ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T Women's Volleyball returns to Gibson Arena this weekend for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference matches, beginning Friday with its annual Dig Pink match against McKendree at 6 p.m. The Miners will close out the weekend Saturday afternoon against Missouri-St. Louis, with first serve set for 3 p.m.
 

About Dig Pink
Friday's match against McKendree will serve as S&T's annual Dig Pink match, as the Miners partner with the Side-Out Foundation to raise awareness and support its mission to empower people living with metastatic breast cancer and create a future where cancer is no longer terminal.

Fans can make donations online or at the match. The team will also raffle off private volleyball lessons, with all proceeds benefiting the Side-Out Foundation.

As part of Dig Pink, children ages 4-16 will receive free admission, along with one complimentary adult ticket, when they wear their volleyball jersey to the match.
 

About the Miners
S&T enters the weekend with an 8-8 overall record and a 1-4 mark in GLVC play after splitting a pair of road matches against ranked opponents last weekend. The Miners opened the weekend with a 3-1 victory over then-conference leader Lewis before falling to No. 24 Indianapolis in straight sets.

Defense continues to be a strength for the Miners, particularly at the net and in serve receive. Madison Smith (Boonville, MO/Boonville) is averaging 1.19 blocks per set, while Kate Zipprich (Hardin, IL/Calhoun) is averaging 1.00 blocks per set against GLVC opponents, ranking 10th in the conference. S&T is also allowing the second-fewest service aces against GLVC opponents at 1.17 per set. Adelyn Weiler (Ste. Genevieve, MO/Valle Catholic) anchors the back row, ranking 16th in NCAA Division II with 5.2 digs per set.
 

About McKendree
The Bearcats enter Friday's match with a 2-14 overall record and a 0-6 mark in GLVC play after dropping their last nine matches. McKendree's most recent contests came at home against Upper Iowa and Truman State, with the Bearcats falling in straight sets in both matches.

McKendree features a pair of talented young hitters in sophomore Madelyn Clarke and freshman Reece Distler. The two underclassmen have combined for 239 kills this season, accounting for 40% of the Bearcats' total. Setter Peyton Uptgraft has played a key role in their success, ranking 10th in the GLVC with 5.70 assists per set.
 

About Missouri-St. Louis
Missouri-St. Louis will provide a significant challenge for the Miners on Saturday, entering the weekend as one of just two teams remaining undefeated in GLVC play. The Tritons are 6-0 in conference action and have won nine consecutive matches after opening the season 2-5. UMSL has swept each of its last three opponents – Upper Iowa, Illinois Springfield and Southwest Baptist.

The Tritons are led by one of the GLVC's most potent offensive attacks, with Alayna Santel leading the conference with 4.50 kills per set against GLVC opponents. She is joined among the conference's top six by teammates Maggie Johnson and Bridget Cassady, who are averaging 4.09 and 3.77 kills per set, respectively. Marly Burbach and Skylar Weaver also rank among the conference leaders in assists and digs per set, giving the Tritons a balanced attack on both sides of the net.
 

What's Next
The Miners will next compete at the Midwest Region Crossover, where they will play three matches Oct. 16-17. S&T's opponents for the crossover will be determined following this weekend's matches based on the teams' standings within the region.

Sign up for our email blast at https://minerathletics.com/subscribe.aspx 
Follow Miners Volleyball on X and Instagram at miners_wvb