The Muskies and Scarlet Hawks meet for the sixth time as conference foes since IIT joined the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2018. Lakeland has won 7 of the last 8 meetings between the teams, including the last two years both on Tech's homecourt in Chicago, both in four sets. Last year the Muskies posted a 25-18, 25-23, 22-25, 25-13 win as Susana Stevens registered 13 kills nad Maeve Sullivan totaled 24 digs. The last meeting at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium came Oct. 23, 2021, and the Scarlet Hawks picked up a three-set sweep behind 10 kills by Briar Moore.

Lakeland last time out: Won at MSOE 3-2 Thursday
Susana Stevens added to her superlatives this season and the Muskies won a five-set match in conference play for the second time, this time after dropping the first two sets to the Raiders. Lakeland rallied for a 16-25, 25-27, 25-13, 25-23, 15-12 win, and Stevens tied a school single-match record with 25 kills. Stevens equaled a record set 28 years ago by Pam Adleman back in 1996. More career highs included Briuna Harper posting 11 kills, Ryan Figi finishing with 29 digs and Sydney Gay tying her season best with 42 assists. Rylee Esquibel and Caitlyn Pernsteiner both also chipped in nine kills and Isabella Westerholm also added a season-high eight kills.

The Muskies bounced back from their first NACC loss at Aurora last weekend and moved to 4-1 in conference after posting a 2-13 record in non-conference matches. Lakeland continues to have the 39th ranked strength of schedule in NCAA Division III according to the Massey Ratings, and the Muskies have played eight matches against teams in the top 50, seven of those out of conference.

Illinois Tech last time out: Lost to Benedictine 3-1 Wednesday
The Scarlet Hawks dropped their fourth straight match overall, falling to the Eagles 27-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-15 at home. IIT hit just .055 for the match with 34 attack errors and lost its fourth straight in NACC play since a sweep of MSOE in its conference opener. Karla Trautmann Mendez finished with 12 kills and 12 digs, Ana Jones added 10 kills and Anna Elena Sofia Sebastio recorded 41 digs, the ninth-most in a four-set match in Division III so far this season.

Illinois Tech has had a season somewhat the opposite of Lakeland's, posting a strong record out of conference but struggling in the NACC, though the Scarlet Hawks' four league losses are to teams with a combined 18-2 record in conference so far. IIT finished 7-19 overall a year ago but posted a 6-7 record in the NACC and qualified for the NACC Tournament.