MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois volleyball team begins its 2013 campaign under second-year head coach April Hall Friday evening in Peoria, Ill. as the Leathernecks begin participation in the 2013 CEFCU Classic inside the Renaissance Coliseum. The two-day round-robin tournament begins with a match versus event hosts Bradley on Friday at 6 p.m., and the Fighting Leathernecks conclude the weekend Saturday versus UT-Martin at 10 a.m. and Maryland-Eastern Shore at 5 p.m.
Tickets:
Bradley Ticket Office
Live Video (Fee Required):
2013 Season Preview (Video)
THE SCHEDULE: Western's 2013 schedule breakdown: four preseason tournaments made up of 12 matches, three additional non-conference contests, and 14 Summit League matches. The Leathernecks play eight matches at home in Western Hall or Brophy Hall, and 21 matches on the road.
THE ROSTER: The Fighting Leathernecks return nine players from a year ago, including two seniors. Setter Sarah Fetter returns after finishing second in The Summit League and 45th nationally in assists per set (10.88), and outside hitter Heather Smith begins her fourth year as a Leatherneck after finishing fourth on the team in kills a season ago (194/1.81 per set).
Western has five juniors returning including two of its top three kill leaders in Samantha Fournier and Ann Miller. Fournier finished with a team-best 402 kills (3.65 per set) and was tabbed All-Summit League Honorable Mention, while Miller finished third on the team in kills with 279 (3.28 per set). Middle Blocker Mallory Gibson finished fifth on the team in kills (110/1.05 per set) and led the team with 82 total blocks. Defensive specialists Molly Murphy and Bailey Kaloupek each played in over 90 sets and recorded more than 130 digs.
A pair of sophomores round-out Western's returners. Jordan Jackson played in 50 of the team's games and tallied 72 kills (1.44 per set), while Kaitlynn Novak participated in four sets and had 16 digs.
Six newcomers are welcomed to the team in middle blocker Melanie Miller (Chicago, Ill.), defensive specialist Kelly Bowe (Downers Grove, Ill.), defensive specialist Sarah Sikula (Bowling Green, Ohio), outside hitter Nicole Oestrike (New Boston, Mich.), Anne Corrigan (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and setter Kirsten Kuhl (Parkland, Fla.).
THE COACHING STAFF: Head coach April Hall enters her second season at Western and has hired a pair of new coaches. Laura DeBruler, who concluded her collegiate volleyball career at Illinois in 2010 is the Leathernecks' full-time assistant, while Bridget Murphy, who completed a decorated career at Western Illinois as a defensive specialist last fall is the team's graduate assistant.
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