ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Griffon Volleyball hits the road to take on No. 18 Central Oklahoma on Friday and Newman on Saturday as the race for the conference playoffs heats up. 

The Griffons fell to No. 7 Nebraska-Kearney last time they took the court, playing the top-10 Lopers tight all the way through. The first two sets saw MWSU hang with UNK before falling 25-23 in both sets. 

The last set a close encounter as well, with the Griffons falling 25-19. Katherine White, Danielle Moje, and Jessica Hendrix all finished with nine kills to lead the Griffons. 

RACE TO CIVIC ARENA
The Griffons are currently a half-game ahead of the Tigers of Fort Hays State for the last MIAA playoff spot. The Lions of Missouri Southern are only a half-game ahead of the Griffons, and Pittsburg State is mathematically still within reach for MWSU, sitting three games ahead of the Griffons. 

The MIAA volleyball tournament will be headed to Civic Arena in St. Joseph, with first serve of the conference championships set to begin on Nov. 10

10/28 - SCOUTING NO. 18 UCO
The Bronchos (22-4, 12-4 MIAA) come into the match against Missouri Western ranked No. 18 in the country. They are 5-1 against ranked opponents this season.

History has not been on the Griffons side' when playing UCO, with the Bronchos winning 14 and the Griffons winning six. The caveat to that record is the Griffons are only 2-4 in Edmond, with their last win at UCO coming in 2017 over the then No. 7 ranked Bronchos, a year that saw the Griffons knock UCO out of the conference tournament a month later. 

 The Bronchos currently lead the conference in points, with 1755. Lari Migliorino is third in the conference in hitting percentage, sitting at 34.9%. Lindsey Houran leads the conference in assists with 1174, and Mallorie Koehn is seventh in the MIAA with 33 aces. 

First serve is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. in Edmond. 

10/29 - SCOUTING NEWMAN
The Jets (8-18, 3-13 MIAA) sit in eleventh in the MIAA. Currently, they are two games back of the Griffons. 

Ozioma Ajekwu leads the Jets in hitting percentage at 26.3% and blocks with 35, good for second in the MIAA. McKinzie Weaver sits at 1000 assists for the season, putting her in fifth in the conference, and Riley Daugherty has 307 kills, good for eighth in the MIAA.

The Griffons have been good against the Jets, with a record of 10-1 overall. Missouri Western is 2-1 at Fugate Gymnasium all time, and 9-1 in the last 10 matchups against Newman. The only loss the Griffons have in the series was a back-and-forth 3-2 loss last year in Wichita. 

First serve is slated for Saturday at 1 p.m. in Wichita. 

THIS DAY IN GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL HISTORY: 10/28 & 10/29
The 2014 season saw one of the best MWSU teams in program history sweep the Lions of Lindenwood University in convincing manor on Oct. 28 by a score of 3-0 at MWSU Fieldhouse. Jessie Thorup lead the Griffons with 16 kills, while Jordan Chohon had 41 assists. 

Oct. 29 of 2006 was a day that saw the Griffons beat the Bearcats of Northwest Missouri State in five sets, coming behind from a 2-1 deficit to in 3-2 in a thriller at MWSU Fieldhouse.