The Illinois Springfield volleyball team wraps up its home schedule this weekend with a pair of matches at TRAC. The Prairie Stars face Upper Iowa on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and Truman State on Saturday at 3:00 p.m., with Saturday's match also serving as Senior Day for Bella Hodges, Erica Sledge, Alexis Schwartz, and Lexie Vick.

Illinois Springfield (11-11, 3-6 GLVC)
UIS played just one match last weekend, a 3-1 loss to GLVC No. 3 Quincy. Makenna Cox led the effort with 20 digs and 16 kills, while senior setter Erica Sledge added 23 assists. Senior Lexie Vick and sophomore Madison Siefken have helped anchor a strong blocking effort over recent weeks.

UIS is in strong form, led by standout players Erica Sledge, who ranks second in Division II-era assists and third all-time in program history, and Jimmy John's Athlete of the Month Makenna Cox. The team is pushing toward postseason contention. UIS is 2-4 all-time against Upper Iowa but has won the last two GLVC matches. Against Truman State, the Prairie Stars look to even the series, currently down 7-8 all-time.

Upper Iowa (6-17, 4-6 GLVC)
The Peacocks have split their last two weekends in conference play, most recently being swept by Drury before bouncing back to sweep Southwest Baptist. Upper Iowa relies on a combination of service aces and strong defensive play, highlighted by Morgan Block's 24 digs against SBU. The team averages 11.7 kills per set, matching UIS offensively. Key contributors for UIU include leading scorer Martha Pace, setter Grace Fruzen, leading blockers Alexis Moses and Kailey Porter, and Lydia Imbrogno, who leads the team in service aces.

Truman State (11-14, 6-4 GLVC)
The Bulldogs enter on a three-match win streak, sweeping William Jewell and SBU before defeating Drury 3-2 in a tight contest. The match against Drury included a 34-32 fourth set, in which Truman fought off seven match points before sending the match to a decisive fifth set.

Truman State spreads its offensive workload throughout the roster, with Autumn Erickson (180 kills, 240 points) and Michaela Goad (176 kills, 205.5 points) leading the charge. Tori Creason has eclipsed 600 assists on the season, averaging 7.16 per set. Libero Addy Janssen leads the team with 416 digs, averaging 4.89 per set, and has a .936 reception percentage.

Promotions
Friday's match is Veterans and Military Family Appreciation, sponsored by Mission BBQ. Military fans and their guests receive free admission with ID. Saturday's match features pre-match Senior Day recognition for Hodges, Sledge, Schwartz, and Vick.

GLVC Outlook
Missouri-St. Louis and Rockhurst have already clinched spots in the 2025 GLVC Tournament. UIS sits just outside the current playoff picture at 3-6 in conference play but remains well within reach. After this weekend, the Prairie Stars finish the regular season on the road against Maryville and Missouri S&T. The GLVC Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 21-23 at the Williamsville High School Fieldhouse. A strong finish could put UIS in position to make the postseason for the second consecutive year.