MOUNT PLESANT, Mich. – Riding a three-match winning streak, EKU will open play on Friday at the Chippewa Invitational against undefeated Central Michigan.
 
The tilt with the Chippewas will start at 12:30 p.m.  The Colonels will play Green Bay at 5 p.m. on Friday.  EKU wraps up the event against Southeast Missouri on Saturday at 12 p.m.  All three matches will air live on ESPN+.
 
THE COLONELS
-  The Colonels (4-2) are coming off three wins in the Geri Polvino Invitational last weekend in Richmond.  EKU beat Morehead State (3-1), Radford (3-1) and Youngstown State (3-0) to claim the GPI Championship.
 
-  Paige Wagers was chosen as the Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.  The senior dominated in the middle with 2.18 blocks per set.  She blocked 24 attempts in 11 sets, and also averaged 1.27 kills per set.
 
-  Wagers leads the ASUN and ranks 10th in the nation with 1.67 blocks per set.
 
-  As a team, EKU leads the ASUN in points (17.10/set).  The Colonels are second in hitting percentage (.212), second in blocks (2.62/set), third in opponents hitting percentage (.168), fourth in aces (1.76/set) and fourth in kills (12.71/set).
 
-  Sarah Mitchell was selected as the Geri Polvino Invitational MVP and to the All-Tournament Team.  She averaged 3.18 kills, 3.45 digs, 0.45 aces and 0.18 blocks per set.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
-  Central Michigan is 6-0 with wins over Lindenwood (3-2), Illinois State (3-1), Bellarmine (3-0), Albany (3-1), Farleigh Dickinson (3-1) and Iona (3-1).  The Colonels beat Iona, 3-0, at the Boston College Invitational.  Natalia Rejment, a 5-foot-10 junior outside hitter, leads the team with 2.59 kills per set, has a .279 attack percentage and is second on the team with 2.91 digs per set.  
 
-  Green Bay is 1-5 overall with its lone win coming against Northern Arizona.  EKU and Green Bay have both played Texas Tech.  Cora Behnke, a 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter, leads the team with 2.70 kills per set. 
 
-  Southeast Missouri is 2-4, having picked up its first two wins of the season last weekend against Austin Peay (3-1) and Lehigh (3-0).  Sophomore outside hitter Lucy Arndt (2.74/set) and right side Abby Johnson (2.61/set) lead the team in kills.  Freshman middle blocker Alaina Lester averages 1.09 blocks per set.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  EKU is 4-3 all-time against Central Michigan, but the two programs have not met since 2001. 
 
-  This will be the first meeting between the Colonels and Green Bay. 
 
-  Southeast Missouri is 38-9 against EKU.  The two teams last met in 2020.