Indiana State University Athletics

Match 28 at Evansville
Match 28: Evansville	Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 | 6 p.m. ET | Terre Haute, Ind. | ISU Arena | Wabash Valley Volleyball Night
	TV/Video: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Full Match Notes	Indiana State
Series History	Evansville: Indiana State leads, 44-30 | Last match: UE won, 3-0, on 10/13/2018 | Streak: Lost 2
Social Media	@IndStVB | #MarchOn | Facebook | @IndStVB | YouTube

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns home Friday to the friendly confines of ISU Arena as Evansville visits the Wabash Valley. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
 
This marks the first of a three-match homestand to close out the 2018 season for the Sycamores.
 
QUICK HITS
• Indiana State is back at home for the remainder of the season.
• The Sycamores look to prevent a season sweep at the hands of Evansville for the first time since 2009.
• A win Friday would move ISU within one win of last year's total.
• Laura Gross ranks 35th nationally with 1,098 total attacks.
• Jade York ranks 97th nationally with 432 total digs this season.
• Melina Tedrow has moved to setter, filling in for Makayla Knoblauch over the few weeks, and has posted a double-double in two straight matches.
• The 2018 campaign marks the second season for the Sycamores under the direction of Lindsay Allman.
 
AVOID THE BROOM
Looking to get back on the winning track, Indiana State is hoping to claim a win over the Purple Aces and avoid a season sweep at the hands of Evansville for the first time since 2009.
 
DEFENSIVE TREES
Indiana State is among one of the better defensive teams in the nation, entering this week's action ranked 52nd nationally in digs per set (16.59) while ranking 58th nationally in total digs (1,659).
 
HOME, SWEET, HOME
Indiana State is back at home for the remainder. With three matches left in the season, ISU will be home for all three.
 
FRESH START (BUT NOT BY CHOICE)
Sometimes adversity thrusts you into a role you didn't expect. That has never been truer than for Indiana State Volleyball lately as an injury has sidelined setter Makayla Knoblauch and witnessing Melina Tedrow transition from defensive specialist to setter. While she did practice the position in preseason, it wasn't until Knoblauch's injury nearly midway through the conference season that Tedrow took the reins of the Sycamore offense.
 
IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD
Indiana State freshman Madeline Williams has not been intimidated by the collegiate level of play in her true freshman season. She currently leads the Sycamores with a .271 hitting percentage and is second on the team with 66 total blocks entering this week's action.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Evansville: Fresh off a win that snapped a five-match skid, Evansville enters Friday's match with a 9-19 record and is hitting .167 as a team. Rachel Tam continues to lead the offense and is ranked 11th nationally and first in the Valley with 474.5 points 27th nationally in kills per set (4.28). Tam also ranks sixth nationally and leads the Valley with 437 kills this season while Mildrelis Rodriguez's 331 kills ranks her 114th nationally and sixth in the league.
 
ON THE ATTACK
Laura Gross is relentless. The senior hitter from Indiana State ranks 35th nationally in total attacks (1,098) and 52nd nationally in attacks per set (10.98). She's also a force on the other side of the ball, ranking 153rd nationally with 394 digs this season.
 
D-FENSE
Damadj "D" Johnson is a tall task to face at the net. She may only stand at 6-0 but is seemingly a brick wall. The junior continues to be one of the leaders at the net for the Sycamores and is among the best in the Valley, and nation, at doing so. D enters the week ranked 124th nationally and third in the league with 1.10 blocks per set.
 
Additionally, D is quickly climbing the charts in Indiana State's record book. She enters the week ranked tied for fifth all-time at ISU with 264 block assists and her 307 career total blocks gives her sole possession of eighth-most in school history.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Volleyball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.