Weekly Match Notes (.pdf)

MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois seeks its third straight home-opening victory Tuesday night when the Fighting Leathernecks welcome Chicago State to Western Hall. First serve is set for 7 p.m. with the Cougars, who have dropped 12 consecutive matches to the Fighting Leathernecks.

Western looks to repeat last season's home opener in which the Fighting Leathernecks recorded a season-high .387 attack percentage against Chicago State in a 3-0 victory. Western Illinois, who is 16-0 all-time against Chicago State in Macomb, owns a 6-3 record in home openers under tenth-year head coach Kym McKay.

SCOUTING CHICAGO STATE
Chicago State is off to a 1-11 start under the guidance of second-year head coach Bob Eskew. The Cougars dropped three matches against Iowa, Oakland and Loyola (Chicago) at the Iowa Invitational over the weekend. They are led by senior middle hitter Alexandra Mason (2.00 kills per set and 31 total blocks), junior outside hitter Rachel Levitt (2.00 kills per set) and sophomore libero Mysta Townsell (4.18 digs per set). Tuesday's matchup will mark the 35th meeting between the two schools in a series that began in 1978. The Fighting Leathernecks won the most recent matchup in Chicago on Nov. 1, 2010 in five sets and the two squads are also scheduled to meet Nov. 1 in Chicago this season.

MCKAY REACHES WINS MILESTONE
Head coach Kym McKay, the longest tenured head coach in program history, reached the 100-win plateau with a four-set victory over SIU-Edwardsville (Sept. 3) at the Drury Inn/ASICS Challenge. She joins Western Illinois legend Juli Kartel (111) as the only coaches in program history to collect 100 career wins. The Fighting Leathernecks' 3-0 win over Savannah State on Sept. 4 also allowed McKay to capture her 200th career victory according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She tallied 98 victories at Joliet Junior College from 1999-2002 prior to her start in Macomb. McKay currently owns 102 wins at Western and needs just 10 more victories to become the winningest coach in program history.

EGAN CLOSES IN ON MILESTONE
Senior middle hitter Cait Egan had a team-high 12 kills on 27 attempts against Illinois State last Wednesday (Sept. 7). She now owns 871 career kills and needs 11 more kills to crack the program's top ten. With 129 more kills this season, Egan will become the ninth player in school history to amass 1,000 career kills. Egan also collected one solo block against Illinois State and moved past Laura Olsen (1998-92) for fifth all-time in program history with 70 solo blocks. Egan leads the squad with 83 kills (2.44 per set) and 99 total points this season.

MILLER CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
Freshman outside hitter Ann Miller had 10 kills and 14 digs against Illinois State last Wednesday (Sept. 7), including five kills in Western's third set victory. Miller has been in double-digit digs in every match and her 106 digs (3.42 per set) ranks second behind junior Bridget Murphy for the team lead. Miller has also collected a team-high four double-doubles and is third on the squad with 78 kills (2.52 kills per set). Elsewhere, she has six service aces, nine total blocks and her 89 total points is second on the squad.

FETTER SHINES AT SETTER
Sophomore setter Sarah Fetter, a transfer from Illinois State, has racked up big numbers in her first season as a Leatherneck. The 5-foot-9 physical blocking setter has averaged 9.52 assists per set and owns eight 30-plus assist performances. Fetter collected 32 assists, eight digs, two kills and two service aces against her former team last Wednesday (Sept. 7).

MURPHY PICKS UP THE HONORS
Junior libero Bridget Murphy leads the squad and all Summit League competitors with 5.26 digs per set. Murphy has earned two tournament MVP honors (SIU-Edwardsville Invitational and Drury Inn/ASICS Challenge) and the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 29) so far this season. Murphy, who owns 833 career digs, is on pace to become the 11th player in program history to collect 1,000 career digs later this season.

FRESHMAN CLASS CONTRIBUTING
Defensive specialist Molly Murphy leads the squad and all Summit League competitors with 14 service aces. She has compiled double-digit digs the last two matches and ranks fifth on the squad with 1.97 digs per set. Meanwhile right side Samantha Fournier has provided a spark off the bench with 50 kills and nine total blocks.