The University of Illinois Springfield volleyball team starts an important four-match homestand this week. The first half of that will see the Prairie Stars host Indianapolis on Friday night, followed by a Saturday afternoon game at McKendree.
 
The Prairie Stars had two good showings last week, but did not get a win out of their effort. UIS lost to Missouri-St. Louis by a 3-1 margin, and took nationally-ranked Rockhurst to a fifth set before falling 3-2. With those results, UIS is now 2-8 on the season, and 0-2 in GLVC play.
 
UIS had one of its highest point totals of the season against Rockhurst, averaging 16 per set. Five different players hit double-figure points and kills for that match. On the season, the team is averaging 14 points per set, including 15 in its two GLVC contests.
 
Brianna Bush is currently ranked 41^st in NCAA Division II with 1.15 blocks per set. She has recorded six blocks in each of the last three games, and is averaging 10 total kills a match in that span. Amanda McConnell had a career-high 32 digs in the Missouri-St. Louis match. She is third in the conference with a 4.59 dig average.
  
Each individual GLVC school will determine their own attendance policy for volleyball. Please check the policies of the home teams if interested in attending a contest. (UIS) 

UIS vs. Indianapolis
Date/Time/Location: Friday, September 24, 7:00 p.m. – Springfield, Ill.
Streaming: https://glvcsn.com/uis
Live Stats: https://www.uisprairiestars.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
All-Time Series: UIndy leads 11-1 (UIndy leads 6-0 in Springfield, Ill.)
 
Indianapolis went 2-0 in its first week of GLVC play with 3-0 wins over Truman and Southwest Baptist. The Greyhounds are 6-5 overall, and have won three straight by 3-0 sweeps.
 
Indianapolis is third in the GLVC in digs per set with a 16.60 mark. It is also in the top-four with 11.70 assists a set.
 
The Greyhounds duo of Grace Hegwood and Lauren Cullison are both averaging over three kills per set, and both rank in the top-10 in the conference in kills. Alex Equihua leads the conference with 9.95 assists a set, while Makenna Barnhart is tenth with 3.60 digs a set.
 
Indianapolis has won four straight in the series against UIS. All four matches have been close though, including two that went to a fifth set. 
 
UIS vs. McKendree
Date/Time/Location: Saturday, September 25, 3:00 p.m. – Springfield, Ill.
Streaming: https://glvcsn.com/uis
Live Stats: https://www.uisprairiestars.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
All-Time Series (since 2007): McK leads 13-9 (McK leads 7-5 in Springfield, Ill.)
 
The Bearcats of McKendree enter play this week with a 3-6 overall record. It won its only GLVC contest of the year with a five-set victory over Drury. McKendree travels to Lewis before coming to Springfield on Saturday afternoon.
 
McKendree is led by its defense, which is holding opponents to a .185 mark on the year. The Bearcats are ranked fifth in both blocking and digs with 2.02 and 15.15 averages, respectively.
 
Hope Gramly is one of the Bearcats top players, ranking in the top-10 in the league with 3.03 kills a set, and 1.18 blocks a set. Macy Tongate is averaging 8.79 assists a set, and Colleen Preusser is among conference leaders with 14 service aces.
 
UIS has won four of the last five meetings against McKendree, and all five matches have ended in three sets. Last year, the two teams split a pair of GLVC matches, with both teams winning at home.

Up Next
UIS will have the second part of its homestand on Oct. 1 and 2 when it welcomes Quincy and Maryville to TRAC.