THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL
Thursday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m. at Emporia State
Saturday, Sept. 28, 3 p.m. at Washburn
 
ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Volleyball (6-4, 0-2 MIAA) will travel for two conference games this week. On Thursday night they will play Emporia State and on Saturday they will travel to No. 5 Washburn.
 
The Griffons are looking to bounce back into the win column after losing in four sets to No. 12 Central Missouri Friday night, their third straight loss to a ranked opponent.
 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS
 

• Missouri Western places top-five in the MIAA in hitting percentage with an average of .233.
• The Griffons also have the fourth-best average for aces per set in the league with 1.47.
• Ali Tauchen has the second-best averages for both hitting percentage and kills in the MIAA. Her hitting percentage is .372, while she averages 3.62 kills.
• Tauchen is also top-five in the MIAA in aces per set with a rate .41.
• Lauren Murphy is fourth in the conference in assists average with a rate of 10.18.
• Tiana Butler has the second-best average for digs per set with a frequency of 5.58. Her average is also 27^th best in all of Division II.

 
SCOUTING EMPORIA
 

• Emporia is still looking for their first conference win of 2019 after dropping matches to Nebraska-Kearney, Fort Hays State, and Washburn in the last week.
• The Hornets have the third highest rate of blocks per set in the MIAA with 1.86.
• Aliyah Bernard is ranked top-five in the conference in hitting percentage with .342.
• Bernard also is top-five in the league in blocks per set with a rate of .88.
• Emma Dixon is top-10 in the MIAA in assists per set with a rate of 8.6.

 
SCOUTING WASHBURN
 

• The Ichabods lead the MIAA in aces, assists, blocks, and kills per set. Their assists and kills averages are top-15 in all of Division II.
• Allison Sadler leads the league in assist average with a rate of 11.09. Her average is also top-15 in Division II.
• Taylor Antonowich also is second in the MIAA in aces per set with a rate of .44.
• Kelsey Gordon is third in the conference in hitting percentage with .353.
• Faith Rottinghaus is third in the MIAA in digs per set with a rate of 5.32.

 
LOOKING AHEAD
 
The Griffons will return home next week to take on Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern Oct. 3 and Oct. 5.