ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Receiving AVCA Top-25 votes for the first time since 2018, Griffon Volleyball takes on two conference foes in a home-opening weekend at the MWSU Fieldhouse inside the Looney Complex.
Missouri Western is 6-2 after a pair of 3-1 weekends in back-to-back non-conference tournaments, garnering 18 votes in the latest poll. The Griffons won three straight matches to start each tourney, last winning with a 3-0 upset of No. 25 Harding on Sept. 8 at the Washburn Invitational. This is the second win over a ranked team under Head Coach Jessica Fey since she took over in 2022, and it's the second sweep on a ranked team in the modern era spanning back to 2000.
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 pregame starting 20 minutes before the first serve. Game admission and parking tickets are available in the "Tickets" tab.
NOTABLES
- Junior Nessa Johnson is the reining MIAA Setter of the Week, earning the team's first weekly award since 2019. She has a team-high five double-doubles this season.
- Johnson's 269 assists are the fourth most in the conference. Her 9.61 assists per set ranks her third.
- Senior outside hitter Danielle Moje leads the team with 77 kills, the 12th most in the MIAA.
- Freshman libero Anna Weberg ranks second in the MIAA with 139 digs. She is also second with 4.96 per set.
- Junior middle hitter Lily Kurz has a team-high 33 total blocks, the third-best mark in the MIAA.
9/14 - CENTRAL MISSOURI | 6 PM
Despite a tough start to the season, Central Missouri (3-4, 0-0 MIAA) is still regarded as one of the toughest teams in the MIAA. The Jennies received 35 votes in the latest poll, going 2-2 at the Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver, losing to No. 13 West Florida and No. 6 Metropolitan State-Denver 3-1, defeating No. 16 Cal State LA 3-2 and UT Martin 3-2. Altogether, UCM is 2-3 vs. Top-25 teams this season.
Central Missouri's offense starts with redshirt senior setter Olivia Olson, who has a team-best 276 assists this fall and is just a few ahead of Johnson for third place in the MIAA. Redshirt senior outside hitter Kersti Nix is fourth in the MIAA with 103 kills, and her 3.43 kills per set put her in second place. Redshirt junior middle blocker Grace Southern is a force up front, blocking the second-most attacks in the MIAA with 89 so far this season.
Second-year Head Caitlin Peterson is 22-15 overall and 14-6 in the MIAA. The Griffons are 7-81 all-time vs. UCM dating back to 1978, enduring a 10-match losing streak dating back to Sept. 1, 2018. Missouri Western's last win vs. its conference foe was a 3-0 final on Oct. 28, 2017.
Sunshine Bags Night
Griffon Volleyball is gathering donations for Sunshine Bags at the Ronald McDonald House during Thursday night's match vs. Central Missouri. The bags are a pick-me-up whenever kids or parents have a bad day. Fans are encouraged to donate anything yellow or gold to help bring smiles to families going through tough times. Some suggested items include but are not limited to the following:
- Sunny D
- Yellow pencils and notepads
- Griffon towels
- Highlighters
- Rubber ducky toys
- Small stuffed animals (like a Griff!)
9/16 - MISSOURI SOUTHERN | 2 PM
Missouri Southern is a fellow 6-2 team, starting the season 4-0 before splitting last weekend 2-2 at the Flagler Saints Classic. The Lions lost 3-0 to Embry-Riddle, swept Converse, defeated Flager 3-1 and lost 3-1 to No. 8 Missouri-St. Louis.
Senior outside hitter Fernanda Canedo is eighth in the MIAA with 87 kills, sitting at sixth with 3.22 per set. Sophomore setter Hannah Allick is 13th in the conference with 121 assists, averaging 5.5 per set. The Lions can strike quickly with sophomore libero Kyla Randall, whose 16 service aces are the second most in the league. Sophomore defensive specialist Tori Hamilton is fourth in the conference with 121 digs.
Kalie Mader is in her sixth season as Southern's head coach and is 45-40 overall and 23-63 in the MIAA. The Griffons are historically excellent vs. the Lions, holding a 68-29-1 record in the series dating back to 1976. Missouri Western is 6-1 in the last seven outings vs. MSSU, splitting last season's pair of matches.
Alumni Day
Missouri Western will celebrate its past with Alumni Day, honoring five Griffons throughout the match.
ON THESE DAYS IN GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL HISTORY
Sept. 14 | Box Score | Video Recap
Back in 2012, the Griffs grabbed their first MIAA win of the season with a 3-0 undoing of Missouri Southern. Stephanie Hattey and Melissa Cairns led MWSU with eight kills, while Hattey pulled double duty with 17 assists. Sarah Faubel led the team with 19 digs.
Sept. 16 | Box Score
During the 2017 MIAA Championship season, Missouri Western was wrapping up its non-conference schedule with a 3-1 victory over Newman. Stephanie Doak went off with a team-high 13 kills, and Ali Tauchen registered a double-double with 13 digs and 12 kills.
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