ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Griffon Volleyball begins its first full MIAA road trip weekend with conference clashes against Missouri Southern on Friday and Pittsburg State on Saturday.

Fans can watch both games on the MIAA Network and follow along with live stats by clicking on tabs to the side.

MWSU DIVES DEEPER INTO MIAA SLATE

The Griffons (3-7, 0-2 MIAA) started MIAA competition last Friday, Sept. 9 at Bearcat Arena vs. now No. 13 Northwest Missouri in a 3-0 loss. It only got tougher for MWSU the next day, as now No. 16 Central Missouri came to the MWSU Fieldhouse and walked with a 3-0 victory of its own. 

Junior Danielle Moje leads her Griffons with 96 kills this season, good for 13th in the MIAA. Sophomore Lily Kurz is providing a big presence at the net this season, notching a team-high 34 blocks that puts her at fourth in the conference. Just as a freshman, Lia Graham leads the Griffons with 133 digs that places her 14th in the MIAA, 

9/16 - SCOUTING SOUTHERN

Missouri Western plays Missouri Southern (5-6, 0-2 MIAA) on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center in Joplin, Missouri. The Griffons have secured a stranglehold over their rivalry with Southern as of late, holding a lifetime record of 67-28-2 vs MSSU, winning the past five matches as well holding a 9-1 record in the last ten contests. From 2010 to 2018, MWSU rattled off 15-straight wins vs. their conference counterpart.

However, the Griffons and Lions are knotted at 14-14 when playing in Joplin. The 15-match streak of the 2010s finally ended in a 3-2 Lion home win on Sept, 22, 2018. Southern bolsters three sharpshooters with over 100 kills on the season, as Fernada Canedo (137), Amelia Neels (116) and Irina Alekseeva (114) are the Lions' main points off attack so far this season. Canedo's 137 kills and 149 points are both the third most in the MIAA. 

9/17 - SCOUTING PITT STATE

Griffon Volleyball will play Pitt State on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 2 p.m. at John Lance Arena in Pittsburg, Kansas. While MWSU is 8-2 in its last 10 meetings with Pitt, the Gorillas hold the advantage at home with a 15-12 record vs. Griffons at John Lance Arena. Missouri Western's historical success, however, does hold up with a 58-23-1 record vs. Pitt dating back to 1976.

The Griffons were winners of seven consecutive matches from 2015 to 2021 until the Gorillas grabbed a 3-2 win last season on Oct. 23 in Pittsburg. To repeat their efforts, Pitt will rely on attackers such as Jane Thurston and Seville Gates, who carry 115 and 101 kills respectively. Thurston's 3.60 point per set is the fifth best average in the MIAA, while Marissa Bates' 236 digs and 5.76 per set are both good for second in the conference.

THIS WEEKEND IN GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL HISTORY

The last time MWSU played games on Sept. 16 and 17, the Griffons totaled back-to-back-to-back-to-back victories that were part of 2016's season-high six-match winning streak. The Griffons took down Southeastern Oklahoma State and South Nazarene with consecutive sweeps during day one of the GAC-MIAA Crossover Tournament. Day two saw the Griffons sweep Northwestern Oklahoma State while conceding their only set loss in a 3-1 triumph of over Southwestern Oklahoma State.