INDIANAPOLIS – Getting their first taste of Summit League action at home this season, the IUPUI volleyball team (5-12, 1-1) will play host a pair of conference matches this weekend, as the Jags welcome Western Illinois (4-14, 1-2) and Denver (9-4, 1-0) to the Jungle on Friday and Saturday (Sep. 30 – Oct. 1). The action will begin with Western Illinois Friday at 7 p.m. EST, before the Jags head into a 6 p.m. matchup with the Pioneers Saturday.
The Jags are coming off a weekend split with South Dakota State and North Dakota State just last weekend, as IUPUI was victorious against the Jackrabbits in straight-sets before being swept by the Bison the following night. The Friday night victory over SDSU snapped a five-match losing streak, as IUPU has gone 3-10 since starting the season 2-2 through their first four contests.
Kori Waelbroeck leads the team with 206 kills and 3.55 kills per set, both ranking third in the Summit League.
Gabby Fisher ranks second with both 162 kills and 187 digs, while
Jessica Helms has 199 digs. Fisher also leads the team with 22 aces and 0.38 per set, which sits second-best in the Summit.
Alexis Mapes has tossed 529 assists, bringing her average to 9.12 assists per set, fourth-best in the League.
Abby Boatman has 61 total blocks, raising her average per set to 1.05 which ranks third in the League.
The Leathernecks most recently snapped a four-match losing streak with a victory over Omaha on the road this past Tuesday (Sep. 27). Western Illinois started the season by dropping their first 10 matches, but have since rebounded to go 4-4, which includes a three-match winning streak. In their two previous Summit League contests, the Leathernecks fell to South Dakota and Fort Wayne at home in straight-sets. All-time against Western Illinois, IUPUI is 26-9. The Jags topped the Leathernecks in both contests last season, with final scores of 3-1 and 3-0. The last time IUPUI lost to Western Illinois was during the 2007 season, when the Jags were dropped in straight-sets at home. Currently, the Jags have a 16-match winning streak against Western Illinois.
Denver heads into the weekend with a 9-4 record, having won their only Summit League contest so far. The Pioneers will face Fort Wayne Friday, before heading to Indianapolis to face the Jags. The Pioneers are the reigning champions in the Summit League and are currently riding a five-match winning streak. Most recently, they topped Omaha 3-1 Saturday (Sep. 24) after winning both their matches in straight-sets at the Denver Invitational. Against IUPUI, Denver holds a 4-4 record, splitting with IUPUI last season. The Jags defeated the Pioneers in a thrilling five-set match at home last year to open Summit League play.
In conjunction with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Jag Cup Competition, Saturday's contest is designated as the Crimson and White match, in which members can sign in and receive points for their team. A table will be located near the entrance for members to sign in.
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