In recent years, Southwest Missouri State's volleyball teams have featured powerful offenses loaded with hard-swinging players. But, if opponents pressured the Bears' defense, SMS could be had.
That's changed, and Illinois State head coach Sharon Dingman knows it as her team heads Friday to Springfield, Mo., for a key Missouri Valley Conference match with the Bears, 12-2 overall, 5-1 in the Valley. Illinois State comes in a half-match behind SMS at 7-4, 4-1. Both trail undefeated Northern Iowa (6-0 in league play).
"They're leading the league in digs and blocks," said Dingman, whose team plays Saturday at Wichita State on the same road trip. "We'll have to be patient and know we will get dug and we will get more chances to swing. We can't get impatient. This is a big match for both of us--one will stay right on Northern Iowa's heels and the other will fall back."
The first SMS match of the season coming on the road means Illinois State had to face three other top Valley contenders--Bradley, Northern Iowa and Southwest Missouri State--on the road first. That's something Dingman doesn't mind at all.
"No matter what happens in that situation, they still have to come to our place," said Dingman, whose team has won three straight Valley matches, including last Saturday's 3-1 win at Indiana State behind State Farm/Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week Jackie Utz's 20 kills and 25 digs.
Illinois State wraps up a grueling road-dominated first 13 matches of the season at Wichita State on Saturday before coming home for four straight matches beginning with No. 20 Notre Dame at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Redbird Arena.
The Shockers, led by El Paso High School graduate Carrie Gerth, are just 2-13 overall, 0-6 in the Valley under new head coach Chris Lamb. Wichita State, which plays Friday at home against Indiana State, snapped an eight-match losing streak Wednesday with a 3-0 win over Missouri-Kansas City.
Dingman is wary of the Shockers.
"We've said all year long that we have to win the matches we're expected to win," said Dingman. "But those can be the scariest matches. It's a matter of us challenging ourselves on the court."
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