GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL 2018 HOME OPENING WEEKEND
Friday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m. vs. #9 Central Missouri
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2 p.m. vs Lindenwood
ST. JOSEPH - After 11 matches away from St. Joseph to open the season, Griffon Volleyball returns home this weekend, hosting No. 9-ranked Central Missouri and Lindenwood in the new-look MWSU Fieldhouse.
Prior to Friday's match against Central Missouri, the Griffons will unveil two new banners for the rafters of the fieldhouse: the 2017 MIAA Champions banner and the 2017 NCAA Central Regional banner. The banners will hang in an entirely new-look fieldhouse that recently underwent phase two of a total renovation. This weekend, fans will find all new seating in the fieldhouse along with a 360-degree rebranding of the arena.
If the cosmetics of the arena aren't enough of a draw for the fans, Friday night, the action on the court should live up to the hype. Missouri Western was picked second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll and Central Missouri was picked fourth. Both have been ranked in the AVCA top-25 most of the season so far with Central Missouri climbing inside the top-10 this week. The Griffons could be seeking redemption for a 3-2 loss to the Jennies in the third place match of the Colorado Premier Challenge on Sept. 1. Through the first three weeks of the season, the two teams are nearly neck-and-neck in every statistical category.
PREVIEWING THE GRIFFONS (7-4)
Missouri Western dropped out of the AVCA top-25 after two-straight weeks in the poll. The Griffons went 3-2 last weekend at the 2018 Jet Classic hosted by Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. Missouri Western started the weekend with impressive three-set victories over Arkansas-Fort Smith and Newman before a dramatic five-set loss to St. Edward's.
The Griffons enter the weekend hitting .230 as a team and averaging 14 kills per set. The team's kills per set average ranks third in the MIAA, less than one kill per set less than Central Missouri which ranks second. With all those kills, opponents haven't been able to rack up many blocks against the Griffons. MWSU ranks second in the conference with opponents averaging just 1.55 blocks per set. A couple more stats with a stark correlation: Missouri Western ranks fourth in the MIAA, averaging 17.47 digs per set while opponents' 0.79 aces per set average is the fourth lowest in the conference.
Stephanie Doak sits second in the MIAA, averaging 4.11 kills per set and is coming off a career-high 26-kill performance against St. Edward's.
Lauren Murphy is averaging 11.69 assists per set, good for the most in the MIAA. In her first season as the team's libero,
Audrey Keim leads the MIAA with 5.53 digs per set.
PREVIEWING CENTRAL MISSOURI (9-2)
The Jennies have traveled a similar road as the Griffons early in the season, finishing third at the Colorado Premier Challenge and going 3-0 last weekend at the Jet Classic against the same three teams Missouri Western faced. UCM is hitting .223 and averaging 14.3 kills per set. The Jennies are currently the fifth best blocking team in the MIAA, averaging 1.93 blocks per set.
Audrey Fisher leads the team with 3.29 kills per set and was named MIAA Hitter of the Week the first two weeks of the season. Ally Offerdahl was the MIAA Specialist of the Week in each of the season's first two weeks. She averages 10.55 assists per set. Hannah Engelken averages 1.14 blocks per set and Abby Skastins averages 4.69 digs per set.
PREVIEWING LINDENWOOD (8-2)
The Lions are off to an 8-2 start with losses to No. 2 Northern State and Illinois-Springfield. Lindenwood is coming off a 1-1 week with trips to GLVC foes McKendree and Illinois Springfield. As a team, Lindenwood is hitting .250 and averaging 12.76 kills per set.
Bailey Dvorak and Alexa Pressley are both averaging 2.76 kills per set to tie for the team lead. Allyson Clancy is the team's primary setter and averages 10.36 assists per set. Pressley also leads the team with 1.39 digs per set and Dvorak averages 1.36. Sadie Kosciuk leads the team with 1.36 blocks per set.
