MVC play opens on Friday for Aces volleyball

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UE travels to Indiana State for 5 p.m. CT match

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Off to its best start in 11 years, the Purple Aces volleyball team looks to carry that momentum into Missouri Valley Conference play, opening the league schedule on Friday at Indiana State.  The match time is 5 p.m. CT inside ISU Arena.

Last Time Out

– Taking to its home court for the first time in the fall, the University of Evansville picked up 3-0 victories over Cleveland State and Murray State in the Dunn Hospitality Tourney

– Alondra Vazquez was the MVP of the event, averaging 5.60 kills and 3.40 digs per set

– Melanie Feliciano and Madisyn Steele were named to the All-Tournament Team

– Steele had the top effort of her freshman career against the Racers, finishing with 10 kills

Looking at the Start

– Following a 2-0 weekend inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse, the Aces improved to 10-1 on the season

– It is the best start since 2010 when UE won 11 of its first 12 matches

Gaining National Attention

– A season average of 11.36 assists has Taya Haffner among the national leaders

– Haffner leads the MVC while ranking sixth in the nation and the #2 freshman

– She continues to rack up the assists at the unbelievable rate of 11.75/set over the last four matches

– Haffner capped off last weekend with 43 helpers in the 3-0 win over Murray State; it was her top total in a 3-set match

MVC Player of the Week – Take 3

– For the second time this season and the third instance in her career, Alondra Vazquez was named the MVC Player of the Week on Monday

– She registered 4.88 kills and 3.63 digs in a week that saw UE earn three 3-0 wins versus Tennessee St, Cleveland St and Murray St while being named the MVP of the Dunn Hospitality Tournament

– Alondra Vazquez recently surpassed 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career

– Her career numbers currently stand at 1,100 kills and 1,050 digs and she is the 8th player in UE history to accomplish the feat; the others to do so include:

Name                          Kills     Digs     Years

Lisa Sampson             1437    1126    90-93

Vicki Spahn                 1015    1448    91-94

Julie Groves                1523    2055    97-00

Jessica Kiefer             1706    1017    97-01

Samantha Butler         1318    1734    98-01

Brooke Maher             1254    1418    08-11

Mildrelis Rodriguez     1156    1380    15-18

Double Digit Outing

– Freshman Madisyn Steele earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team at the home-opening Dunn Hospitality Tournament

– Steele had the top match of her career against Murray State, registering 10 kills in 12 attempts

– She is Evansville’s second-leading blocker with 0.83 per set and had five block assists against PFW and Cleveland State

– Over the last 25 sets, Steele has 19 blocks