GREEN BAY, Wis. – IUPUI will play in the post season for the second time in school history as the Jags will compete in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). The Jags will play their first round game on Thursday (Nov. 30) against Illinois State at 4:30 p.m.
Head coach
Steve Payne's squad finished tied for second in the Horizon League with a 12-4 conference record and finished 16-14 overall. IUPUI entered the Horizon League volleyball championship as the No. 3 seed but fell in the first round to No. 6 Northern Kentucky.
Gabby Fisher led the Jags in the match against the Norse with 22 kills and
Kori Waelbroeck finished with double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs. On defense,
Abby Boatman led at the net with seven blocks and freshman
Samantha Sheets finished with five in her first action of the year. Sheets was in the lineup due to an injury to All-Horizon League player
Haley Hoffman.
SCOUTING ILLINIOS STATE – The Redbirds (21-12, 10-4 Missouri Valley) ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak and finished as the No. 3 seed in the Missouri Valley Conference. Illinois State beat No. 6 Valparaiso in the first round but fell to No. 2 Northern Iowa in the semifinals. IUPUI will have to deal with MVC First-Team middle blocker Jaelyn Keene who led Illinois State with 3.91 kills per set, a .328 hitting percentage and 0.98 blocks per set. Courtney Pence, another MVC First-Team member, led the squad in digs at 6.35 per set. The offense is guided by Stef Jankiewicz, the Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year, who averaged 10.98 assists per set.
The Redbirds had just under half of their games go three sets. Illinois State was 14-2 in three set matches and just 7-10 in matches that go longer than three sets.
ALL-TIME SERIES – IUPUI has played Illinois State just twice in school history, losing both matches to the Redbirds. The Jags last played Illinois State in 2015 with the Redbirds winning in three sets.
UP NEXT – If the Jags beat Illinois State, IUPUI will take on the winner between Horizon League foe Green Bay and Bowling Green.
