Valparaiso (8-6, 0-2 MVC)
Wednesday, Sept. 30 - UIC (4-10, 0-2 MVC) - 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2 - at Southern Illinois (8-6, 2-0 MVC) - 6 p.m.

Next Up For Valpo Volleyball: The Valpo volleyball team faces a pair of matches in the second week of Missouri Valley Conference play, hosting UIC in midweek action Wednesday evening to wrap a three-match homestand before hitting the road to play at Southern Illinois Friday night.

Previously: Valpo dropped its first two MVC matches of the season, falling to Belmont in four sets and Illinois State in five sets last weekend.

Looking Ahead: The following week brings a return to the ARC, as the Beacons host Evansville Thursday, Oct. 8 and Murray State Friday, Oct. 9.

Following the Beacons: Both of this week's matches will be broadcast on ESPN+ as part of The Valley on ESPN. Live stats will also be available via ValpoAthletics.com.

Series History: UIC - It's a tight series against the most common opponent in program history, as the Flames hold a slight 33-32 edge in the series. UIC is 8-1 since joining the MVC prior to the 2022 season, but that one Valpo win came last season, as the Beacons swept the Flames in Chicago. UIC returned the favor at the ARC later in the season, earning a four-set win.

Southern Illinois - Valpo leads the all-time series against the Salukis, 14-6, with all but three matchups (all three SIU wins) coming since Valpo joined the MVC. Last season, the Beacons came away with the victory in both matchups, rallying from two sets down for a five-set win [don't call it a reverse sweep] in Carbondale before taking care of business in straight sets at the ARC.

Scouting the Opposition: UIC - The Flames enter Wednesday's match at 4-10 overall and 0-2 in MVC play, falling last weekend to Illinois State in four sets and Belmont in three sets. Robyn Ward leads all Valley players with a .400 hitting percentage and also ranks fifth in the conference in blocks, averaging exactly one block per set.

Southern Illinois - The Salukis sit at 8-6 overall this year and are off to a 2-0 start in the MVC, beating Evansville in five sets and sweeping Indiana State last weekend. Jillian Shaneyfelt ranks third in the conference in digs/set (4.41), while McKenzie Moeller sits ninth in kills/set (2.82).

Looking For a Win: The Beacons aim to avoid an 0-3 start to the MVC slate on Wednesday evening when it takes on UIC at the ARC. Valpo has started conference play with defeats in its first three matches twice since moving to the MVC, beginning 0-3 in 2017 and 2019 on its way to 8-10 conference records both years.

Ws Versus Ls: Looking at Valpo's stats in its wins versus its losses, a few stats stand out. On the attack, the Beacons average nearly three kills per set more than their opponents in wins, while their opponents are 1.2 kills per set better in losses. Along with that, Valpo holds a .265-.177 advantage in hitting percentage in wins, while the opponents have the .275-.186 advantage in losses. The difference in Valpo's service game is also notable, as the Beacons post 2.35 aces/set in wins versus just 1.42 aces/set in losses.

Efficient Hitting: For the second time this season, Valpo had a match which cracked the program's top-five charts in the 25-point era for hitting percentage, as the Beacons hit at a .299 clip last Saturday against Illinois State - fourth-best in a five-set match in this era. Leading the way was Maggie Uhwat, who posted a career-best 17 kills while hitting .577 - good for fourth in a five-set match on the program's individual single-match chart. Earlier this year, Valpo hit .320 in a four-set win over Oakland, which ranks fourth for a four-set match in this era, and also had 70 kills in that match - second-most in a four-set match in this era.

One-Two Punch: The combination of junior outside Jordyn Gove and junior right side Ava Helming has consistently paced the Beacons' attack this year. Helming currently ranks third in the MVC with 3.76 kills/set, with Gove close behind her in fifth with 3.46 kills/set. Gove, who entered the season with a career high of 16 kills, has surpassed 20 kills four times already this season, including two matches with 22 kills. Meanwhile, Helming also has four matches with at least 20 kills, including a career-best 28 kills against Cleveland State - a mark which ties the most by a Valpo player in the 25-point era.

Player of the Week: Helming was named the MVC Player of the Week Sept. 14 following a weekend in northeastern Ohio where she averaged an MVC-best 4.62 kills/set on .261 hitting, highlighted by her career-high 28-kill effort in the win over Cleveland State. It is the third MVC Player of the Week honor of Helming's career, as she had one apiece as well in each of her first two seasons.

High Efficiency: Already a very efficient hitter out of the middle, junior Jessica Pickett has been especially efficient as of late. Over the last four matches, Pickett is hitting at a .433 clip and is averaging more than two kills per set. On the season, Pickett ranks second in the MVC with a .396 hitting percentage - a mark which would break the program's single-season record by over 40 points.

Capturing Crowns: Part of the volleyball program's winning tradition has been a penchant for capturing tournament titles, and that continued in 2026, as the Beacons claimed the Chattanooga Classic on opening weekend and the WNY Invitational in the season's fourth weekend. Valpo has won 38 in-season tournament titles since the start of the 2002 campaign. The team has won at least one tournament in 19 of those 25 seasons, and multiple tournaments 12 times. Those tournament titles have come in 14 different states. 

All-Tournament Honors: The Beacons had four players receive All-Tournament Team accolades over their two tournaments which presented an All-Tournament Team:
Valpo - Jordyn Gove
Chattanooga - Gove (MVP), Ava Helming, Maggie Uhwat