West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University (WIU) is set to host Tennessee Tech in a volleyball matchup on Thursday and Friday, October 26-27, in Macomb, Illinois. The Leathernecks aim to build on their recent performances as they continue their Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) campaign.

Last week, WIU concluded its non-conference season with a loss to Chicago State. They then faced Southern Indiana's Screaming Eagles at Western Hall, losing in four sets on Friday but securing a five-set victory on Saturday. Keyana Cruse was instrumental for the Leathernecks during the weekend, achieving consecutive double-doubles.

In the OVC standings, WIU holds third place after splitting their matches over the weekend. The team boasts a 6-4 record in conference play, tied with Lindenwood. This marks the most conference wins for WIU since 2013. In contrast, Tennessee Tech enters the weekend with a 2-9 record.

Karli Wenzel of WIU made significant strides by moving into the top ten for all-time career digs over the weekend. She surpassed Rachel Horvat against UT Martin and Ellen Miller against USI to secure ninth place all-time. Wenzel is currently 17 digs behind eighth place and needs 23 more to reach sixth place.

Keyana Cruse has been leading WIU's offense this season and ranks fourth in the OVC for kills per set at 3.48. Maggie Craker also features prominently in assists per set rankings within the top five at 8.38.

WIU has shown strength in Friday matches within OVC play, holding a 3-1 record and outscoring opponents nine sets to three with an overall score of 376 to 356.

Tennessee Tech's Golden Eagles have struggled recently with a five-match losing streak and hold a 2-9 OVC record. Despite their losses, they have been competitive, taking five of those defeats to five sets and participating in seven such matches overall this season. Madolyn Isringhausen leads Tennessee Tech with an average of 3.22 kills per set.