Match #16
Lindenwood (9-6, 3-0 OVC)
at SIUE (5-8, 0-2 OVC)
Match Information:
Date: Friday, Oct. 4
Start Time: 5:00 p.m. CT
Location: Edwardsville, Ill. | First Community Arena
Live Stats: Stats
Watch: ESPN+

Match #17
Lindenwood
at SIUE
Match Information:
Date: Saturday, Oct. 5
Start Time: 3:00 p.m. CT
Location: Edwardsville, Ill. | First Community Arena
Live Stats: Stats
Watch: ESPN+

Matchup
Lindenwood's women volleyball continues their road trip this week as they head over the Mississippi River to Edwardsville, Ill. to take on the Cougars of SIUE. In Lindenwood's short time in the Ohio Valley Conference, LU has a 2-1 record vs. the Cougars winning last year by a score of 3-1.

The Lions have been on a win streak as of late winning their last four matches and five out of their last six. Lindenwood currently leads the OVC with a 3-0 conference record and is just one of two teams in the OVC to not lose a conference match so far (Tennessee Tech). SIUE lost their first two matches in the OVC against Western Illinois.

Over the first week of OVC play, Lindenwood leads the conference in points per set with an average of 18.64. In conference play, the also lead in hitting percentage (.261), assists (13.73 a/s), service aces (2.01 per set) and kills per set (14.91 k/s).

SIUE has only played two conference matches coming into this weekend. Against the Leathernecks last weekend, the Cougars averaged 16.29 kills per set. They allowed WIU to hit .281 in seven sets, the second lowest in the OVC. SIUE's Sydney Hummert went over 1,000 kills in her career last weekend.

Preseason OVC Rankings
The OVC released their 2024 women's volleyball preseason poll earlier this season where Lindenwood was selected to finish in fifth place. The Lions had the third best record in the conference last season earning as the third seed at the OVC Tournament.

Southeast Missouri State was voted as the preseason favorite in 2024 with six first-place votes and a total of 167 points. Last year's OVC Champions Eastern Illinois was picked to finish right behind them with 166 points and five first place votes.

Morehead State (163 points/five first-place votes), Tennessee Tech (152 points/four first-place votes) and Lindenwood (145 points/one first-place vote) round out the top five in the OVC poll. The top five schools were separate by just 22 points.

Lindenwood also landed two players on the Preseason All-OVC team. Nyah Wilson and Jessie Seidel were selected after both received Second Team All-OVC honors last season. Allie Otten was voted as a player to watch as she returns for her sixth season.

Last Match Recap
Women's volleyball went the distance on Tuesday night defeating Western Illinois in five sets in Macomb, Ill. The Lions posted 74 kills against the Leathernecks while reaching 100 digs for the first time in the Division I era.

Rebecca Janke had a career night as the graduate student had a career-high 20 kills in the win. Janke hit .362 as she led the team in attacks with 47 posting just three errors. She became just the third player in Lindenwood history (NCAA era) to go over 900 kills for their career. Lindenwood's offense had four Lions post over tens kills including Ashley Geluck with 18. Autumn Bax (12) and Wilson (11) also went into double-figures.

The defense was a vital part in the Lions victory on Tuesday as they posted 100 digs. Lindenwood's libero Seidel led the way with 29 marking her second highest total of the season. Five different players had over 10 digs including Dana Grib coming off the bench with 13. Addy McAleer also had nine kills and 16 digs.

Otten powered the offense as the primary setter passing for 57 assists against Western Illinois. It marked her new career-high in assists and the sixth time in her career she has gone over 50. Otten also had 13 assists for her ninth double-double of the season.

Lindenwood's offense produced 17 kills during the first set but had nine attack errors to help the Leathernecks take the set by a score of 25-18. Middles Geluck and Janke had five and four kills respectively to lead the Lions offense during the first. Seidel also produced 10 digs on defense. 

The Lions bounced back in the second set with a reversal score of 25-18. Five different Lindenwood players had a kill including five from outside hitter Wilson. Defensively, Wilson added eight digs. The Lions hit .300 during the second set.

Western Illinois took advantage of an early lead in the third set going up 10-18 on Lindenwood. The Lions battled back to close the gap to 21-23 but WIU closed the set winning 25-22. Janke had six of her 20 kills in the third set.

It was all Lindenwood the rest of the night as they took the fourth set by the largest margin of victory of the night (nine points) winning 25-19. Lindenwood hit a match-high .325 while posting 16 kills and only three errors. McAleer added five kills while Otten had 10 assists and two aces.

Lindenwood closed out the fifth set on Tuesday winning 15-13 earning their fourth straight victory. LU went up 8-4 going into the middle of the set, but WIU tied it up at 13-13. WIU had two attack errors to finish the set including an error into a block by Janke and McAleer. Janke also had four kills in the closing set.

Player To Watch
Seidel has been a staple of the Lindenwood program for the last five seasons. Coming into the weekend, Seidel is just 13 digs away from becoming the first player in the NCAA era at Lindenwood to go over 2,000 digs for their career (1987).

During her fifth and final season, Seidel has compiled 278 digs so far this season, the second most in the conference. Her 4.63 digs per set average is also fourth. She has had double-digit digs in every single match this season.

OVC Top Ten Stats
Janke remains in the top ten for hitting percentage in the OVC after her performances last week. Janke ranks fourth with a .330. Of those qualified for HP%, Janke is third in kills with 141.

Otten continues her strong season as setter ranking fourth in the conference in assists per set with an average of 8.75. Her 525 total assist also ranks fourth. Seidel ranks fourth defensively in digs per set after averaging 4.63. She is  second in total digs with 278.

Scouting the Opponent
SIUE Category Leaders    
Kills: Sydney Hummert - 122
Assists: Alyse Drifka - 267
Aces: Ainsley Ranstead - 17
Digs: Olivia Hogan - 148
Blocks: Taya Nordmann - 71.0

Up Next:
Lindenwood returns to Hyland Arena next weekend when they battle Tennessee Tech starting on Thursday, Oct. 10th at 6:00 p.m. CT. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.