MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois volleyball team opens up a four-match homestand, and its home opener of Summit League play on Friday, October 2, as the Leathernecks take on Fort Wayne. The Purple and Gold continue Summit League play on Sunday, October 4, with a home contest against IUPUI. Western's contest against Fort Wayne, which is held in conjunction with Western Illinois' Homecoming activities, will begin at 7 p.m. inside Brophy Hall. The Leathernecks and Jaguars will get their Sunday contest started at 1 p.m. inside Western Hall.

LAST TIME OUT: Western Illinois opened up Summit League play last weekend by splitting a pair of road contests. WIU opened the weekend with a thrilling 3-2 victory over South Dakota in Vermillion before dropping a 3-0 decision at North Dakota State. In Western's decision over the Coyotes, senior Peyton Crosser recorded a season-high 20 kills on a career-high 58 attacks while adding 16 digs for her second double-double of the season. Abby Skryd dished out a season-high 54 assists and Kaili Simmons added a season-high 21 digs to anchor the defense. 

SERIES HISTORIES: Western Illinois and Fort Wayne have met 18 times previously, with the Mastodons leading the series, 13-5. WIU, however, has claimed the last three meetings, including a season-sweep of the Mastodons last season. The Leathernecks knocked off Fort Wayne by a 3-0 decision on October 3 in Macomb before adding a 3-1 victory over the Mastodons in Fort Wayne. Sunday's contest against the Jaguars marks the 26th time the two programs have met, with IUPUI owning a 24-11 advantage. IUPUI has had the upper hand as of late, claiming the 14 previous meetings dating back to the beginning of the 2008 season. 

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS: Fort Wayne heads to Macomb with a 3-14 record on the season, including an 0-2 mark to open Summit League play. Last weekend, the Mastodons opened up league play with a 3-0 defeat to Denver before dropping a 3-0 midweek match against IUPUI on Tuesday (Sep. 29). Steve Florio is in his second year at the helm of the Fort Wayne program that is led by Sommer Johnson's 250 kills. IUPUI will face off against Oral Roberts on Friday before taking on the Leathernecks inside Western Hall. Entering this weekend, the Jaguars own an 11-5 overall record and a 2-0 Summit League mark. Kaitlyn Hickey's 253 kills on the season ranks second in the Summit League. IUPUI is coached by 19th year head coach Steve Payne. 

ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: Junior Kaili Simmons made the most of her Western Illinois debut at the 2015 Hampton Inn Leatherneck Invitational. The transfer from Missouri State-West Plains was named to the All-Tournament Team following a weekend in which she led the team in digs (42) and aces (5). The captain followed that performance with her second-career 'All-Tournament' from the Evansville Tournament. For the Weekend, Simmons tallied 43 digs, including 18 in Western's victory over Jackson State. Freshman Sierra Bauder claimed her first collegiate accolade at the Kansas Invitational as she was named to the All-Tournament Team. On the Weekend, Bauder collected 11 kills and eight blocks, with two of the opponents receiving votes in the latest polls. Jordan Jackson collected 'All-Tournament' honors from the Evansville Tournament as she helped guide Western to its first victory of 2015. In the win over Jackson State, Jackson tallied a career high 18 kills and season highs in aces (2) and blocks (7). Jackson ended the weekend with 34 kills over three matches. Peyton Crosser received Western's final All-Tournament accolade following the ISU Classic. During the tournament, Crosser recorded a season-best 16 kills against Valparaiso.

THE COACHING STAFF: Western Illinois is led by first-year head coach Kelly Richardson.  After serving as an assistant coach at UT-Arlington a season ago, Richardson joins the Leatherneck family and is joined by assistant coaches Dan Brown and Taylor Szypulski. Richardson has long-standing ties with Brown as Richardson and Brown's wife were college teammates. Richardson also knows Szypulski well, as the two were both assistant coaches at UT-Arlington during the 2014 season.