MACOMB - The Western Illinois volleyball team returns to Summit League action this Saturday (Nov. 5) when the Fighting Leathernecks play at IUPUI. First serve from Indianapolis, Ind. is set for 6 p.m. CT inside The Jungle. The Jaguars (13-14 overall, 7-8 Summit League) are in a battle with Oakland for the fourth and final conference postseason spot.

Western Illinois (12-15, 3-12 Summit League) stepped out of conference play for the final time Tuesday (Nov. 1) with a 3-0 victory at Chicago State. The road win was the Fighting Leathernecks' 14th consecutive victory over the Cougars.

Earlier this season, IUPUI swept Western Illinois in Macomb on Oct. 8 inside Brophy Hall. Western led for the majority of the first and second sets but was held to 35 kills in the loss. The Jaguars received 14 kills from Kelsey Hoefer and 13 from Kalyse Reimbold in that matchup.

SERIES HISTORY

IUPUI owns a 19-9 advantage in the all-time series between the schools and has won seven straight matchups. The last time the programs played in Indianapolis on Nov. 13, 2010, IUPUI tallied 53 kills and hit .333 against Western Illinois in a 3-0 victory.

Earlier this season on Oct. 8, Western led for the majority of the first and second sets but was held to 35 kills in a 3-0 loss to IUPUI inside Brophy Hall. IUPUI used late runs in all three sets on its way to the sweep.

Bridget Murphy compiled 23 digs and Cait Egan shared the team lead with eight kills on 21 attempts. Katie Hosteng had eight kills and two solo blocks while Sarah Fetter collected a double-double with 28 assists and 10 digs.

SCOUTING IUPUI

IUPUI is 13-14 overall and 7-8 in Summit League play. Under the guidance of fifteenth-year head coach Steve Payne, the fifth-place Jaguars are in a battle with Oakland for the fourth and final conference postseason spot.

Sophomore Moriah Fair (3.09 kills per set) ranks sixth in The Summit League in kills while junior Kelsey Hoefer (2.70 kps) sits tenth. Junior Bethany Fogler leads the conference with 121 total blocks while sophomore Alexis Meeks (9.77 assists per set) ranks fourth in assists. Senior Shari Bernhardt (5.57 digs per set) is second in the league in digs and shared the most recent Defensive Player of the Week award with Bridget Murphy.

BRIDGET MURPHY NAMED CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Junior Bridget Murphy, who compiled 19 digs against Chicago State Tuesday night, was named The Summit League Co-Defensive Player of the Week Monday (Oct. 31). Murphy shares the award with IUPUI senior Shari Bernhardt, who became the fourth player in league history to record 2,000 career digs.

Murphy earned the honor after posting back-to-back 30-plus dig performances last weekend. The New Lenox, Ill. native started off the week with 34 digs against South Dakota and came back in the next match to tally 33 against UMKC, which marked her third and fourth 30-plus performances this season.

Murphy currently ranks first in The Summit League and fourth in the nation with 6.05 digs per set. She is just the second Leatherneck to average over 6.00 digs per set in a single-season (Jennifer Alexander in 2004).

Murphy is just the fifth player in program history to eclipse the 1,200 career dig mark. She has passed Michele Aulig (1985-89) and Sue Rossman (1985-89) to move into fifth place all-time in program history with 1,227 career digs.

It is Murphy's second career Defensive Player of the Week award and second of the season. She was The Summit League's first Defensive Player of the Week back on Aug. 29, 2011. The last time a Leatherneck picked up multiple weekly awards in one season was in 2006 when Jennifer Alexander collected three. 

EGAN PASSES ELLEFRITZ

Earlier this season, senior Cait Egan became the ninth player in program history to join the 1,000 Kills Club. She now owns 1,049 career kills and moved past Western Illinois Hall of Famer Diane Ellefritz (1987-91) into eighth place on the program's all-time list.

Against Chicago State Tuesday, Egan collected three block assists to move into a tie with Laura Olsen (1988-92) for sixth all-time in program history with 258 career block assists. Her 347 career total blocks are fourth best in program history. She currently sits seventh in The Summit League with a .255 attack percentage.

MOLLY MURPHY BAFFLES WITH SERVE

Freshman Molly Murphy picked up her team-leading 41st ace of the season Tuesday night against Chicago State. Murphy ranks second in The Summit League and 42nd in the nation with 0.41 aces per set. She is second on the squad with 3.26 digs per set during conference play.

FETTER SHINES AT SETTER

Sophomore Sarah Fetter dished out 35 assists to go along with six digs, three kills and two service aces against Chicago State. Fetter is second on the squad with seven double doubles and ranks sixth in The Summit League with 9.64 assists per set.

SMITH SETS CAREER HIGH

Sophomore Heather Smith picked up her fourth start of the season against Chicago State and set a career-high with 11 kills on 28 attempts (.357 attack percentage). Over the last five matches, Smith is averaging 2.35 kills per set after averaging less than one kill per set over the first 22 contests of the season.  

MILLER STANDS OUT AS FRESHMAN

Freshman Ann Miller started her 25th match of the season against Chicago State and hit at a .333 clip with eight kills on 18 attempts. She also compiled 10 digs for her 20th double-digit performance of the season. Miller leads the squad with 11 double-doubles and ranks second in kills (237), digs (315) and aces (18).