Match One:
Eastern Illinois 6-15 (5-5 OVC) vs Western Illinois 3-17 (3-7 OVC)
Date & Time: November 5th at 6:00 PM
Location: Charleston, Illinois
Live Coverage: Live Stats | ESPN+
All-Time Series: 26-16
Match Two:
Eastern Illinois 6-15 (5-5 OVC) vs Western Illinois 3-17 (3-7 OVC)
Date & Time: November 6th at 4:00 PM
Location: Charleston, Illinois
Live Coverage: Live Stats | ESPN+
All-Time Series: 26-16
Ready to Serve: Eastern Illinois is back at McAfee for two matches against Western Illinois on November 5th and 6th. On Thursday, the Panthers host Ike's by 8 night, which includes a T-shirt giveaway. EIU closes out the two-match series with alumni night on November 6th, hosting the McAfee Magic returning to campus.
Kopshever Named OVC Offensive Player of the Week
After leading the Panthers to a five-set win over Morehead State on Friday, Katie Kopshever was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week. This marks her second time winning the award this season and the third OVC weekly award of her career. She previously won the OVC Freshman of the Week in 2024.
Kopshever totaled 33 kills (4.13 KPS) and 34 points (4.25 PTS) with a .231 hitting percentage. Her 33 kills ranked second in the OVC over the weekend. On Thursday, she totaled 10 kills, 10 points, and seven digs. In the win over Morehead State on Friday, she tied her career-high in kills with 23. She also totaled 17 digs, collecting her fifth double-double of the season.
Guibert New Career High
Alana Guibert once again set a new career-high, totaling eight blocks and eight kills in the win over Morehead State. She recorded her previous career-high of seven blocks two weeks ago in the series sweep over Tennessee State. Her previous career-high was seven, which she set in the OVC weekend opener against Southern Indiana.
Last Time Out
The Panthers split the series against Morehead State with a five-match thrilling win to close out the weekend on Friday. EIU survived six turned-away match points while using a 6-0 run in the final set to pull away from the Eagles. In the win, the defense led the way, holding MSU to 61 kills and a .214 hitting percentage. EIU totaled 14 team blocks in the contest. Guibert had eight; Jorah Rutter had six, and Emma Hanson totaled four. Ariadna Pereles recorded a season-best and match-best 28 digs.
Weekend Numbers
Behind Kopshever's 33 kills, Rutter smashed 20 kills with a .310 hitting percentage and totaled seven blocks. Abana Teran rounded out the top three with 17 kills and a .256 hitting percentage. Alanys Nieves directed the EIU offense with 52 assists (6.50 A/S).
Pereles led the defensive efforts with 42 digs, while Kopshever added 24 and Anna McEwen contributed 13. EIU totaled 18 blocks over the two matches with Guibert totaling nine; Rutter had seven, and four Panthers had four apiece (Emma Hanson, Anaya Rawlinson, Kaeden Foxx, and Abana Teran).
Scouting Report
The Panthers currently lead the all-time series over the Leathernecks 26-16. Last year, Eastern Illinois faced no trouble, sweeping WIU, both ending in four sets.
Western Illinois enters the week with a 3-17 record with all three wins coming from conference play. The Leathernecks opened the 2026 season on a 12-match losing streak before sweeping to begin the month of October. WIU earned their third win after splitting the season series with SIUE last weekend.
WIU is led by senior outside hitter, Kennedy Adair, who leads the team with 187 kills and 216 points. Ashlee Markert and Georgia Haynes round out the top three offensively, with Markert totaling 133 kills and Haynes with 100. The Leathernecks split setter duties, with Jaleah Bauss pacing the team with 295 assists, followed by Madelyn Norton with 167 assists.
Defensively, Grace Ulatowski leads the way with 165 digs. Maria Eduarda Pereira Tonella ranks seventh in blocks with 46 (0.84 AVG/S) on the year.
WIU is coached by Maria Silva, who is in her first season at the helm. Coach Silva previously spent four seasons at Townson University.
OVC Top Five
Ariadna Pereles – 1st Digs (321 | 4.40 AVG/S)
Katie Kopshever – 3rd Points (293.5 | 4.19) | 4th Kills (260 | 3.71 AVG/S)
Peyton Castillo – 4th Assists (268 | 6.23 AVG/S)
Looking Ahead: EIU will face SIUE in their final home series on November 12th and 13th, with senior day on Friday the 13th.
