TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State begins a four-match road trip Friday and Saturday with the two southernmost MVC teams, squaring off against Murray State and Belmont.
Friday's match at Murray State is slated for a 7 p.m. first serve and will be aired on ESPN+. Saturday's tilt at Belmont will start at 6 p.m.
Last Time Out
Indiana State will look to bounce back after falling to both UIC (25-18, 25-15, 25-18) and Valparaiso (25-19, 25-15, 25-13) inside Hulman Center last week. The matches in Hulman Center were the first regular season matches in the venue since 2007.
Road Trippin'
Indiana State begins the month of October with a four-match road trip, the Sycamores' longest stretch of consecutive road matches during conference play.
Following this weekend's matches at Murray State and Belmont, Indiana State travels west to face Illinois State and Bradley Oct. 11-12.
Winning on the road has been a challenge for Indiana State in recent years, as the Trees have gone winless on the road in conference play in each of the last two seasons.
Heavy Hitter
Indiana State freshman
Curry Kendall led the Sycamores' attack in the opening weekend of conference play, averaging more than three kills per set for the Trees against UIC and Valparaiso.
Kendall tallied a match-high 12 kills in the Sycamores' three-setter against Valparaiso, with her .320 hitting percentage against the Beacons representing her best output of the season. The match against Valpo was Kendall's second of the season with double-digit kills. In addition, she also added a team-leading eight kills in the conference opener against UIC.
Growing The Game
As the sport of volleyball continues to grow in popularity, so do the crowds who come to witness the sport. Indiana State is no different in that matter, having had one of its best-attended seasons of all time in 2023.
Indiana State's crowds in 2023 were among the best in program history, with the Sycamores filling ISU Arena to 93 percent capacity during the season. Indiana State played in front of over-capacity crowds for four of its nine home matches in 2023, and finished the season in the top half of the MVC in average attendance, a rarity for Sycamore volleyball.
Indiana State's 2024 attendance numbers are already off to a strong start, as the Sycamores are fourth in the MVC in average attendance. The Trees have averaged just under 500 fans per match for their first three home matches of the 2024 campaign.
Milestone Moments
Indiana State has already had multiple athletes reach career milestones this season, with additional career marks also in reach in the opening weeks of conference play
Emily Weber surpassed 1500 assists for her collegiate career during the Sycamores' opening weekend of play, while both Weber and
Cadence Gilley went over the 50-ace mark for their careers during non-conference play.
Additional career milestone marks are within reach for the Sycamores in conference play.
Ella Scott is five aces away from reaching 50 for her career, while both Gilley (458) and
Macy Lengacher (432) are nearing 500 digs for their collegiate careers. Weber also sits just 11 kills away from reaching 200 for her career, 43 digs away from 500 in her career and 136 assists away from 2000 in her career.
One Of A Kind
Indiana State middle blocker
Ella Scott is the only athlete in the MVC to rank in the top 10 in the conference in hitting percentage, blocks and aces. Scott enters the weekend fourth in the conference in blocks (1.02 per set), sixth in aces (0.37 per set) and 10th in hitting percentage (.266), leading Indiana State in all three categories.
Scott was an MVC All-Freshman Team selection in 2023 after leading the Sycamores in both hitting percentage and blocks.
New Year, New Role
Despite not playing on the outside prior to this season,
Emma Kaelin has emerged as one of the top hitters in the MVC in 2024. Kaelin was a setter her first two seasons as a Sycamore, transitioned to being a back row player last season and has now found herself as a six-rotation outside in 2024.
Kaelin ranks eighth in the conference in kills per set (3.17) and ninth in points per set (3.63). Kaelin was named to the All-Tournament Team at both the Bluff City Showdown and the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational.
This Weekend's Opponents At A Glance
Murray State enters the weekend at 6-5 overall and 1-1 in conference play following a split on the road last weekend. The Racers defeated Illinois State in four sets and fell to Bradley in five sets. Four different players average at least two kills per set for Murray State, led by Ella Vogel with 184 for the season. Bailey DeMier has dished out 434 assists, while Dahlia Miller has registered 231 digs. Vogel also lead the team with 25 blocks.
Belmont comes in at 5-9 overall and 0-2 in conference play after dropping five-set matches to both Illinois State and Bradley last weekend. Brooke Gilleland leads the Bruins with 186 kills, with Brenna Kauffeld also over 100 kills this year. Kamryn Olson has recorded 415 assists this season, while Lilly Lutz has registered 253 digs this season. Bella Mathis has a team-leading 47 blocks.
Series History vs. This Weekend's Opponents
Indiana State is 1-5 all-time against Murray State, with the Trees' lone win in the series coming in the most recent meeting. The Sycamores and Racers split the season series in 2023, with each team winning on its home floor.
Indiana State is 2-3 all-time against Belmont, though the Sycamores won in three sets in the most recent meeting. The Sycamores and Bruins split their two matches last season, with the home team winning both.
Up Next
Indiana State remains on the road to face Illinois State (Oct. 11) and Bradley (Oct. 12).
Follow the Sycamores
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. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the
App Store and the
Google Play Store.
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