ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — After a 4-1 road trip, Griffon Volleyball returns home for a packed slate vs. Pittsburg State and No. 21 Central Oklahoma this weekend at the MWSU Fieldhouse. 

TICKETS + WHERE TO WATCH
Fans can watch all Griffon Volleyball home matches for a subscription fee on the MIAA Network. Director of Athletic Communications Derek Zimmerman-Guyer will call the action, with the preshow starting 20 minutes before the first serve. Game admission is available in the "Tickets" tab. 

PINK WEEKEND
Griffon Volleyball will honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month in both matches this weekend, wearing pink sleeves and pre-wrap during each game.

NOTABLES

• Missouri Western is holding opponents to a .137 hitting percentage, the second-best mark in the MIAA.
• Opponents have only recorded 687 assists vs. MWSU, the third least in the conference.
• The Griffons have given up the third-least kills in the MIAA with 687 against them.
• With 124 blocks given up, the Griffons are the second-least-blocked team in the MIAA.
• Missouri Western has 1,147 digs, the third most in the league.
• Leading MWSU with 187 kills, freshman outside hitter Holly Heldt is eighth in the league. Freshman right-side hitter Taylor Russell is 14th (156), senior middle hitter Danielle Moje is 15th (155) and sophomore middle hitter Emma Salker is 20th (134). Missouri Western has the most representation in the MIAA's top-20 kills list.
• Junior setter Nessa Johnson is third in the MIAA with 625 assists. Her 10.42 assists per set rank third in the conference.
• Freshman libero Anna Weberg is second in the MIAA with 313 digs and is second with 5.22 per set. Heldt is 10th with 211 digs and 11th with 3.52 per set. Johnson is 12th at 196 digs and 13th at 3.27 per set.
• Junior middle hitter Lily Kurz is third in the MIAA With 66 blocks and is second with nine solo blocks.
• At 13-5 overall, MWSU has surpassed its 11-18 record from last season. The Griffons are 6-3 in the MIAA, going 8-12 in conference play a year ago.

10/13 - SCOUTING PITTSBURG STATE | 6 PM
Coming in on a five-game losing streak, Pitt State (6-11, 2-7 MIAA) is just 1-3 on the road this season and sits in ninth place in the MIAA. The Gorillas were most recently swept by Emporia State on Oct. 7 in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Griffons swept ESU not too long ago on Sept. 30.

Who to Watch
Senior outside hitter Jane Thurston has been a thorn in the side for many opponents, racking up the sixth-most kills in the MIAA with 197 this season. Junior setter Jadyn Jackson is double the trouble, sitting in seventh place with 534 assists while tied for first with 28 service aces. Junior middle hitter Carly Clennan leads the team with 55 blocks, the sixth most in the MIAA. 

Head Coach
In her eighth season, Jen Gomez is 88-125 with Pitt and 290-260 in her 18-year career. Since taking over for PSU in 2016, she is 3-6 vs. MWSU and 1-3 when playing the Griffons in St. Joseph.

Rivalry Record Rabbit Hole
Missouri Western leads the all-time rivalry 58-25-1 since first playing in 1974. While the Gorillas have won three straight, MWSU is 22-6 vs. PSU at home since 1989. The Griffons have won seven of the last 10 matchups.

Last Time Out
Winning their third straight outing vs. MWSU on Oct. 14, 2022, Pitt State beat MWSU 3-1 in St. Joseph. Salker led the Griffs with 12 kills, while Johnson notched a double-double with 32 assists and 14 digs. Thurston had a match-high 18 kills and collected 15 digs. 

10/15 - SCOUTING NO. 21 CENTRAL OKLAHOMA | 6 PM
Currently third in the conference, UCO (16-3, 7-2 MIAA) is 4-2 on the road this season. The Bronchos have won three straight, last beating Emporia in five sets on Oct. 5 in Edmond, Oklahoma. Central Oklahoma will play Northwest Missouri State in Maryville on Friday before playing MWSU.

Who to Watch
One of the best attackers in the MIAA, junior middle blocker Jenna Karp leads the conference with a .383 hitting percentage, totaling the fourth-most kills with 209. Sophomore setter Lindsey Houran is fourth in the league with 557 assists and 9.77 per set. Junior outside hitter Mallorie Roehn is second in the MIAA with 25 aces, and junior defensive specialist Jaedynn Evans' 343 digs lead the entire MIAA. 

Head Coach
In his 12th year at UCO, Edgar Miraku is 263-93 with the Bronchos. Since taking over in 2012, he is 11-4 vs. MWSU and 6-1 in St. Joseph.

Rivalry Record Rabbit Hole
The Griffons trail UCO 15-6 in a rivalry that began in 1997. The Bronchos have won the last four bouts, with MWSU last winning on Nov. 16, 2019, in St. Joseph.

Last Time Out
Central Oklahoma swept MWSU on Oct. 28, 2022, in Edmond at the Hamilton Field House. Moje led the Griffs with eight kills, and Johnson had 24 assists. 

ON THIS DAY IN GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL HISTORY
Oct. 13 | Box Score
The 2017 Griffons continued a special season with a shocker vs. No. 7 Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Ali Tauchen led the Griffons to a 3-2 win with a team-high 16 kills with 10 digs to boot. Shelby Taylor, Mikayla Sellers-Wiebe and Stephanie Doak all notched 13 kills, and Rachel Losch finished with 12 of her own. Lauren Murphy tallied the sixth-most assists in a single MWSU match with 63, igniting a 13-game winning streak for the Griffs.

Oct. 14 | Box Score
The 2017 team followed up its upset over UCO with a 3-0 victory over Pitt State on the road. Doak led all players with 14 kills, and Murphy dished out 39 more assists. Kayla Ruff found a match-high 21 digs in the win.