The Tech TL;DR:

• Match Schedule: Evansville hosts Southern Illinois on Friday at 6 p.m. and Bradley on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Meeks Family Fieldhouse.
• Broadcast Details: Both conference matchups will be streamed live via ESPN+.
• Recent Momentum: The Purple Aces enter conference action following a five-set victory over USI, backed by strong performances from Savannah Gogel, Kendall Agler, and Ryan Scheu.

Squad Performance Metrics and Roster Efficiency

The Purple Aces enter the opening weekend of conference play following a hard-fought five-set win last Saturday against USI. During that outing, Ryan Scheu matched her career high with 15 kills, while Savannah Gogel contributed 14 kills alongside seven blocks. Wren Jones closed out the offensive effort with 13 kills, according to University of Evansville Athletics records.

Gogel’s performance early in the season earned her MVC Defensive Player of the Week honors after she averaged 1.27 blocks and 2.55 kills per set through the opening week. Her current numbers mirror defensive reliability at the net, matching her career mark of seven blocks in a single match during the USI victory.

Defensively, Kendall Agler anchors the back row with consistent production. Agler has recorded at least 20 digs in four of her last six matches, highlighted by a career-best 31 digs in a road win at Tennessee State. She also posted 23 digs at UT Martin, 22 against Kansas City, and 20 against USI. Agler averages 4.26 digs per set, ranking fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference, with a total of 197 digs that places her fourth in the league and 48th nationally. Over her last six outings, that average increases to 4.83 digs per set.

On the offensive side, Ryan Scheu maintains a .352 hitting percentage, good for fifth in the MVC. She has recorded seven or more kills in nine of her first 12 matches this season, including 10 kills against Kansas City, nine against Rutgers, eight in the win at Tennessee State, and nine in the home win against the Tigers.

Scouting the Opposition: Southern Illinois and Bradley

Southern Illinois enters Friday’s match with a 6-6 overall record. After starting the season with five consecutive wins, the Salukis have dropped six of their last seven contests. Offensively, the team is paced by McKenzie Moeller, who averages 2.91 kills per frame.

Bradley comes to Evansville with a 5-7 record, having dropped four of its last five matches. Gracie Furlong leads the Braves with 3.78 kills per set, a mark that ranks fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Broadcast and Logistics Pipeline

Fans unable to attend the matches in person at Meeks Family Fieldhouse can stream both competitions live on ESPN+.