MATCH NOTES
MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois volleyball team returns home after a brief two-match road trip to welcome South Dakota State and North Dakota State to Brophy Hall Friday and Saturday. Both matches are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
This weekend marks the end of the first half of Western's conference schedule. The Leathernecks (5-10, 2-5 Summit League) dropped a pair of matches at Southern Utah and UMKC last week.
All fans are encouraged to wear pink this weekend, which is the start of Volleyball Celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Leathernecks will be raising support at every home match in October and donations to benefit Linda's Fund can be made at the door. Linda's Fund was established by McDonough District Hospital in October 2008 in memory of Linda Bainter as an initiative of support for women diagnosed with breast cancer and their families. In addition, pink ribbons and car magnets will be available at the welcome table and pink shirts will be thrown out.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Online: Live Stats will be available at GoLeathernecks.com by accessing the live stats link on the volleyball schedule page.
Subscribers to Rocky Vision at GoLeathernecks.com can watch WIUTV3's live broadcast of Friday's match.
A live blog for both matches can be found here. Fans can follow along by selecting the LIVE COVERAGE BLOGGING link.
TV: Friday's match will be broadcast live on WIUTV3 (channel 3, Macomb) with John Kendall providing play-by-play and Dan Firnbach as the color analyst. Saturday's broadcast will be a single-camera production and aired on WIUTV3 via tape delay.
Radio: All home matches during the 2010 season can be heard on WIUS (88.3 FM) radio. Michael Broskowski (play-by-play) and Nick Ficarrotta (color) will be calling Friday's match. All WIUS broadcasts are streamed live online and can be heard here.
SERIES HISTORIES
Friday is the ninth meeting all-time between Western and South Dakota State, with SDSU holding a 6-2 series advantage. The Jackrabbits won both meetings last season, including a 3-1 decision in Macomb on Oct. 24, 2009.
Saturday is the eighth time Western and North Dakota State have met and NDSU owns a 5-2 series advantage. The Bison have won four straight meetings, including a 3-1 victory in Macomb on Oct. 23, 2009 in the last matchup.
Leading the Leathernecks
Junior left side hitters Allison Gilbert and Brooke Stittleburg recorded double-digit kills in both matches last weekend and have done so in four straight matches. The duo averaged a combined 5.89 kills per set last week and accounted for close to sixty percent of the Leathernecks offensive output against Southern Utah and UMKC.
Gilbert's 186 kills lead the squad and her 3.15 kills per set ranks fourth in the Summit League. Gilbert, who owns 13 double-digit performances in 2010, had 16 kills against UMKC Saturday to lead Western for the seventh time this season.
Stittleburg collected her team-high fourth double-double (12 kills, 11 digs) against UMKC and now owns a double-double in three out of the last four matches. The Black River Falls, Wis. native ranks third on the squad in kills (129), total blocks (20), service aces (11), digs (113) and points (151).
Junior middle hitter Cait Egan had 10 total blocks last week and continues to climb up Western Illinois' career charts. Egan, who currently ranks seventh in program history with 57 solo blocks, broke into the top 10 of Western's all-time total blocks list with seven total blocks against Southern Utah. Egan, who owns 250 career total blocks, ranks third in the Summit League with 1.05 blocks per set and seventh with a .271 attack percentage.
Scouting South Dakota State
The Jackrabbits (7-8, 3-4 Summit League) play at No. 14 Northern Iowa Wednesday night before coming to Macomb Friday night. South Dakota State split home contests with Oakland and IPFW last weekend. SDSU captured a 3-1 victory over the Golden Grizzlies Friday before falling 3-0 to the Mastodons Saturday.
South Dakota State was tabbed to finish fifth in the preseason poll after going 10-17Â overall and 9-9 in Summit League play last season. The Jackrabbits welcome back two of their top three hitters, first team All-League selection Ellyce Youngren and All-Freshman team selection Kaitlin Klingemann.
Youngren ranks sixth in the Summit League with a team-high 2.98 kills per set and Klingemann's .324 attack percentage is fourth best in the conference. Sophomore middle blocker Kelli Fiegen owns a league-high 78 total blocks, ranks second in attack percentage (.352) and eighth in kills per set (2.71).
SDSU hitters have posted a league-high .228 attack percentage this season and take sets from senior Thyele Rechatiko, who ranks second in the Summit League with 9.64 assists per set.
Scouting North Dakota State
The Bison had their 42-match Summit League winning streak snapped by IPFW at home last Friday. It was the longest active streak in Division I, the longest in league history, and the 21st longest in Division I history. NDSU rebounded with a 3-1 victory over Oakland on Saturday and currently sits atop of the Summit League standings with a 6-1 mark in conference play. The Bison, who are 9-7 overall this season, play at IUPUI Friday before traveling to Macomb.
North Dakota State was voted as the 2010 preseason favorite for the second straight season after going 23-4Â overall and 18-0 in conference play in 2009. The Bison return their entire starting line-up and reigning two-time Player-of-the-Year junior Chrissy Knuth.
Sophomore outsider hitter Brynn Joki ranks first in the Summit League with 34 service aces and currently leads a balanced Bison offensive attack with 2.56 kills per set. Sophomore Megan Lambertson has posted a league-high .371 attack percentage this season and junior middle hitter Janna Deyle ranks second with 1.11 blocks per set.
Redshirt freshman Jordan Kissman, a transfer from Georgia Tech, took over the starting setting duties from injured junior setter Jennifer Lopez on Sept. 24 and was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week after her first two starts. Kissman averages 7.75 assists per set.
