Indiana State University Athletics

Match 13 vs. Valparaiso | Match 14 vs. Loyola Chicago
Match 13: Valparaiso	Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 | 7 p.m. ET | Terre Haute, Ind. | ISU Arena | FREE POP SOCKETS
	TV/Video: ESPN+ | Live Stats
Match 14: Loyola Chicago	Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 | 7 p.m. ET | Terre Haute, Ind. | ISU Arena
	TV/Video: The Valley on ESPN (ESPN3) | Live Stats
Full Match Notes	Indiana State | Valparaiso | Loyola Chicago
Series History
	Valparaiso: Indiana State leads, 15-9 | Last match: ISU won, 3-1, on 11/11/17) | Streak: Won 1
	Loyola Chicago: Loyola Chicago leads, 10-8 | Last match: ISU won, 3-1, on 11/10/17 | Streak: Won 3
Social Media	@IndStVB | #MarchOn | Facebook | @IndStVB | YouTube

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns home to ISU Arena as Missouri Valley Conference play begins on Friday. With the new (conference) season comes a new challenge and one that may have been a bit unexpected for the league as a whole.
 
That is because Friday's opponent, Valparaiso, a team originally projected to finish fifth in the league, brings in a seven-match winning streak and a 13-2 record. Then an 8-4 Loyola Chicago team visits ISU Arena Saturday evening.
 
The first 100 fans to the arena on Friday will receive a free Sycamore Volleyball Pop Socket.
 
QUICK HITS
• Indiana State returns home to open Missouri Valley Conference play beginning Friday evening.
• Indiana State is looking to win its Valley opener for the second straight year but for just the second time in the last decade.
• Damadj Johnson is 53rd nationally and leads the Missouri Valley Conference with 54 total blocks this season.
• Makayla Knoblauch is ranked 53rd nationally and third in the Valley with 456 total assists entering this weekend.
• Laura Gross ranks 62nd nationally with 483 total attacks.
• The 2018 campaign marks the second season for the Sycamores under the direction of Lindsay Allman.
• Damadj Johnson (twice), Laura Gross (twice), Jade York and Rhiannon Morozoff have all received all-tournament honors early in the season with Gross claiming MVP honors once.
 
OPENING SERVE
Indiana State opens Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend when Valparaiso and Loyola Chicago travel to the Wabash Valley. The first 100 fans to ISU Arena for Friday's match will receive a free Sycamore Volleyball pop socket.
 
VALLEY OPENER
Indiana State opens Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend but here's hoping you have the memory of a goldfish when it comes to getting off to a good start in league play. That's because while the Sycamores won their league opener last year (3-0 vs. Evansville), that marked the team's only opening win in league play since 2001 win over Drake to start MVC action. ISU is 3-32 all-time in conference opening matches.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Valparaiso: The hottest team in the Valley and one of the hottest teams currently in the nation, the Crusaders head to the Wabash Valley riding a seven-match win streak, a streak that ranks 16th in the nation. Valpo is ranked in the top 25 nationally in several categories, including kills (13th, 717), assists (14th, 662) and kills per set (21st, 14.06). Brittany Anderson leads the Crusader offense and is ranked fourth nationally with 567 total assists while Sydney Bronner ranks 81st nationally with a .359 hitting percentage.
 
Loyola Chicago: Loyola takes an 8-4 mark into the start of Valley play and the Ramblers bring one of the best serving teams in the country to town. LUC ranks 34th nationally with 1.67 aces per set and 58th nationally with 72 total aces. Lauren Caprini leads Loyola with 22 aces this year, ranking 21st nationally while Delilah Wolf ranks 47th nationally with 10.51 assists per set.
 
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 53rd nationally and first in the Valley with 54 total blocks this season.
 
Additionally, D is quickly climbing the charts in Indiana State's record book. She enters the week ranked seventh all-time at ISU with 232 block assists and her 271 career total blocks have her knocking on the door of the top 10 charts (see game notes link for more information).
 
KNOBLUACH AMONG LEADERS
Entering this weekend's play, Indiana State freshman Makayla Knoblauch is quietly making a name for herself as one of the most effective setters in the Valley and the nation. She currently ranks 53rd nationally and third in the Valley in total assists (456) while ranking 96th nationally and fifth in the Valley in assists per set (9.70).
 
HOT START
Indiana State knows exactly when match time is. Entering this week's play, the Sycamores have won 8 of the 12 opening sets in 2018 (67 percent). That early advantage might be one clue as to why ISU has already more than tripled its non-conference win total from a year ago. When ISU doesn't win the first set, the Trees have split those two matches with a 1-3 record.
 
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.