SIUE (4-12, 1-4 OVC) at Belmont (4-11, 2-3 OVC)
Dates: October 8-9, 2021
First Serve: 6 p.m. CT (Friday), 2 p.m. CT (Saturday)
Location: First Community Arena
All-Time Series: SIUE leads 9-2

WHERE WE'RE AT: SIUE volleyball currently sits at 4-12 with non-conference wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (Aug. 27), Eastern Kentucky (Sep. 4), and Western Illinois (Sep. 18), and their lone Ohio Valley Conference victory over Eastern Illinois (Oct. 5).

THE TASK AT HAND: The Cougars will look to add to their conference win total and march closer to .500 in OVC play this weekend, as SIUE will host a 4-11 Belmont squad. The Bruins are in the middle of a three-match losing streak following consecutive straight-set losses to UT Martin (Sep. 25) and SEMO (Oct. 1-2).

LAST TIME OUT: The Cougars entered the OVC win column for the first time this season on Tuesday in a 3-1 win at Eastern Illinois. The Cougars dropped the first set before finding their rhythm and claiming the next three sets.

SCOUTING THE BRUINS: Belmont enters the weekend at 4-11 overall and 2-3 in OVC play. Following a successful opening weekend that saw the Bruins take down Alcorn State and North Alabama, Belmont was on the wrong end of an eight-match losing streak that extended from the second week of non-
conference play through their first weekend of OVC play. Belmont, which was picked to finish eighth in the OVC, is currently ranked #255 in the most recent RPI rankings and is led by Preseason All-OVC right side Taylor Floyd.

IRON SHARPENS IRON: The Cougars put together one of the most competitive non-conference schedules in program history this fall, standing toe-to-toe against three squads currently ranked in the RPI Top 100 and eight ranked in the RPI Top 150.

SPRING RECAP: SIUE volleyball put together one of the most successful campaigns in program history last spring, compiling the third-highest conference winning percentage in the program's Division I era (.714) and earning one of just four spots in the 2020-21 Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball Championship. The season also saw four different Cougars earn All-OVC honors, including an All-OVC Second Team nod for redshirt sophomore middle blocker Savannah Christian.

LOOKING AHEAD: Following the weekend's fixtures, the Cougars will head to Cape Girardeau for a weekend series at Southeast Missouri. SEMO currently sits at #116 in the latest RPI rankings, good for the best rank among all OVC schools.