SPRINGFIELD, IL --- The Prairie Stars (7-14, 0-9) will ride their two-match winning streak back into conference play this weekend as they take on Wisconsin-Parkside (9-13, 5-4) and #16 Lewis (16-5, 9-0). The Prairie Stars will look for their first conference win of the season as they try to make a late surge into the GLVC conference tournament.

SETTING THE SCENE
Illinois Springfield heads into the weekend having won their last two matches, a 3-0 win over Alderson Broaddus in the Mizuno Midwest Regional Crossover, and a 3-1 win over Division III Greenville at home. UIS enters the final stretch of their season with ten games remaining, nine of which are within in the GLVC.

Parkside enters the match having gone 2-1 at the Midwest Crossover as the 10^th seed out of the GLVC. Prior to that, the Rangers picked up a 3-0 win over Bellarmine after taking sets off Southern Indiana and Lewis but falling 3-1.

#16 Lewis is the only undefeated team left in conference play, entering with a perfect 9-0 record. As the top seed from the GLVC in the Midwest Crossover, the Flyers went 1-2 in the tournament, falling twice in five-sets and then winning their finale 3-0.

GLVC STANDOUTS
Middle blockers Alyssa Hasler and Alli Splitt are putting together the best season for a pair of middles in the GLVC. Splitt, in her freshman season, is hitting .356, which is good for third in the GLVC. She has tallied 220 kills and just 55 errors on the season. In solely GLVC matches, Splitt still ranks third in attack percentage and has 94 kills opposite 23 errors.

Hasler, who ranks ninth in hitting percentage with a .279 mark has made her mark on the defensive side as well. The sophomore leads the league in blocks per set (1.22), block assists (86), and total blocks (95).

OFF THE SERVE
UIS ranks fifth in the league in service aces per set (1.32) and fourth in the league in total aces (104). Courtney Schutt leads the Prairie Stars with 20 aces on the season while Lexi Hall is close behind with 17. On the flip side UIS ranks fourth in opponent aces, allowing 1.48 per set.

COMING UP NEXT
The Prairie Stars will conclude their non-conference season with a midweek game at Lindenwood University next week on Tuesday before resuming GLVC play on Friday and Saturday. UIS will host UMSL before welcoming in Maryville on Saturday for their penultimate home GLVC series of the season.