*Eastern Illinois will host OVC opponents Austin Peay and Murray State to close out the season at home.
*This past week the Panthers played host to Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State finishing with a record of 2-0. EIU swept Tennessee Tech 3-0, and then came back to win a five set battle with Murray State 3-2.
*EIU looks to keep their momentum from their Saturday night comeback win to help them in OVC play this weekend. They will battle Austin Peay who sits at the top of the OVC with a record of 9-1 and will also face the challenge of Murray State who are currently in front of EIU in the OVC with a record of 7-3.
 *The Panthers will face Austin Peay on Friday night and Murray State for a senior day match-up Saturday afternoon.
*Eastern Illinois will honor seniors Allie Hueston, Maria Brown, Haley Richardson, and Josie Winner Saturday afternoon for senior day.
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27
EIU vs Austin Peay ... 7 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28
EIU vs Murray State... 2 p.m.
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PANTHERS RANKED IN THE OVC TOP 10
The Eastern Illinois volleyball team has three members – Allie Hueston, Taylor Smith and Anne Hughes – currently ranked in the top 10 in the Ohio Valley Conference in multiple categories.

Hughes has continued her strong defensive play throughout the season and ranks first in the OVC with her league-leading 395 digs and 4.94 digs-per-set in 80 sets played.

Hueston currently holds fourth place in the OVC in blocks. Competing in 66 sets, Hueston has an average of 1.14 blocks-per-set. Hueston currently has seven solo blocks with 68 block assists in OVC play. Hueston also claims the seventh spot in hitting percentage hitting .311.
Smith grabbed a spot in the top ten for assists this past week and sits in ninth with 513 assists in 83 sets. She also sits in the tenth position in hitting percentage in the OVC posting a .264 average.

As a team, EIU holds top 10 in several categories placing third in assists and kills. Fourth in blocks and hitting percentage. EIU also currently holds fifth in digs, seventh in service aces, and eighth place in opponent hitting percentage.
 
HUESTON, SMITH & BAILEY EARN OVC HONORS

This past weekend three Panthers earned the honor of earning OVC weekly awards. Allie Hueston was named as the Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Taylor Smithearned the honor of being named Ohio Valley Conference Setter of the Week, and Laurel Bailey was named as the Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week.

Allie Hueston led the Panthers on the offensive side of the court during this weekend's conference action collecting 37 kills and averaging 4.62 kills-per-set. Hueston earned her season-high in kills with 23 and points with 27 against Jacksonville State Saturday night. Hueston also helped out defensively collecting a team-high nine blocks.

Taylor Smith was active all over the floor during the weekend as EIU posted a 2-0 record. Smith picked up her NCAA leading sixth triple-double of the season against Jacksonville State finishing with ten kills, 32 assists, and 14 digs. Against Tennessee Tech she picked up her season-high in assists totaling 36. Smith closed out the weekend finishing with 69 assists and an average of 8.62 assists-per-set. She collected a total of 20 kills on the weekend, tied for first on the team with her nine blocks, and collected 22 digs.

Freshman Laurel Bailey saw extensive action in the starting line-up for EIU this weekend. Bailey earned her first OVC weekly honor of the season being named Newcomer of the Week. She finished second on the team in kills for the weekend with 30. Bailey also picked up her seventh double-double of the season against Jacksonville State finishing with her season-high 17 kills, and season-high 27 digs. Also against Jacksonville State Bailey claimed her season-high in points with 23, and service aces with four.
 
 
SCOUTING THE GOVERNORS & RACERS
EIU will face the likes of Austin Peay, and Murray State in a pair of Ohio Valley Conference matches to close out their season at home.

The Governors enter the weekend sporting a record of 21-4 on the season and 9-1 in the OVC. Earlier in the season when both teams faced Austin Peay was able to defeat EIU 3-1.

Ashley Slay is the player to watch for the Governors on the offensive end as she currently ranks second in the OVC in kills and leads the Austin Peay attack. Slay has totaled 348 kills on the season and averages 3.74 kills-per-set.

Ginny Gerig will look to hold the Panthers offense in check as she is the team leader in digs for the Governors. Gerig has totaled 351 digs this season and averages 4.08 digs-per-set.

The Racers enter the weekend with an overall record of 15-7 on the season and 7-3 in the OVC. EIU fell to Murray State earlier this season losing 3-1.

Rachel Giustino is the player to watch for the Racers on the offensive end as she currently ranks first in the OVC in kills and leads the Murray State attack. Giustino has totaled 341 kills on the season and averages 4.26 kills-per-set.

Alex Kaufmann will look to hold the Panthers offense in check as she is the team leader in digs for the Racers. Kaufmann has totaled 295 digs this season and averages 3.69 digs-per-set.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS
Following their final two home matches of the 2017 season, the Panthers will travel to SIU Edwardsville for a conference showdown on Friday Nov 1.