MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois volleyball team returns home for the final time this weekend to play host to South Dakota Friday (Oct. 28) and UMKC Saturday (Oct. 29). The Fighting Leathernecks will honor seniors Alyssa Holum, Megan Toczek, Brooke Stittleburg and Cait Egan on Senior Night Saturday.

Western Illinois dropped a pair of conference road matches to Oral Roberts (L, 1-3) and Southern Utah (L, 0-3) over the weekend. Earlier this season, the Fighting Leathernecks defeated UMKC in four sets on Sept. 30 while a four-set loss at South Dakota on Oct. 2 featured numerous four-set season-highs.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Online: Live Stats will be available at GoLeathernecks.com by accessing the live stats link on the volleyball schedule page.

Fans can follow WIUAthletics on Twitter for in-match updates.

Radio: All home matches during the 2011 season can be heard on WIUS (88.3 FM) radio. Mitch Winkelman and Nico Haeflinger will be calling the matches.

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota is in its first year in The Summit League and 12-13 overall under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Matt Houk. The Coyotes started Summit League play 5-2 but have dropped five straight conference matches. USD is led offensively by freshman Kendall Kritenbrink, who tops The Summit League with 4.33 kills per set. Senior Tahnee Reed (30 aces) and freshman Riley Haug (29 aces) pace the Coyotes' formidable serving attack that ranks second in the conference with 1.35 aces per set. Defensively, senior Carol Logato ranks eighth in The Summit League with 4.46 digs per set.

SCOUTING UMKC

UMKC is 8-15 and 2-10 in the Summit League under first-year head coach Christi Posey. The Kangaroos started Summit League play with 10 straight losses but have won two straight in conference play. UMKC is led offensively by senior Kelsey Knoche (2.75 kills per set-ninth in The Summit League) and junior Emily Lucas (2.40 kps) while senior Nichole Kerkman leads the defense with 414 digs (4.76 digs per set-seventh in The Summit League). Middle blockers Brittany Fossier (1.03 blocks per set-third in The Summit League) and Christiana McQuin (75 total blocks) make for an imposing pair at the net.

EGAN EYES ELLEFRITZ

Senior Cait Egan put down 22 kills over the weekend and is close to achieving yet another milestone. Egan became the ninth member of the 1,000 Kills Club last Tuesday and now owns 1,026 career kills. She needs just 13 more kills to move past Western Illinois Hall of Famer Diane Ellefritz (1987-91) into eighth place on the program's all-time list.

Egan also collected four blocks over the weekend and owns 339 career total blocks, which ranks fourth best in program history. She currently sits sixth in the Summit League with a .263 attack percentage and tenth with 2.74 kills per set.

BRIDGET MURPHY MOVES UP IN RECORD BOOK

Junior Bridget Murphy compiled a match-high 16 digs against Southern Utah and rose two spots in the Western Illinois record book in the process. She passed Rachel Horvat (1989-93) and Ellen Miller (2007-10) to move into seventh place all-time in program history with 1,141 career digs.

Murphy has 13 20-plus dig performances this season and leads all Summit League competitors with 5.96 digs per set. Murphy ranks fifth in the nation and is helping the Western Illinois defense rank fourth in the nation with 18.70 digs per set. She has earned two tournament MVP honors and the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 29) so far this season.

MOLLY MURPHY BAFFLES WITH SERVE

Freshman Molly Murphy collected 39 digs and two service aces over the weekend. She started at libero against Oral Roberts and compiled a season-high 29 digs for her second 20-plus dig performance of the season. It is the third highest total by a Leatherneck this season. Murphy then recorded her third straight double-digit dig effort with 10 digs at Southern Utah.

Murphy is second in The Summit League with 35 aces and ranks 52nd in the nation with 0.40 aces per set. She is second on the squad with 3.51 digs per set during conference play.

FETTER SHINES AT SETTER

Sophomore Sarah Fetter dished out 41 assists against Oral Roberts for her ninth 40-plus assist performance this season. She also collected nine digs, two kills, three blocks and her ninth service ace of the 2011 campaign. A day later, Fetter had 29 assists, eight digs, three blocks and three kills on seven attempts against Southern Utah.

Over the last five matches, Fetter has put down 14 kills with a .323 attack percentage. Additionally, she has seven total blocks over the last 10 sets after compiling 13 through the first 68 sets played this season. Fetter, who is averaging 10.15 assists per set against league opponents, ranks fourth in the conference in assists (9.92 aps).

GIBSON BUILDING A WALL

Freshman Mallory Gibson collected seven block assists over the weekend. She had three blocks against Oral Roberts and four more at Southern Utah. She owns 50 total blocks this season in just 53 sets played. Gibson, who is averaging a team-high 0.94 blocks per set, has 11 combined total blocks over the last three matches.

SMITH SETS CAREER HIGH

Sophomore Heather Smith came off the bench against Oral Roberts to put down a career-high nine kills on 20 attempts. Smith also collected two service aces for her first ace since Sept. 16 at North Dakota State. A day later against Southern Utah, she recorded her first start since Sept. 16 and put down nine kills on 26 attempts.

Over the weekend, Smith averaged 2.57 kills per set and hit .239 with just seven errors on 46 attempts. She owns a .313 attack percentage this season with 28 kills on 67 attempts.

MILLER STANDS OUT AS FRESHMAN

Freshman Ann Miller has started 23 matches and proven to be a consistent all-around performer. She ranks second on the squad in digs (294) and aces (16), third in kills (213) and fourth in total blocks (24.0). Miller has compiled double-digit digs in all but three matches this season.