ST. LOUIS, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis volleyball team has announced its 2015 schedule, which features a 32-match slate, including 10 matches against teams that earned 2014 NCAA Tournament bids.
 
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Ryan Young, UMSL is coming off a 16-12 record a year ago, including an 11-7 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
 
The Tritons will open their 41^st season of intercollegiate play in Pensacola, Fla., September 4-5, at the Hampton Inn-vitational, hosted by West Florida. All four opponents UMSL will face, which includes St. Leo, the host Argonauts, Bridgeport and Southwest Minnesota State, are coming off NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
The season-opening road trek continues the following weekend with four matches at the Lindenwood Invitational September 11-12 before the GLVC slate opens on the road September 18-19 at Saint Joseph's and Indianapolis, respectively. UIndy will be one of six GLVC opponents the Tritons will face which earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, along with McKendree, Truman State, Rockhurst, Lewis and Missouri S&T.
 
UMSL will finally get to play at home on September 25, hosting Wisconsin-Parkside in the start of a three-match homestand, that also includes Lewis (September 26) and Lindenwood (September 29).
 
Other home contests for UMSL Maryville (October 6), William Jewell Jewell (October 23), Rockhurst (October 24), McKendree (October 30) and Illinois Springfield (October 31), Missouri S&T (November 13) and Drury (November 14).
 
The remaining road schedule takes the Tritons to Drury (October 2), Missouri S&T (October 3), Bellarmine (November 6), Southern Indiana (November 7), Kentucky Wesleyan (November 8) and Maryville (November 10). UMSL will also play a mid-season neutral site game against Southern Arkansas in Rolla, Mo. on October 3.
 
For the fifth straight year, the Tritons will again compete in the GLVC-GLIAC Crossover Challenge. The tournament runs Friday-Saturday, Oct. 16-17 in Aurora, Ill.
 
UMSL will return three starters, along with a pair of key reserves. Senior setter Lindsay Meyer started all 28 matches, averaging 9.63 assists and 3.05 digs per set, while senior middle blockers Hannah Miller (2.10 kpg, 0.66 bpg) and Jessica Ploss (1.74 kpg, 0.95 bpg) were mainstays in the lineup. Senior outside hitter Carly Ochs averaged a team-best 2.38 kills per set, while senior defensive specialist/libero Erin Walker heads the backline after averaging 2.61 digs per set.