TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State opens its Missouri Valley Conference slate Friday and Saturday when it welcomes UIC and Valparaiso for matches inside Hulman Center.
Both matches are slated for a 6 p.m. first serve, with Friday's match also slated to be broadcast on ESPN+.
Fan Information
Fans attending either match this weekend should utilize the West entrance (8th Street). Parking in the university lots around Hulman Center is free after 5 p.m. and on the weekends.
Matchday Promotions
Friday's match is Indiana State's Kids Club match and Volleyball Camper night at Hulman Center, while Saturday's match is the Sycamores' Salute to Service match.
Friday's match will feature in-game promotions between sets, along with a poster signing following the match. At Saturday's match, Indiana State will be recognizing military and first responders.
Last Time Out
Indiana State had five different players notch seven or more kills Wednesday night, but Indiana State fell two points short against IU-Indianapolis in an agonizing five-set match (20-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-18, 15-13).
Jadyn Smith led the Sycamores with 11 kills, while
Ella Scott added nine kills, five blocks and two aces.
Hannah Baudin had eight kills, while
Emma Kaelin and
Curry Kendall tallied seven kills apiece.
Emily Weber finished with 34 assists and a season-high five blocks, while
Anna Ptacin led all players with six blocks.
Macy Lengacher recorded a match-high 19 digs.
Home Sweet Hulman
Indiana State Volleyball returns to Hulman Center for the first time in nearly 20 years when the Sycamores open conference play against UIC and Valparaiso.
Hulman Center's last volleyball matches prior to this weekend were in 2007, when Indiana State went 1-1 in a pair of regular season contests. The venue was also the host of the 2000 MVC Tournament, in which the Sycamores reached the quarterfinals.
Indiana State will also play its November 8-9 home matches against Belmont and Murray State at Hulman Center.
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.
The announced attendance of 651 in Indiana State's 2023 home opener against IUPUI was the largest crowd to witness an Indiana State volleyball match in the facility it its current configuration.
Indiana State's 2024 attendance numbers are already off to a strong start, as the Sycamores drew an over-capacity crowd in their home opener against Butler.
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.
Five more career milestone marks are within reach heading into conference play.
Ella Scott is five aces away from reaching 50 for her career, while both Gilley (446) and
Macy Lengacher (415) are nearing 500 digs for their collegiate careers. Weber also sits just 16 kills away from reaching 200 for her career and 175 assists away from 2000 in her career.
Top-Tier Trees
Indiana State has relied on its veterans from an attacking standpoint, with two of the Sycamores' four upperclassmen earning all-tournament honors during non-conference play.
Setter
Emily Weber was named to the All-Tournament Team at both the GSU Invitational and Bluff City Showdown, while outside hitter
Emma Kaelin was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Bluff City Showdown and Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational.
Aced It
Indiana State has been lethal from the service line to start the 2024 season, as the Sycamores rank in the top 40 nationally with 1.95 aces per set. The Trees have 89 aces as a team entering conference play, an increase by nearly 30 from their 2023 non-conference total of 60.
Indiana State's success from the service line has been a balanced effort, as five different Sycamores have already registered double-digit aces this season.
Ella Scott,
Cadence Gilley and
Emma Kaelin all rank in the top 12 in the MVC in aces per set, while
Emmy Sher is just outside the top 15.
As a team, Indiana State already has a trio of matches with double-digit aces this season after having just four such matches in all of 2023. The Sycamores had 12 aces against Georgia State and 10 against both South Dakota State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
This Weekend's Opponents At A Glance
UIC enters the weekend at 8-4 and is coming off a 1-3 week in Chicago. The Flames lead the MVC in hitting percentage (.232) and blocks (2.29 per set). Kayanna Jones (.444) and Zahria Woodard (.443) are the top two in the MVC in hitting percentage, while Woodard also leads the conference with 1.20 blocks per set. UIC's attack has been a balanced effort, as eight different Flames are averaging at least 1.50 kills per set.
Valparaiso comes into conference play with an 8-4 record following a 2-1 weekend in Spartanburg, S.C. The Beacons lead the MVC in points per set (17.70) and are tied with Indiana State for the most aces per set (1.95), while opponents are hitting just .161 against them. Elise Swistek leads a balanced attack with 140 kills, while seven different Beacons have more than 60 kills this season.
Series History vs. This Weekend's Opponents
Indiana State is 3-6 all-time against UIC, though the Sycamores won last season's lone meeting in four sets in Terre Haute. UIC had won the previous five in the series prior to last year's match. This will be the third meeting between the programs since UIC joined the MVC.
Indiana State and Valparaiso are deadlocked 17-17 in the all-time series, with Valpo winning each of the last two matches. The Beacons won last season's only meeting between the programs in three sets in Terre Haute. Indiana State's last win in the series was in 2021.
Up Next
Indiana State begins a four-match MVC road trip October 4-5 at Murray State and Belmont.
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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