A quick look down the roster of Penn State's women's volleyball team and its midwestern feel is hard to miss.

There's Cara Smith and Amy Morris from Indiana, Sam Tortorello, Robyn Guokas, Kim Holm, Hilary Sexton and Tina Huisenga from Illinois to go along with Ashley Pederson from South Dakota and Erin Iceman from Ohio.

It's a midwestern team playing in a midwestern conference.

So when the No. 9 Nittany Lions (12-1, 2-0 Big Ten) make a trip to the heartland, as they will tonight and tomorrow with matches against Illinois (7-4, 1-1) and Purdue (9-5, 0-2), they are bonded with the other team by more than just competition.

Rival coaches were involved in the respective recruiting wars, ultimately won by Penn State women's volleyball coach Russ Rose.

Players that are enemies on the court for the duration of the match are once again friends at its conclusion, reliving high school and club competition and the good times that came with them.

"It's going to be really exciting to go back to the Midwest," said Tortorello, who knows numerous players on both the Purdue and Illinois rosters. "Purdue's setter went to a cross-town high school of mine and we used to be rival, but now we're friends. It'll be good to see her."

And families that are so devoted they routinely make the trip to Pennsylvania will be in even more force to see their kids play.

"A lot of the players like playing on the road in the Big Ten," Rose said. "Their friends and family are in the stands and things are that much more exciting."

It sounds like a pleasant homecoming, and it is. Except for the volleyball.

There are no easy matches in the Big Ten and things just get tougher when they're played on the road.

Rowdy fans, loud bands and stiff competition can turn trips into nightmares and shatter seasons.

For the Lions, the tricky pair of matches this weekend can quickly put an end to any confidence and good feelings that came out of last weekend's sweep of Indiana and Ohio State.

Setter Sue Webber and middle blocker Lisa Argabright lead the Illini. Webber is coming off a brilliant performance in a win over Wisconsin last Saturday and will look to dictate the match against Penn State.

"I think Sue Webber is their best all-around player," Rose said.

"She really solidified their entire team in the second half of last season. She is very versatile and can do a lot of things well."

Argabright, standing at 6-foot-5, presents a different type of challenge.

"We don't really have anyone that can replicate her in practice," Rose said. "Her size will definitely pose a problem."

Both Illinois and Purdue got off to slow starts this year but have rallied.

Purdue came up with a crucial victory over Notre Dame while Illinois did the same with Wisconsin.

"That win was huge for our team," Illinois head coach Don Hardin said. "It shows we have players with a lot of character and won't take disappointment lying down."

The Lions are coming off a couple of tough practices and lineup changes are expected.

The season is getting old and players are getting sick and banged up.

But that's nothing a quick trip home can't fix.