NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team will host its first home match of the season Tuesday, when the Redbirds welcome in Illinois-Chicago. The match is set for a 6 p.m. start time at Redbird Arena.
The Redbirds (3-4) enter the match following a 1-3 showing at the Missouri Tiger Invitational over the weekend. After scoring a 3-1 win over Oakland in its first match of the tournament, ISU lost its next three to Missouri, Xavier and Lipscomb. Missouri and Xavier won in four sets, while eventual champion Lipscomb outlasted ISU in five sets.
Illinois-Chicago (2-4) enters Tuesday's match fresh off a 2-1 performance at the Windy City Invitational Sept. 5-6. The Flames defeated crosstown rivals DePaul and Chicago State, but fell to Syracuse. Illinois-Chicago went 0-3 at the Thunder Invitational, Aug. 29-30, losing matches to Virginia, Eastern Michigan and host Marshall.
Illinois State holds a 19-8 advantage in the all-time series against Illinois-Chicago. The most recent meeting resulted in a 3-1 win for the Redbirds on Sept. 13, 2008, at the Chicago Classic. The Redbirds and Flames played at least once every year between 1974 and 1982, but have only met twice in the past 20 years.
ISU will be back in action this weekend as the Redbirds travel to the George Washington Tournament in Washington, D.C. Sept. 12-13. The Redbirds will take on Baylor, Columbia and George Washington at the tournament this Friday and Saturday.
Tuesday's match, and all Illinois State volleyball matches this season, can be heard live online at: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/isu/.
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