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FLASH POINTS
- Saint Francis opens the season at the Eastern Illinois Panther Invite
- The Red Flash open with the host Panthers before play Valparaiso on Friday and Fresno State and Iona on Saturday
- SFU was picked to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference for the second-straight year
2018 EIU Panther Invitational Schedule (All times EST)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 24
Fresno State vs. Valparaiso… 11 a.m.
EIU vs. Saint Francis…1:30 p.m.
Saint Francis vs. Valparaiso… 5 p.m.
EIU vs. Fresno State…8 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25
Valparaiso vs. Iona… 11:30 a.m.
Fresno State vs. Saint Francis …1:30 p.m.
Iona vs. Saint Francis...5 p.m.
EIU vs. Valparaiso…8 p.m.
LORETTO, PA- The Red Flash start off the 2018 campaign on the road with four matches at the EIU Panther Invite hosted by Eastern Illinois.
Saint Francis will start the season with the host Panthers in the second match of the tournament at 1:30 eastern time on Friday. The night session on Friday night will feature the Red Flash taking on the Crusaders from Valparaiso at 5 p.m. On Saturday, Saint Francis is back at it at 1:30 in the afternoon taking on Fresno State before closing their opening weekend with the Iona Gaels at 5 p.m.
SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
Saint Francis is coming off a 12-15 season that included a 6-8 mark in the Northeast Conference. The Red Flash graduated four starters including a pair of All-NEC performers. In comes a nine-player freshman class. In a pre-season scrimmage, the Red Flash got 10-kill performances from freshmen
Nicole Adams (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa East) and
Keara McGraw (Austin, TX/James Bowie), while newcomer
Madi Tyus (Plano, TX/Bishop Lynch) had nine. Sophomore
Emily Pieper (Paonia, Colo./Paonia) chipped in eight. The Red Flash will be an energetic, young team with 13 underclassmen.
SCOUTING EIU
The Panthers come into 2018 off a 15-15 season that saw them go 9-9 in the Ohio Valley Conference and were picked eighth in the OVC in the pre-season poll. Taylor Smith is a do-everything player for the Panthers and earned pre-season all-conference honors. The outside hitter/setter has led the NCAA in triple-doubles in each of the last two seasons. The Red Flash will have to keep an eye on Anne Hughes who led the Panthers in digs last season and had 10 in EIU's pre-season sweep of Southern Illinois.
SCOUTING VALPO
The Crusaders are coming off a 17-15 season that saw them go 8-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Valpo was picked fifth in the MVC pre-season poll. The Crusaders return outside hitter Katherine Carlson who was second on the team with 306 kills last season. She led the Crusaders with 14 kills in an exhibition win over UW-Milwaukee in the pre-season. Valpo brings back three players who had over 400 digs last year. As a team the Crusaders averaged over 20 digs per set.
SCOUTING FRESNO
The Bulldogs went 12-18 last year including 7-11 in the Mountain West and are picked to finish seventh in the conference this season. Fresno will introduce new head coach Jonathan Winder who inherits a team that returns five starters. They return their top four scorers from last year, led by Taylor Slover who 349 kills and 413 points.
SCOUTING IONA
The Gaels went 16-18 a season ago and 11-7 in the Metro Atlantic. They were picked to finish second in the MAAC behind Fairfield. Outside hitter Claire Archibald earn the MAAC Co-Preseason Player of the Year honors after leading the conference with 61 service aces and finishing 33
rd in the NCAA with 484 kills. Reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year is coming off a 332 -kill, 89 block-season.
FOLLOW ALONG
Every match of the EIU Panther Invite will have live stats, the link is available at the top of the story and on the volleyball schedule page. You can also follow on Twitter @RedFlashVB for live updates and graphics all Invite long.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Francis heads to the Bluegrass State next weekend as they play in the Eagle Invite hosted by Morehead State. The Red Flash will take on the host Eagles and Wright State on Friday before wrapping up the Invite with Mercer on Saturday.
