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INDIANAPOLIS – The 2021 spring home opener will feature Butler hosting Indiana State this Thursday night at 6 PM. The first volleyball match inside Hinkle Fieldhouse since Nov. 23, 2019 will stream for free on the Butler Athletics YouTube page. It will also reignite an in-state rivalry between two teams that have not met since the 2016 campaign.
 
Scouting Indiana State
The Sycamores are off to a 1-1 start to the spring season. They split a pair of home matches to Evansville to end the month of January. Indiana State lost 3-0 (20-25, 23-25, 25-27) in the first match and came back with a 3-1 win four days later (25-22, 19-25, 25-14, 25-22). Madeline Williams and Mallory Keller each average over three kills per set for head coach Lindsay Allman. Chloe Mason and Mary Hannah Lewis will each help set up the action. Defensively, Melina Tedrow is the team leader in digs (27) and Williams has a team-best five blocks.
 
Last Match vs. the Sycamores
Butler recorded a 3-1 win over Indiana State on Sept. 13, 2016 (25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 25-18). Anna Logan led all players with 18 kills. Makayla Ferguson and Brooke Gregory were each credited with double-doubles.
 
All-Time Series vs. Indiana State
Butler leads the all-time series 17-7. The Bulldogs won the last meeting in 2016, but the Sycamores won the 2012 season opener vs. BU at the DePaul Invite 3-1.
 
Davidson Tabbed BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Davidson played a big role at the net for Butler averaging 1.46 blocks per set over three matches for a total of 19. In the Bulldogs' 3-2 win over Bellarmine, Davidson blocked nine attempts against the Knights. Davidson and the Butler defense held opponents to .116 hitting percentage, a league-best.
 
Robinson Lands on BIG EAST Honor Roll
Last Friday, Robinson became the first Bulldog to notch 20 kills in a match since Oct. 27, 2018. She posted 20 in the setback at Loyola and would wrap up the weekend with 19 in the five-set win at Bellarmine. She averaged league best 3.67 kills per set, hit at a .181 clip and added three service aces.
 
Double-Double Tracker
Madison Friebel (2)
- 30 Assists, 14 Digs vs. Valpo (1/29)
- 55 Assists, 19 Digs at Loyola (1/29)

Brittany Robinson (2)
- 20 Kills, 14 Digs at Loyola (1/29)
- 19 Kills, 10 Digs at Bellarmine (1/31)
 
13-for-13
Five Bulldogs played in all 13 sets last week. Madison Friebel, Jaymeson Kinley, Caroline Cleveland, Amina Shackelford, and Melody Davidson. Of those five student-athletes, only Davidson was on the roster last year.
 
Home Matches
Butler will have five home matches remaining on the spring schedule after the completion of the Indiana State game. BU will host Cincinnati on Saturday, Feb. 20 to wrap up their non-conference slate. That match will begin at 2 PM inside Hinkle Fieldhouse. Nationally-ranked BIG EAST opponents will also visit Indianapolis in March. #25 Marquette and #19 Creighton will each play two matches vs. BU. The Golden Eagles head to Hinkle on March 5. The Bluejays will visit March 12.  
 
Up Next
Butler added a mid-week match for next week. The team will now travel to Saint Louis on Tuesday, Feb. 9 to face the Billikens at 5 PM.