KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - With the Midwest Region Crossover having coming and gone, crunch time is officially here for the Truman State University volleyball team. The Bulldogs, winners of two in a row and three of their last four, have eight matches remaining for the 2018 regular season, the first three of which will come inside Pershing Arena. This weekend, the Purple and White will host Illinois Springfield on Friday night followed by McKendree on Saturday afternoon.
Scouting Illinois Springfield
Prior to last season when Illinois Springfield went 22-11, the program hadn't won more than 11 matches in a season since 2007. At 18-4, the Trey Salinas-led Prairie Stars are on pace to win at least 20 matches in back-to-back seasons for the first time in 11 years. Since a 2-2 start to the season, Illinois Springfield hasn't lost two matches in a row since, is currently on a 10-game winning streak and only one of those 10 matches went to five sets (No. 10 Drury). Salinas, now in his fourth year at the helm, has amassed an overall record of 58-59 (.496 winning percentage), which includes a mark of 29-35 (.453) in GLVC play. Not to be lost in all of that, though, is that the program won just seven games his first season on campus.
Scouting McKendree
Truman and McKendree's history isn't extensive (Truman leads all-time series, 10-6), but has definitely heated up since 2013 when the Bulldogs became a member of the GLVC. Saturday's showdown between the two teams will be their 10th meeting since the Purple and White came into the league and Truman has a one-game advantage in those previous nine, 5-4. However, since winning the first four of those nine, the Bearcats have taken four of the two squads' last five get togethers. Also, four of those nine matches have come in postseason play. In 2014, Truman beat McKendree to win the GLVC Tournament and then beat the Bearcats again in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Midwest Regional. Two years later, the Bulldogs bested the Bearcats again to win a second league title. Most recently, McKendree knocked Truman out of the GLVC Tournament in the quarterfinal round of 2017.
Home Sweet Home
The one place where Truman has yet to suffer a defeat this year is Pershing Arena where the Bulldogs are a perfect 5-0 so far. That marks the best home start through five matches for the Purple and White since 2014, a squad that won its first seven inside the friendly confines and finished 9-1 at home. Truman has eight matches left in the 2018 regular season, five of which will be at home.
Stay in the Present
For its final eight matches of the regular season, Truman will need to stay in the moment and not look too far ahead. The combined winning percentage of the Bulldogs next eight opponents is .702 (127-54) and half of those teams were featured in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association poll including No. 8 Drury, No. 14 Rockhurst, No. 23 Lewis, and Illinois Springfield (received 23 votes). Excluding the non-conference matchup with Lindenwood and the road trip to Missouri S&T, the other six opponents of those eight join Truman in the top seven of the GLVC standings. Like we said, it's crunch time.
Up Next
Truman will host Rockhurst on Tuesday (7 p.m.) before trips to Missouri S&T on Friday (7 p.m.) and Drury on Saturday (3 p.m.). GLVCSN coverage and live stats will be available for all matches right here at TrumanBulldogs.com.
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