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CHARLESTON, Ill. – The Eastern Illinois Volleyball team heads to Indiana to compete in the Drake Bulldogs Tournament this weekend. The Panthers are coming off a fourth place finish in the Butler Bulldogs Tournament from this past weekend. EIU heads into this weekend with a record of 2-5.
Taylor Smith was named to the Butler Bulldogs Tournament All-Tournament Team. The honor marks the sixth All-Tournament team mention for the junior outside hitter. Smith finished the tournament with a team-high 26 kills (2.89), 27 digs, 13 assists, three blocks, and one ace.
Laurel Bailey leads the Panther offense in kills with 65 on the season. Bailey also has 55 digs, seven blocks, seven aces, and three digs on the season. Smith is second on the team in kills heading into this weekend with 50.
On the defensive side of the court,
Anne Hughes leads with 132 digs, while
Maggie Runge leads in blocks with 26. Hughes looks to earn back-to-back years leading the conference in digs, and is currently holding first in the OVC for digs on the season.
Freshman
Danielle Allen saw extensive action in the starting line-up for EIU helping the Panthers finish fourth in the Butler Bulldogs Tournament. Allen finished the weekend with 11 kills, three digs, one assist, and a block.
The Panthers will face Drake on Friday to kick off the tournament. Drake heads into the weekend with a 6-0 record. Cathryn Cheek enters this weekend leading the Drake offense with 50 kills. On the defensive side of the court, Elle Tubbs leads the Bulldogs with 31 blocks.
Massachusetts Lowell heads into the weekend with a record of 1-6. Kate Bilyeu leads the River hawks offense with 52 kills. On the defensive side of the court, Lade Adeniyi leads with 18 blocks.
South Dakota State enters the Drake Bulldogs Tournament with a record of 0-6. Makenzie Hennen leads the Jack Rabbits in kills with 73 so far in the 2018 season. Kari Brucker heads into the weekend leading the Jack Rabbits defense with a team-leading 64 digs.
Following the Drake Bulldogs Tournament, Eastern Illinois Volleyball with travel to Iowa City, Iowa to verse Iowa on September 9.
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