel have continued to make their way into the starting lineup for ISU this season. The duo has started all 11 games in the back row, with Bindernagel claiming the libero spot. Bindernagel leads the team in digs (139, 3.3 per set) while Waedekin leads with 12 service aces.

·         Senior transfer Carly Wishlow has been granted an NCAA waiver, making her eligible for the Sycamores immediately. Wishlow spent time at Tennessee and UT-San Antonio before arriving in Terre Haute.

·         In their first five set match of the season, the Sycamores rallied from an 0-2 deficit to defeat IUPUI on Sept. 9. The Jaguars, who made the NCAA Tournament team, couldn't stop the Sycamores in the final three sets as they won 3-2 (18-25, 16-25, 25-23, 25-16, 15-9).

For the latest information on the Sycamore Women's Volleyball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.