By Tim McCaughan
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State will look to get back to its winning ways this weekend as the team travels to MVC foes Loyola and Bradley. The Sycamores and Ramblers will get things started at 8 p.m. (ET) in Chicago on Friday before heading south to face the Braves at 8 p.m. (ET) Saturday.
SERIES HISTORY
All Time Series: LUC, 5-10
Last Meeting: 2016, L, 3-2 (Home)
Streak: LUC, W-1
All Time Series: BU, 29-37
Last Meeting: 2016, W, 3-1 (Home)
Streak: INS, W-5
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
The Sycamores had two players reach the 1,000 career dig mark over the last week as Stephanie Bindernagel and Bree Spangler joined the Club. Spangler also became the fourth player in program history to record 1,000 digs and 1,000 kills over the weekend.
CHASING 100
Head coach Traci Dahl-Skinner (99-168, 9th) sits just one win away from the 100-win mark at Indiana State. She has led the Sycamores to consecutive winning seasons the last two years and would become the first head coach in program history to record 100-career wins at ISU.
MEET THEM AT THE NET
Kynedi Nalls (51) and Damadj Johnson (74) have made for a lethal duo at the net for Indiana State this season. The senior and freshman combo have combined for 125 of the Sycamore blocks so far this season, making up 85 percent of the total blocks for the Sycamores.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Kynedi Nalls recorded her first double-double of the season as she led the Sycamores to a 3-1 win over Eastern Illinois. Nalls recorded a career best 24 kills and 10 digs in the win. As a team, ISU has 14 double-doubles on the year with seven coming from Spangler, five coming from Griffin and one from Halle Lueck.
BATTLE WITH THE BRAVES
Bree Spangler went for 20 kills and 20 digs as the Sycamores defeated Bradley 3-1 September 16 as part of the ISU Classic. As a team, Indiana State recorded 65 kills and a .304 attacking percent during the match.
NCAA RPI REPORT
The latest NCAA RPI report for the 2016 season has been released and the Valley has four teams featured in the top-65. Wichita State leads the league at No. 32, while Southern Illinois (No. 52), UNI (No. 57), and Missouri State (No. 63) are also among the nation's top-65.
The Valley is one of seven leagues to have four or more teams in the RPI's top-65, joining the Big Ten (11), Pac-12 (9), Big 12 (6), ACC (5), SEC (5), and West Coast (4).
TOURNAMENT WINS
Indiana State picked up their second tournament win as the Sycamores used victories over host Marshall and Morehead State to win the West Virginia Capital Classic. In the first week of the regular season, the Sycamores captured the Marriott Invitational, hosted by Samford. It is believed this is the first time in the history of the program that the Sycamore Volleyball program has won two tournaments away from ISU Arena in the same season. Under head coach Traci Dahl, the Sycamores have won at least one tournament in each of the last four years.
SYCAMORES OPEN MVC PLAY WITH WIN OVER BRADLEY
Indiana State's MVC opener against Bradley was historic on several fronts. As the Sycamores opened their 33rd season of Missouri Valley Conference (formerly Gateway Conference) play, it marked just the third time the Sycamores have opened the league slate with a victory. It was just the second victory at home to open league play in 12 all-time attempts and was the first MVC opening victory for the program under ninth-year head coach Traci Dahl-Skinner. A big reason for the Sycamores' success was the play of Bree Spangler who became the first Indiana State player in recent memory to record at least 20 kills and digs in the same match.
DAMADJ JOHNSON SOLID AT ISU CLASSIC
Indiana State freshman Damadj Johnson tallied 15 kills and owned a .258 attack percentage as the Sycamores split against Bradley and Western Michigan. She led the way at the net with nine total blocks. Johnson had eight kills and four blocks against Western Michigan after tallying seven kills and five blocks in the MVC opener against Bradley.
GRIFFIN NAMED MVP TWICE
For the second time in as many weeks, junior Rachel Griffin earned tournament MVP honors. This time the honor came at the Capital Classic one week after taking a similar honor at the Marriott Invitational. Over the three game stretch, Griffin posted 119 assists, averaging 9.15 per set as the Sycamores used victories over Morehead State and host Marshall to win the tournament. Griffin added 23 digs, 6.5 total blocks and one service ace in securing the team tournament win. In the opener, the Sycamores battled Big 12 foe West Virginia close and Griffin tallied 49 assists with two kills, two blocks and one service ace. She and the Sycamores made quick work of Morehead State in the second game of the tournament as she had 27 assists, one kill, six digs and 1.5 blocks in the three set sweep. Indiana State played their second five set match of the tournament and with the victory over host Marshall secured the championship as Griffin posted 43 assists and 10 digs for the double-double. She added 3.0 total blocks in the victory.
BACK TO BACK WINNERS
With its victory on November 13, 2015 at Evansville, Indiana State secured the program's first back-to-back winning seasons since 1981 & 1982. The Sycamores finished above .500 last season with a 17-16 overall record after compiling a 17-13 overall record in 2014. Indiana State will be vying for its first-ever third consecutive winning campaign in 2016.
INDIANA STATE PICKED 7TH IN MVC POLL
The Sycamores have been picked to finish seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference standings as announced late this summer by the league office. Wichita State was picked to defend its conference championship. Indiana State begins conference play on Friday, September 16 at home against Bradley as part of the Indiana State Tournament.
SMART SYCAMORES
ISU earned its 18th straight AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2015 season. The streak is the longest among all schools and ties Drury University (Division II) for the longest streak in the history of the award.
AGAINST THE FIELD
The MVC holds a winning record against 14 leagues in non-conference play (America Athletic, ACC, Colonial, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, MidAmerican, Mid-Eastern, Mountain West, Ohio Valley, SEC, Southern, Southland, Summit and Sun Belt) and a .500 record against the Atlantic 10.
THE VALLEY ON ESPN3
The Valley on ESPN3, part of the Missouri Valley Conference's media rights agreement with ESPN, will feature most home volleyball matches from all 10 MVC institutions on the ESPN3 streaming platform. The HD-quality telecasts are available for free at www.WatchESPN.com or on the WatchESPN App.
UP NEXT
The Sycamores return to Terre Haute Friday October 28 to take on Illinois State at the ISU Arena before heading to Drake October 31.
