EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Missouri Valley Conference play begins this weekend as the University of Evansville volleyball team faces road matches at Illinois State and Indiana State.
 
Evansville faces the Redbirds in a 7:05 p.m. match on Friday before heading to Terre Haute for Saturday's 6 p.m. CT start.
 
Katie Klages has established herself as not only one of the top libero's in the MVC, but ranks among the best in the nation.  She has averaged 5.67 digs per set, a stat that is tops in the conference and seventh in the nation.  She is not the only one who has been having a stellar season.
 
Ashley Ring is second in the league, averaging 3.87 kills/set while her point total of 4.40 each frame is third.  Meaghan Holmes (hitting and blocks) and Jenn Murphy (assists) also ranks in the top five in their respective catgeories.
 
Friday's conference opener in Normal, Ill. will also mark the home opener for the Redbirds as they played their first ten matches away from home en route to a 7-3 record.  After going 2-1 in the IUPUI Tournament, Illinois State headed to the Nevada-Reno Tournament where they went a perfect 4-0 that included victories over Nevada and UC Davis.  They went 1-2 at Butler's event last weekend, falling to the host Bulldogs and Michigan State.
 
A well-balanced team, Illinois State is second in the MVC in hitting (.245) while ranking second in opponent hitting (.161).  Leading that potent offensive attack is Emily Schneider, who ranks third in the Valley as she has hit .379 for the season.
 
Standing at 5-5 in 2013 is Indiana State.  Included in their victories thus far are triumphs over SIU Edwardsville, Chicago State, Georgetown, North Carolina Central and Robert Morris.  In last weekend's Wright State Invitational, the Sycamores fell to Murray State and Wright State.
 
The Sycamores are led by Morgan Dall, who leads the Indiana State offense and continues to be one of the top hitters in the Missouri Valley Conference and in the nation. Dall leads the MVC and ranks 21st nationally in kills per set (4.29) while also leading the Valley and ranks 30th nationally in points per set (4.75).
 
In last year's action, the Aces split a pair of matches against Indiana State and have lost five in a row to Illinois State.