MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois volleyball opens its final roadtrip of the 2015 season on Tuesday, November 10, as the Leathernecks square off in a midweek contest against Fort Wayne. WIU will follow Tuesday's contest with the season finale at South Dakota State on Saturday, November 14. First serve against the Mastodons is set for 6 p.m. (CT), while the Purple and Gold's match against the Jackrabbits is slated for 7 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: Western Illinois wrapped up its 2015 home slate on Sunday, November 8, as the Leathernecks fell to Oral Roberts by a final score of 3-1. Seniors Peyton Crosser and Jordan Jackson were honored prior to the match against the Golden Eagles. Crosser ended her home career with a team-high 13 kills and matched a career-high with three service aces. Jackson ended her four-year home career with four kills and a pair of assist blocks. Earlier in the week, WIU hosted South Dakota, dropping a 3-0 decision.

SERIES HISTORIES: Western Illinois looks to even up the season series against both the Mastodons and Jackrabbits, having dropped 3-2 and 3-1 decisions, respectively, earlier in the season. Western hosted Fort Wayne as part of the school's homecoming activities, dropping a five-set heartbreaker. Two weeks later the Leathernecks were unsuccessful against SDSU, dropping the final three sets after a victory in the opening frame. Western trails the all-time series against both teams, trailing Fort Wayne, 14-5, and SDSU, 13-6.

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS: Fort Wayne enters Tuesday's contest with a 6-23 record and a 3-10 mark in The Summit League. The Mastodons are led by second-year head coach Steve Florio and features an offense paced by Somer Johnson's 402 kills. Johnson ranks eighth nationally in total attacks and 39th in total kills. Madison Jagua handles the setting duties, having dished out 929 assists on the year, while Olivia Hahn anchors the back line with 486 digs. SDSU hosts North Dakota State before the Leathernecks invade Brookings. The Jackrabbits sit at 4-26 overall and 3-11 in the league. Mikala Hora has appeared in all 102 sets on the year, tallying a team-best 243 kills. Mattison Munger's 683 assists lead the team while Lizzie Palmer has recorded 360 kills for first-year head coach Nicole Cirillo

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 then 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.