Indiana State heads to Illinois for two key Missouri Valley Conference matches, facing UIC on Friday and Valparaiso on Saturday. The Sycamores are three games outside the conference tournament field at the schedule’s halfway point, with six of their eight remaining matches against teams currently outside the field.

By the Numbers
  • Indiana State: 3 games out of a conference tournament spot.
  • Kira Holland: 1,001 career kills, 13 short of the program’s all-time top 10.
  • Ella Scott: 309 career blocks; 6 more would move her into ninth place in program history.
  • Macy Lengacher: 952 career digs, 48 from 1,000.
  • Weekend matches: Friday at UIC and Saturday at Valparaiso; both start at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Yes, But

The Sycamores enter the trip after consecutive four-set losses to Illinois State and Bradley. Their remaining schedule offers opportunity, but both opponents have had the upper hand in recent series play: Indiana State has never won at UIC, and Valparaiso has taken 11 of the last 12 matchups.

State of Play
  • UIC is 8-12 overall and 4-4 in conference play, after a four-match winning streak ended against Northern Iowa.
  • Valparaiso is 11-9 overall and 3-5 in conference play, coming off back-to-back road losses.
  • Indiana State’s remaining slate includes six games against teams outside the current tournament field and one against the team holding the final spot.
What’s Next

After the road trip, Indiana State opens a four-match homestand Tuesday against Evansville, followed by a matchup with Northern Iowa on Oct. 30.

Bottom Line

The weekend is a chance for Indiana State to close the tournament gap against opponents it must navigate, while several Sycamores pursue major career milestones.