MACOMB, Ill. - After concluding a five-match homestand Tuesday night, the Western Illinois volleyball team hits the road for the first time in three weeks this weekend. Up first for the Fighting Leathernecks is a Thursday night (Oct. 20) matchup with first-place Oral Roberts. First serve from Tulsa, Okla. is set for 7 p.m. CT inside the Cooper Aerobics Center.

Following a travel day, the Leathernecks will play at Southern Utah Saturday night (Oct. 22). The contest with the Thunderbirds in Cedar City, Utah will begin at 8 p.m. CT inside Centrum Arena.

Western Illinois evened up its overall record at 11-11 with a sweep over Big East member DePaul Tuesday night (Oct. 18) inside Western Hall. The Fighting Leathernecks have not been at .500 after 22 matches since the 1996 campaign.  

SCOUTING ORAL ROBERTS

Oral Roberts is 17-4 and 10-1 in the Summit League under the guidance of eighth-year head coach Sheera Sirola, who is first in league history with 167 career wins. The first-place Golden Eagles stretched their winning streak to ten matches with road wins at UMKC and South Dakota last weekend. Junior Elizabeth McVicker ranks third in the league with 1.01 blocks per set and tenth with 2.70 kills per set. Sophomore Laura Taylor is third in assists (10.00 aps) and fourth in service aces (29). Sophomore Bruna Silva ranks fourth with 5.36 digs per set and had 25 digs in ORU's 3-0 victory in Macomb on Sept. 24.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH

Southern Utah is 6-16 under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Debby Baker. The Thunderbirds split a pair of conference road matches last weekend to South Dakota (W, 3-2) and UMKC (L, 1-3). SUU is now 3-8 in Summit League play, which is tied for eighth place. Junior Analaine Pelaez-Mailoto owns a conference-best 366 kills this season and ranks second in the league with 4.07 kills per set. She put down 27 kills in the Thunderbirds' 3-2 victory in Macomb on Sept. 23. Junior Cashaana Renfro has collected 87 total blocks this season while freshman Davia Lee chips in 4.24 digs per set.  

EGAN JOINS 1,000 KILLS CLUB

Senior Cait Egan put down 10 kills on 28 attempts against DePaul to become the ninth member of the 1,000 Kills Club. Egan needed six kills to join the exclusive club and collected her sixth kill in the second set when she put Western Illinois up 8-6 off a set by sophomore Sarah Fetter.

Egan is the fourth player under tenth-year head coach Kym McKay to enter the exclusive club along with Ashley Baker, Amy Sauerwein and Monique Houston. Egan, who now owns 1,004 career kills, needs 35 more kills this season to move past Western Illinois Hall of Famer Diane Ellefritz (1987-91) into eighth place on the program's all-time list.

Egan also owns 335 career total blocks, which ranks fourth best in program history. She currently sits sixth in the Summit League with a .261 attack percentage.

BRIDGET MURPHY MOVES UP NATIONAL RANKINGS

Junior Bridget Murphy compiled 21 digs against DePaul for her thirteenth 20-plus dig effort this season. Murphy leads all Summit League competitors and rose one spot to fourth in the nation with 5.99 digs per set. Murphy is also helping the Western Illinois defense rank fifth in the nation with 18.76 digs per set.

Murphy needs two more digs (1,125) to move past Rachel Horvat (1989-93) into eighth place on the program's all-time list. She has earned two tournament MVP honors and the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 29) so far this season.

HOSTENG STEPS IT UP IN CONFERENCE PLAY

Junior Katie Hosteng put down seven kills on 22 attempts against DePaul to surpass 600 career kills (602). She is first on the squad and ninth in The Summit League with 2.73 kills per set. During conference play, Hosteng owns five double-digit kill performances and ranks eighth in the league with 2.92 kills per set.

MOLLY MURPHY BAFFLES WITH SERVE

Freshman Molly Murphy compiled 15 digs against DePaul for her seventh double-digit effort of the season. Murphy has not collected a service ace in two matches but still leads the Summit League with 33 aces. She currently ranks 37th in the nation with 0.41 aces per set. Murphy also ranks third on the team with 2.70 digs per set.

FETTER SHINES AT SETTER

Sophomore Sarah Fetter dished out 36 assists against DePaul for her fourth highest assist total in a three-set match this season. Fetter also collected three kills on six attempts and is hitting .368 over the last three matches. Fetter, who is averaging 10.18 assists per set against league opponents, ranks fourth in the conference in assists (9.92 aps).

GIBSON BUILDING A WALL

Freshman Mallory Gibson put down a season-high seven kills on 17 attempts against DePaul for a stellar .353 attack percentage. She also collected four total blocks and owns 43 blocks this season in just 46 sets played. Gibson, who is averaging a team-high 0.93 blocks per set, did not collect a block for two matches prior to the DePaul match.

MILLER AN ALL-AROUND PERFORMER

Freshman Ann Miller had six kills, two service aces and 12 digs against DePaul. Miller leads the team with 11 double-doubles this season. She is second on the squad with 275 digs and 15 service aces. Miller also ranks third on the team with 198 kills and fourth with 23 total blocks.

STITTLEBURG IMPRESSIVE OFF THE BENCH  

Senior Brooke Stittleburg came off the bench to put down a match-high 12 kills on 39 attempts against DePaul. It was her third double-digit effort of the season and second in the last four matches. After averaging 1.39 kills per set through the first 18 matches, Stittleburg has posted a team-high 3.07 kills per set over the past four contests.