Please note that at this time, no fans are permitted at GLVC Volleyball events

The University of Illinois Springfield volleyball team has its home opener this Friday with a 7 p.m. game against McKendree. The Prairie Stars will also take on Truman State in a non-conference match on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Prairie Stars are looking to bounce back after starting the season with road losses at Indianapolis and Southern Indiana. The Indianapolis match went five sets before UIS fell by a 15-13 score in the fifth set. UIS couldn't get an advantage late in the first two sets against Southern Indiana, and the Screaming Eagles ended up sweeping that match.
 
UIS had one of the best offenses in the league in week one, hitting .185 for the week. Defensively, the Prairie Stars rank fourth in the GLVC in blocks with 2.25 a set.
 
Brianna Bush had a good week for the Prairie Stars. She ranks fifth in the league with a .366 hitting percentage, and is also fifth with 1.25 blocks a set. Kenzie Hendon led UIS with 22 kills over the first two matches. Other team leaders include Regan Trueblood with 37 assists, Becca Blakeley with four aces, and Amanda McConnell with 25 digs.
  
UIS vs. McKendree
Date/Time/Location: Friday, February 5, 7:00 p.m. – Springfield, Ill.
Streaming: https://glvcsn.com/uis
Live Stats: https://uisprairiestars.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
All-Time Series (since 2007): McKendree leads 12-8 (McKendree leads 7-4 in Springfield)
 
McKendree will be taking the floor for the first time in 2021 against the Prairie Stars. Last season, the Bearcats went 14-15 overall and just missed the GLVC Tournament with a 7-8 mark.
 
The top returning player for the Bearcats is middle blocker Hope Gramly. She earned second-team all-GLVC honors last season after recording 228 kills and 106 blocks.
 
UIS has won three straight matches against the Bearcats, all by 3-0 sweeps. Last season, the Prairie Stars won in Lebanon, Ill. by scores of 25-16, 25-16, and 25-22.

UIS vs. Truman State
Date/Time/Location: Saturday, February 6, 3:00 p.m. – Springfield, Ill.
Streaming: https://glvcsn.com/uis
Live Stats: https://uisprairiestars.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
All-Time Series: Truman leads 6-3 (Truman leads 2-1 in Springfield)
 
Truman State is 1-1 on the young season. Last week, the Bulldogs defeated Maryville by a 3-1 score, and lost to Quincy by an identical margin.
 
Truman is one of the top defensive teams in the GLVC. It ranks third in the conference with 2.38 blocks a set and 17.50 digs a set. Ainsley Heise and Emma Berthold are one-two in the GLVC stats in blocks, and Lindsay Woltering is eighth in the conference in digs per set.
 
UIS has won the last three meetings against Truman, including a 3-0 sweep last year in Springfield, Ill. The Prairie Stars won by scores of 25-7, 25-9, and 25-16.
 
Up Next
UIS concludes the first half of division play on Friday, Feb. 12, with a 7 p.m. home match against nationally-ranked Lewis.