Conference play is now in full swing following this past weekend’s slate of matches. Drake, Murray State, UNI and Valparaiso pace the conference race after the first full weekend of play with unbeaten marks. Drake and UNI each earned wins at Bradley and Illinois State, while Murray State beat Indiana State and Evansville and Valpo beat Missouri State and Southern Illinois. Belmont, Evansville, UIC and Southern Illinois all sit 1-1 after the first weekend of action.

This week's schedule features a pair of league matches on Tuesday and a full slate of 12 matches over the weekend. This weekend's slate is highlighted by UNI and Drake hosting UIC and Valpo.

UNI has started 2-0 in league play 18 times under head coach Bobbi Petersen. In each of the previous three seasons they've done so, the Panthers have gone on to win at least a share of the MVC regular season title and have made the MVC Tournament championship match.

Drake's Addison Beagle and Jada Wills and Evansville's Giulia Cardona each enter the week top three in the nation in a statistical category. Averaging an unfathomable 8.86 kills per set in the opening weekend of MVC play, Giulia Cardona improved her season average to a NCAA-best 5.84 kills per set.

Evansville's Melanie Feliciano recorded her 1,000th career dig over the weekend.  Feliciano joins UIC's Martina Delucchi as the only two active Valley players to have 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. 
 

• PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Giulia Cardona, Evansville
• DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Emma Hickey, Valparaiso
• FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK:  Lily Burnett, Murray State

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