Pre-Weekend Notes (PDF)

EIU at APSU ... Live Stats
EIU at MUR ... Live Stats

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Eastern Illinois volleyball retakes the road for Ohio Valley Conference action this weekend as the Panthers will face Austin Peay and Murray State at 7 p.m. and noon this coming Friday (Oct. 12) and Saturday (Oct. 13), respectively.

Panthers snapped a season-long ten-match losing streak with a nice four-set win over EKU last weekend, to now own a 4-15 overall mark and 1-5 league record.

The Lady Govs are riding a two-match win-streak to sit at 10-12 overall and an even 3-3 in conference action.

The Racers, meanwhile, are just 3-13 on the year and tie EIU at 1-5 in OVC action as the squad has lost their last six matches.

THIS COMING WEEK'S SCHEDULE
... all times central

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5
• TSU at UTM ... 6 p.m.
• EKU at TTU ... 6 p.m. ... OVC Digital Network
• BEL at SEMO ... 6:30 p.m.
• EIU at APSU ... 7 p.m.
• SIUE at MUR... 7 p.m.
• MOR at JSU ... 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13
• EIU at MUR ... Noon
• TSU at SEMO ... 1 p.m.
• EKU at JSU ... 2 p.m.
• SIUE at APSU ... 2 p.m.
• BEL at UTM... 2 p.m.
• MOR at TTU ... 2 p.m. ... OVC Digital Network

Panther fans can follow the action via live stats at APSU's and MUR's respective websites of www.LetsGoPeay.com and www.GoRacers.com.

QUICK SET ON THE PANTHERS
• Freshman setter/right-side hitter Abby Saalfrank leads the Panthers with 173 kills (2.44 kps), while taking over the top spot for points at 199.5 and ranking second in total assists with 263 (3.70 aps).  She has secured an impressive five triple-doubles this season, including a recent 15-kill, 15-assist and 11-dig performance against EKU last weekend.

• Junior outside hitter Reynae Hutchinson follows with 165 kills (2.36 kps) and owns the third best point tally with 192.0.  She also leads all current Panthers with 20 career kill-dig duo-duo performances.

• Senior Alison Berens has chipped in 137 kills (1.93 kps) via the middle attack, and now ranks second in points with 196.5 and 23 aces.  She does pace the squad in net defense with 60 total blocks, including 13 solo stuffs.

• Freshman Marah Bradbury has taken over the primary setting duties in a 5-1 offense as she's dished out 412 assists (5.89 aps) and owns one of the best serves in the league with 26 unreturnable shots from behind the serving line.

• Defensively, sophomore Kelsey Brooke and freshman Stephanie Wallace are one-and-two in digs with 217 (3.06 dps) and 199 (3.06 dps) ups, respectively.

• Team-wise, the Panthers own Top 5 marks in both blocks (1.74 bps) and aces (1.37 aps) for the entire season, as EIU ranks fourth in both stat categories.

SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY
• The Lady Govs are 10-12 overall and 3-3 in league play as APSU recently swept UT Martin last Saturday before winning a five-set thriller at home over MTSU on Wednesday night.

• Sophomore Jada Stotts and senior Nikki Doyle both have over 200 kills to their credit via the outside attack, with Stotts leading with 287 (3.68 kps) and Doyle chipping in 269 (3.45 kps).  Stotts also paces the defense with a team-high 237 digs (3.04 dps).

• Junior middle blocker Lauren Henderson sports the top attack at .253 behind 151 kills and is a force at the net defensively with a team-best 55 blocks, including 14 solo roofs.  She also owns her squad's best serve with 33 aces (0.42 aps).

• Sophomore setter Cami Fields leads the offense with 809 assists (10.24 aps) and ties Doyle and Stotts with 12 aces each.

• Last fall, EIU split the season series with APSU, with each squad winning on the road, as the series is now tied at 16-all.

• The Panther win in Clarksville, Tenn. last September actually helped snap a six-match Lady Govs winning streak in the recent match history.

SCOUTING MURRAY STATE
• Prior to a Friday night home OVC match against SIU Edwardsville, the Racers are just 3-13 overall and 1-5 in league action, having lost nine of their last ten matches.

• Newcomer Taylor Olden paces the squad with 157 kills (2.75 kps), while classmate Emily Schmahl follows with 128 put-a-ways (2.67 kps) of her own.

• Senior middle Wendi Zickfield's .209 attack leads all Racers, while Alyssa Lelm has a team-best 57 blocks (1.00 bps), including 15 solo stuffs.

• Senior setter Lia Havili has dished out 477 assists (8.67 aps) and ties freshman Taylor Olden with 10 aces, while junior Katlyn Hudson not only paces the backrow defense with 191 digs (3.54 dps), but also owns the top service game with 15 aces.

• EIU still maintains a 19-17 all-time series lead over the Racers, despite having lost 11 of the of the last 12 matchups in the recent history.  Eastern has not been victorious down in Murray, Ky. since 2005.

SEEING TRIPLE
• Freshman Abby Saalfrank registered her fifth triple-double of the season last weekend as the right-side attacker, and occasional setter, tallied 15 kills, 15 assists and 11digs in the four-set home win over EKU last Saturday.

• She's the lone OVC player to notch a triple-double this season, while her five honors is the most by a Panther during the OVC-era (1996-Present), as she just trails the eight career triple-triple performances by former EIU standout Jeanne Pacione (1984-87).

PANTHERS RANKED IN OVC TOP 10
• Senior Alison Berens and freshman Abby Saalfrank are both ranked in the OVC Top 10 twice.  Berens owns the 4th best ace mark in OVC-only action, while tied for 7th in all contests.  She's also 8th in blocks in league-only matchups.  Saalfrank, meanwhile, is ranked 6th and 9th for hitting % and kills in OVC-only matches.

• Freshman Marah Bradbury is also ranked in a couple of stat categories, as she's 4th in overall aces and 10th in league-only assists.

• Also in OVC-only contests, sophomore Kelsey Brooke owns the 8th best dig tally and junior Stephanie Arnold is ranked 6th for hitting.

LOOKING AHEAD
• Following this weekend's road matchups at APSU and MUR, the Panthers will be halfway through the OVC schedule, as Eastern is set to return home and immediately host the Racers and Lady Govs on Fri., Oct. 19, and Sat., Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

... for more info, contact Bart Rettberg, Asst. SID