West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's women's volleyball team is preparing to face the Eastern Illinois Panthers on Tuesday, October 21, at Gardella Family Court in Charleston, Illinois. The Leathernecks enter the matchup with a 5-15 overall record and a 2-5 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), while Eastern Illinois holds a 9-6 record and is 3-2 in conference play.

In their most recent meeting, Western Illinois lost in four sets to Eastern Illinois inside Western Hall. The Leathernecks took the opening set 25–23, but the Panthers responded by winning the next three sets. Keyana Cruse led Western Illinois with 16 kills, 14 digs, and three service aces. Ashlee Markert contributed 13 kills, and Alysia Perez had 27 assists. Karlie Lane added 14 digs. The team finished with eight aces, four solo blocks, and a .259 hitting percentage.

Freshman setter Jaleah Bauss has received national attention, ranking 45th in NCAA aces per set and 28th in total service aces. Graduate outside hitter Keyana Cruse reached significant milestones earlier this season, surpassing both 1,000 career kills at the Billiken Invitational and 1,000 career digs in a match against Tennessee Tech.

Eastern Illinois is led by first-year head coach Ryan Millar. The Panthers ended their 2024 season with a 9-19 overall record and a 5-13 record in conference play. The team is looking to improve its performance in 2025 with a combination of returning players and new additions.

In the series history, Western Illinois has a 16-24 record against Eastern Illinois. Last year, Western Illinois won both matches versus EIU with 3-1 scores.

For the 2025-26 season, Keyana Cruse leads Western Illinois with 269 kills and 279 digs. Jaleah Bauss leads in assists with 272 and in service aces with 31. Grace Kremer is the team leader in total blocks with 74.

After facing Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois will host Tennessee State on October 24 and 25, then travel to Lindenwood for matches on October 31 and November 1.

For more information about Western Illinois University women's volleyball, visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow the team on social media platforms including X, Instagram, and Facebook.