McLean County Times

Illinois State University's volleyball team is set to host Southern Illinois and Missouri State this weekend at CEFCU Arena. The Redbirds aim to secure a season sweep over both teams, holding a current record of 12-14 overall and 7-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).

The match against Southern Illinois, which stands at 10-14 overall and 3-10 in the MVC, is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. The following day, Illinois State will face Missouri State, with a record of 10-15 overall and 4-9 in the MVC, starting at 5 p.m.

Friday's game will feature Military Appreciation promotions. Saturday marks Senior Day for Illinois State as they honor four student-athletes after the match.

Mekaila Aupiu, a senior setter for Illinois State, has made significant contributions since joining the team. She is currently tied with Wright State's Lauren Yacobucci as the national leader in assists with a total of 1,056. Aupiu is one of only five players in Division I to surpass 1,000 assists this season.

In conference play, Illinois State leads with 652 assists. As of November 5th, they rank fourth in Division I for team kills with 1,365 and fifth for team assists with 1,269.

Aida Shadewald reached a career milestone by achieving over 1,000 career kills during a match against Drake on October 19th. Shadewald became the 23rd player from Illinois State to reach this mark.

Mekaila Aupiu also recently achieved her own milestone by surpassing 1,000 career assists during a match against Evansville on November 1st. She completed that game with 52 assists and ranks as the seventeenth all-time leader in ISU Volleyball history with her current total of assists.

For updates on Illinois State volleyball games and more information about tickets or merchandise, visit GoRedbirds.com or follow them on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.