GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL WEEKEND PREVIEW
Gorilla Classic – Pittsburg, Kansas
Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m. vs Southwest Baptist
Friday, Sept. 6, 11:30 a.m. vs East Central
Friday, Sept. 6, 4:30 p.m. vs Western Colorado
Saturday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m. vs Midwestern State
 
ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Griffon volleyball team will head to Pittsburg, Kansas this week as they will compete in the Gorilla Classic.
 
Over the first three days of the season, the Griffons will play four teams: Southwest Baptist, East Central, Western Colorado and Midwestern State at John Lance Arena. It is the first of nine-straight matches away from St. Joseph to start the season for MWSU. The Griffons went 15-17 last year, including two sweeps of Southwest Baptist, who they will open up the 2019 season against. This year's team features nine newcomers along with nine returners. Junior Ali Tauchen is a two-time All-MIAA perfomer in the middle. Senior setter Lauren Murphy also has two All-MIAA honors heading into her final season. Missouri Western is two seasons off one of the best in program history, sharing the MIAA regular season championship with Nebraska-Kearney and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Central Region Championships. 
 
Southwest Baptist will be the first match-up on Thursday. The Bearcats were 4-27 in 2018, with zero wins coming in conference play. SBU is now a full-time member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference coming from the MIAA, so the Griffons will be familiar with their first opponent of the tournament.
 
On Friday, the Griffons will take on East Central and Western Colorado. East Central had a record of 0-28 in 2018, while Western Colorado put up a record of 2-24 with a 1-17 conference record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
To round out the tournament, the Griffons will play Midwestern State on Saturday. The Mustangs finished with a 5-23 record in 2018 with a 3-17 record in the Lone Star Conference.