GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL MIAA TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
When: Friday, Nov. 17, 5 p.m. vs No. 12 Central Oklahoma
Where: Kearney, Nebraska
Live Stats | Watch | Listen
 
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon volleyball will look to add to their best season in nearly 20 years. Missouri Western plays in its first ever MIAA Championship semifinal match on Friday evening in Kearney, Nebraska.
 
Missouri Western and No. 12 Central Oklahoma played once this season on Oct. 13 in Edmond, Oklahoma. MWSU knocked off UCO in a five-set thriller, which started their current 12-match winning streak. The winning streak is the longest since 1995. Marian Carbin, 2017 MIAA Coach of the Year, can win her 100^th career game as a head coach, if the Griffons knock off UCO. She would be the fourth coach in program history with 100 wins.
 
MWSU appeared, for the first time this season, in the latest NCAA Central Region rankings at ninth. The Griffons can bolster their postseason resume with a win against the Bronchos who are sixth in the regional poll. Nebraska Kearney is third in the Central Region and is on the opposite side of the MIAA Championship bracket.
 
MISSOURI WESTERN
Missouri Western is 23-9 on the season and 16-2 in the MIAA … Lauren Murphy ranks 6th in Division II for assists (1,255) and 11^th in assists per set (11.62) … Stephanie Doak is third in the MIAA for kills per set (3.76) and third for total kills (421) … Kayla Ruff ranks fourth in the conference for digs per set (5.18) and fifth in total digs (601) … Ali Tauchen is fourth in the league for total blocks (123), block assists (106) and fifth for blocks per set (1.06) and sixth in solo blocks (17) … Rachel Losch ranks seventh in the MIAA for kills (218) and ninth for hitting percentage (.283)

As a team, the Griffons are 9th in Division II for team assists (1,482) and 13^th for team kills (1,566) … MWSU is third in the MIAA in digs per set (17.90) … fourth in the league for hitting percentage (.223), kills per set (13.50), assists per set (12.78) and digs (2,076) … fifth in the conference for service aces (132) … Missouri Western beat then No. 7 Central Oklahoma 3-2 on Oct. 13 in Edmond, Oklahoma
 
#12 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
The Bronchos are 29-4 on the season and 15-3 in the MIAA … UCO leads the MIAA in hitting percentage (.253) … third in assists per set (12.85) and kills per set (13.86) … fourth in blocks per set (2.13) … fifth for service aces per set (1.17), digs (1,906) and digs per set (17.65) … Central Oklahoma swept Lindenwood in the MIAA Championship quarterfinal on Tuesday, Nov. 14 in Edmond, Oklahoma
 
UP NEXT
If Missouri Western wins, it will advance to the MIAA Championship final on Saturday, Nov. 18 in Kearney, Nebraska at 6 p.m.