MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois volleyball team hits the road again after a brief homestand to take on UMKC Friday (Sept. 30) and South Dakota Sunday (Oct. 2). Friday's match starts at 7 p.m. at the Swinney Recreation Center while Sunday's contest begins at 2 p.m. inside the DakotaDome.

Western Illinois (8-7, 1-4 Summit League) dropped a pair of home matches to Southern Utah (3-2) and Oral Roberts (3-0) over the weekend. Western Illinois seeks its first victory at UMKC since 2007 while the Fighting Leathernecks meet up with South Dakota, new to The Summit League this season, for the first time.

SCOUTING UMKC

UMKC is off to a 6-8 start and was swept by South Dakota on the road Saturday night to fall to 0-4 in Summit League play. Picked to finish eighth under new head coach Christi Posey, the Kangaroos are led offensively by senior Kelsey Knoche (137 kills) and junior Emily Lucas (117 kills) while senior Nichole Kerkman leads the defense with 227 digs (4.45 digs per set-7th in The Summit League). Middle blockers Brittany Fossier (1.09 blocks per set-2nd in The Summit League) and Christiana McQuin (45 total blocks) make for an imposing pair at the net.

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota is in its first year in The Summit League and off to a 7-7 start under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Matt Houk. The Coyotes swept UMKC Saturday night to improve to 3-1 in Summit League play. USD was picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll and is led offensively by freshman Kendall Kritenbrink (230 kills, 4.11 kills/set-2nd in The Summit League) and sophomore Tori Kroll (9.21 assists/set, .338 attack percentage-4th in The Summit League). Defensively, senior Carol Logato (3.36 digs/set-10th in The Summit League) and freshman Riley Haug (3.09 digs/set) lead the way.

BRIDGET MURPHY IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

Junior libero Bridget Murphy compiled 52 digs over the weekend and has collected four straight 20+ dig performances. She had 26 digs in five sets against Southern Utah before another 26 in just three sets against Oral Roberts. Murphy, who owns seven 20+ dig performances this season, leads all Summit League competitors and ranks 10th in the nation with 5.65 digs per set. She is also helping the Western Illinois defense rank 10th in the nation in digs per set (17.87).

Murphy needs 36 more digs to become the 11th player in program history to compile 1,000 career digs. She has earned two tournament MVP honors (SIU-Edwardsville Invitational & Drury Inn/ASICS Challenge) and the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 29) so far this season.

EGAN SETS SEASON-HIGHS

Senior Cait Egan set Western Illinois season-highs with 16 kills on 52 attempts against Southern Utah Friday. She currently ranks ninth all-time in program history with 934 career kills. Additionally, Egan collected three more total blocks over the weekend to move her career total to 311, which ranks sixth all-time in program history. She needs six more blocks to move into fifth place. Her 146 kills and 35 total blocks lead the squad this season.

FRESHMAN IN SUMMIT LEAGUE RANKINGS

Freshman Ann Miller extended her double-double streak to six matches with 10 kills and 11 digs against Southern Utah but saw it come to an end against Oral Roberts (eight kills, 11 digs). Miller now owns a team-high nine double-doubles this season. She ranks second on the squad with 143 kills (2.75 per set-tenth in Summit League) and 199 digs (3.83 per set-9th in Summit League).

MOLLY MURPHY BAFFLES WITH SERVE

Freshman Molly Murphy picked up three more service aces over the weekend to raise her conference-leading total to 25 aces. Murphy currently ranks 34th in the nation with 0.45 aces per set. Murphy also compiled a season-high 20 digs against Southern Utah and is averaging 3.50 digs per set during conference play.

FETTER SHINES AT SETTER

Sophomore Sarah Fetter tied a season-high with 45 assists against Southern Utah, including 12 in the fourth set victory. She also tied a season-high with three total blocks to go along with 29 assists, five digs and three kills against Oral Roberts. Fetter is averaging 9.54 assists per set this season, which ranks fifth best in The Summit League.

MCKAY REACHES WINS MILESTONE

Head coach Kym McKay reached the 100-win plateau with a four-set victory over SIU-Edwardsville (Sept. 3) at the Drury Inn/ASICS Challenge. She now owns 104 career wins and joins Western Illinois legend Juli Kartel (111) as the only coaches in program history to collect 100 career wins.