Melissa Myers Show | Match Notes | Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats
NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team will wrap up the home portion of its 2016 schedule this weekend as the Redbirds welcome Northern Iowa and Drake to Redbird Arena. Illinois State will host UNI on Friday and Drake on Saturday, in matches that both begin at 7 p.m.
Saturday's match with Drake will be Senior Day for the Redbirds. Following the match, Illinois State will recognize four departing senior players: Aly Dawson, Ratasha Garbes, Annchara Montgomery and Jacqueline Twing; as well as two senior managers: Nick Mason and Pat Misiewicz. After an on-court recognition ceremony, fans are invited back to the Legends Room, where the four senior players will offer senior comments.
Illinois State (16-12, 9-7 MVC) has already clinched a spot in next week's Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Nov. 24-26, and the Redbirds can wrap up the No. 5 seed in the tournament with a win in either of its matches this weekend.
Coming off a tough road trip that included a pair of 3-1 losses to the first- and second-place teams in the Valley, Illinois State will try and get back in the win column against UNI (21-8, 12-4) and Drake 15-15, 6-10) after splitting against the two earlier this season.
Illinois State earned a win over UNI at the McLeod Center on Sept. 16 in both teams' Valley opener more than two months ago. The Redbirds were then swept at Drake a little over two weeks later, on Oct. 3, which snapped Illinois State's season-long eight-match winning streak.
Fans can purchase tickets for both of this weekend's matches from the Illinois State Athletics Ticket Office, online at GoRedbirds.com/Tickets, in-person by visiting the ticket office at the north entrance to Redbird Arena, or by calling (309) 438-8000.
Both matches will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Links for live video, audio and stats can be found at GoRedbirds.com, and fans can follow @RedbirdVB on Twitter for live updates.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
