DAYTON - The University of Dayton volleyball team will open the 2017 Dayton Invitational against No. 25 Iowa State Friday night at Frericks Center. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Friday's match will be the first of three over the weekend followed by Iowa State-Pittsburgh Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and Dayton-Pittsburgh Sunday at 1 p.m. Admission is free.

Promotions
- Youth Volleyball Night
- Youth Meet and Greet post-match
- Post-match autographs

About Dayton
For the second-consecutive week, Dayton (3-1) is receiving votes in the AVCA Top 25 Poll and has now posted three-straight wins. The Flyers opened the home portion of its 2017 schedule on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over the visiting Ohio Bobcats. Dayton's leading attacker is junior Lauren Bruns with 3.73 kills/set (4th A-10) while senior Amber Erhahon (.453, 1st A-10) and junior Kendyll Brown (.418, 2nd A-10) are both hitting above .400 with at least 2.00 kills/set each. Junior Margo Wolf continues to lead the team in passing with 4.27 digs/set (6th A-10) while Erhahon averages a team-best 1.60 blocks/set (1st A-10).

Scouting Iowa State
Iowa State (3-0) has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2013, earning it a spot at No. 25 in the AVCA national poll. The Cyclones are coming off their 11th-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and are led offensively by Samara West with 2.83 kills/set followed closely by Grace Lazard with 2.78 kills/set. Monique Harris is the team's primary setter with 8.56 assists/set while Hali Hillegas is the team's most prolific passer with 4.89 digs/set.

Series Stuff
Iowa State and Dayton have previously met five times with the Cyclones holding a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series. The two last met in Ames to open the 2015 season (8/28) with ISU claiming a 3-1 win over UD.

RPI Rankings
In the final NCAA Rating Percentage Index (RPI) of 2016 posted Monday, Nov. 28, Dayton came in at 33 according to NCAA.com. Iowa State was ranked 37 at the end of last season. 2017's first RPI ranking will be released by the NCAA on Oct. 2.

Flyer Facts
• Tim Horsmon is in his ninth season overall, and fourth since 2007, as head coach of the Flyers in 2017. His record at Dayton is 218-58 and his career win-loss mark sits at 394-222 in 19 seasons as a head coach. Horsmon is the program's second-winningest coach behind only R. Elaine Dreidame who amassed 310 wins 1970-79.
• Over the last eight seasons (2009-2016), the Flyers have recorded a 106-9 (.923) mark in Atlantic 10 Conference play, including a perfect 14-0 mark in 2016, 2015 and 2012 and a 15-0 record in 2010. UD suffered only one conference loss in 2014, 2011 and 2009.
• Dayton has won the Atlantic 10 Regular Season title 13 times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1998). The Flyers have won the A-10 Championship title a league-record 11 times (2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003) and made their 12th NCAA appearance in program history in 2016.
• The 2016 NCAA DI winning percentage statistical national champion, as a team Dayton finished last season ranked 10th in hitting percentage (.277), 10th in kills/set (14.39) and 11th in assists/set (13.5). Individually, Kendyll Brown ranked second nationally with a .431 hitting percentage while Amber Erhahon was seventh with a .423 hitting percentage. Setter Jane Emmenecker ranked 28th in the NCAA with 10.97 assists/set.
• The Flyers finished the 2016 regular season with a 28-1 overall record and a 14-0 Atlantic 10 mark, finishing in first place in regular-season league play. 2016 is the program's 38th winning season.

Last Time Out
Dayton battled Ohio on Tuesday night in the Flyers' 2017 home opener. Junior Lauren Bruns led all attackers with 18 kills to go with six digs and four blocks. As a team, the Flyers posted 18.0 blocks to the Bobcats' eight. Also for UD, seniors Amber Erhahon (nine Kills, 11 blocks) and Jane Emmenecker (35 assists, nine digs) were both just one off double-doubles for the match.