SPRINGFIELD, IL --- After playing six of their last seven games on the road, the Prairie Stars will return to Great Lakes Valley Conference action on their home court to face off against Missouri – St. Louis and Maryville on Friday and Saturday. Friday night's match against UMSL is the annual Pink Game at UIS, as we celebrate the fight against Breast Cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
SETTING THE SCENE
The Prairie Stars (7-17, 0-11) are looking to bounce back after a non-conference loss to MIAA opponent Lindenwood on Tuesday. Illinois Springfield fell in straight sets after resuming GLVC play the weekend prior at Wisconsin – Parkside and Lewis.
UMSL (13-8, 7-4) sits second in the GLVC west behind only Rockhurst but is in a four-way tie for second with Truman State, Quincy, and Drury. The Tritons are coming off a five-set win at William Jewell after falling to Rockhurst in straight sets the night before.
Maryville (3-21, 1-10) is currently in eighth place in the GLVC west division and have lost three straight matches. The Saints won their first match of the GLVC season against Saint Joseph's and have lost their next ten in conference play.
MAKING HER MARK
Alli Splitt continues her stellar freshman season, ranking second in the conference in attack percentage, hitting at a .366 clip. The freshman has 251 kills on the season against just 60 errors in 522 total attacks. Splitt has attacked at a .400 mark in six of her last seven matches including three matches at over .500.
The middle has the top three marks for attack percentage in games as well as the top two totals for kills in a match with 21 and 19.
ANNUAL PINK GAME
The Prairie Stars in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. Prior to the game, UIS will have pink food, the players will wear pink jersey's, and we will honor breast cancer survivors in the stands as we continue the fight against this disease.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
Splitt is on track to demolish the single season attack percentage mark, set by Ellie Minder in the 2001-02 season. Splitt is currently hitting .364, besting the previous mark of .321.
Lexi Hall currently has 1,363 assists, putting her fifth on the all-time list. She is currently 20 assists behind Sara Henkelman for fourth all-time.
Alyssa Hasler has over taken 2016 Hall of Fame Inductee Audra Roach as the all-time leader in block assists. Hasler now has 193 block assists in just 201 sets.
Ashley Beaton has 118 block assists, putting her eighth all-time.
Kayla Katarzynski is third all-time on the digs list, totaling 1,614 digs in her four years. She is currently 169 digs behind Ali Janezic for the all-time mark and just 63 behind Lauren Sanders for second all-time.
COMING UP NEXT
Illinois Springfield will hit the road for three straight games before coming home for the final series of the season on November 11
th and 12
th. UIS travels to Missouri S&T and Drury next weekend before heading to McKendree for a midweek matchup. The Prairie Stars will conclude the season with a home weekend series with Southern Indiana and Bellarmine.
