EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville volleyball team is on the road again for a pair of Missouri Valley Conference matches this weekend. The team will compete against Valparaiso on Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by a match against UIC in Chicago on Friday at 6 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
- The Aces began last weekend with a win against Murray State, but lost to Belmont.
- In the victory over Murray State, Lyla Fisher and McKenzie Laubach each recorded 14 kills, while Savannah Gogel contributed with 13 kills and six blocks.
- Carsyn Kelley achieved a career-high of five kills, along with 45 assists.
Hit the Ground Running
- Savannah Gogel made her season debut on September 15 at UT Martin and has been impressive since then.
- She averaged 1.27 blocks and 2.55 kills per set in her first week, earning the MVC Defensive Player of the Week title on September 22.
- Gogel recorded a personal best with 14 kills in home games against USI and Bradley.
- In her first seven matches of the season, she is averaging 2.70 kills and 1.15 blocks, hitting an impressive .379, which ranks in the MVC’s top 12.
Winning Effort
- McKenzie Laubach matched the team high with 14 kills in the win at Murray State, marking her best performance of the season after previously achieving 10 kills against Tennessee State.
- She is currently one of the most efficient hitters in the MVC, ranking 4th with a hitting percentage of .359.
- Over her last nine matches, Laubach has averaged 1.97 kills per set.
Scouting the Opponent
- Valparaiso comes into Thursday’s match with a record of 9-7, including a 1-3 mark in MVC matches thus far.
- Ava Helming leads the Beacons with an average of 3.71 kills per set, ranking 3rd in the league.
- UIC currently has a 5-11 record and is also 1-3 in the conference after securing a road win against SIU last weekend.
- Emma Colombari is the offensive leader for UIC with an average of 2.44 kills per frame.
