May 9, 2012
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State head volleyball coach Melissa Myers released the Redbirds' 2012 schedule Wednesday. The Redbirds are set to play 28 matches during the 2012 regular season, including three tournaments and 18 Missouri Valley Conference matches.
Illinois State will play three non-conference tournaments and 10 matches before beginning conference play. The Redbirds open the season at the Ball State Tournament in Muncie, Ind., and will kick off the tournament with Virginia Commonwealth (Aug. 24). The following day, the Redbirds will face Gardner-Webb and tournament host Ball State (Aug. 25).
The Redbirds will host the Redbird Classic with matchups against Presbyterian, Friday, Aug. 31, and contest against Miami (Fla.) and Oregon State Saturday, Sept. 1. The following weekend, ISU will hit the road for its final non-conference tournament at the University of Toledo Tournament (Sept. 7-8). Illinois State will play Florida Golf Coast Friday (Sept. 7) and Toledo and Memphis Saturday (Sept. 8). The Redbirds will round out their non-conference schedule with a midweek matchup against Valparaiso, Sept. 4.
Illinois State will open the Missouri Valley Conference season on the road for the sixth-straight season with matches at Evansville (Sept. 14) and Southern Illinois (Sept. 15). The Redbirds will then take on defending champion Northern Iowa (Sept. 21) and in-state rival Bradley (Sept. 22) in their first two home matches of Valley play. Two-consecutive weekends on the road at Indiana State (Sept. 28), Wichita State (Oct. 6) and Missouri State (Oct. 7), are followed by a home series with Creighton (Oct. 12) and Drake (Oct. 13) to close out the first half of conference play.
ISU will play at home for five matches to begin the second half of conference slate including Indiana State (Oct. 26), Missouri State (Nov. 2), Wichita State (Nov. 3), Southern Illinois (Nov. 16) and Evansville (Nov. 17). The Redbirds will be on the road at Bradley (Oct. 19), at Northern Iowa (Oct. 20) Drake (Nov. 9) and at Creighton (Nov. 10) for its following conference matches.
The 2012 State Farm MVC Volleyball Tournament will be Nov. 22-24.
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