Ohio continues its stint on the road this weekend at the Red & White Invitational hosted by Illinois State in Normal, Illinois. It will look to better its 0-2 record with a match on Friday and two matches on Saturday.
Friday
Opponent: Illinois State
Time: 5:30 p.m.
What to know: The Redbirds are currently 0-3 after losing all three of their matches in the JMU Invitational.
Who to watch for:
- Outside hitter Tamara Otene led the Redbirds in kills in their matches against High Point and Virginia Commonwealth. The sophomore brings an immense amount of power to the table.
- Outside hitter Sarah Kushner’s versatility makes her a force to be reckoned with on the court. Kushner was the third-best or better for kills, blocks, assists and digs in the Redbirds’ matches against High Point and Virginia Commonwealth.
How to watch: ESPN+
Stats: Live stats are provided here
Saturday
Match One
Opponent: Marquette
Time: 2 p.m.
What to know: The Golden Eagles are the second nationally-ranked team the Bobcats are facing this season. The Golden Eagles, led by former Bobcat coach Ryan Theis, are ranked No. 25 in the NCAA. They are currently 3-0 this season after defeating Texas A&M, Hawaii and Fairfield in the Rainbow Wahine Classic.
Who to watch for:
Right-side hitter and setter Taylor Wolf leads Marquette in kills, digs, assists and service aces. Wolf brings an immense amount of experience to the court as a graduate student and was nominated to the All-Big East Preseason Team.
Middle blocker Savannah Rennie is the Golden Eagles leader in blocks and has the second-most kills on the team. She is also a graduate student who was nominated to the All-Big East Preseason Team.
Stats: Live stats are provided here
Match Two
Opponent: University of Illinois-Chicago
Time: 7 p.m.
What to know: The Flames are 1-2 on the season after playing in the Top Dawg Challenge. They defeated Bowling Green 3-1, but were swept by Indiana and lost to Butler 3-1.
Who to watch for:
Paola Santiago has eight service aces so far this season. She also leads the Flames in kills and digs. Santiago is an outside hitter from Puerto Rico who was named to the Horizon League All-League First Team in the 2020-21 season. She is an effective hitter and will bring the heat in the front row.
Setter Morgan Kull led the Flames in assists in all three matches this season. She sets the hitters up for success but also contributes to the defensive side of things. She was tied for the most digs in Illinois-Chicago’s match against Butler.
Stats: Live stats are provided here.
