ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — With a 1-1 home-opening weekend behind them, Griffon Volleyball continues their five-match homestand with bouts against Northwest Missouri State and Newman this Tuesday and Thursday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
The Griffons (7-3, 1-1 MIAA) fell to Central Missouri last Thursday 3-0 but bounced back with a 3-1 win over Missouri Southern on Saturday. The latter victory is highlighted by the fact Southern defeated No. 18 Northwest the night prior, giving more merit to the Griffons' early success this season. Northwest then dropped to No. 24 in the AVCA Top-25 Poll.
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 and parking tickets are available in the "Tickets" tab.
NOTABLES
- Junior setter Nessa Johnson has five straight double-doubles and seven this season, tallying a career-high 54 assists vs. Southern on Saturday.
- Holly Heldt recorded her third career double-double vs. MSSU with 18 kills and 22 digs. Her 18 kills are a career-high and a season-high by any Griffon this fall.
- Johnson is fourth in the MIAA with 346 assists and third with 9.89 per set.
- Junior middle hitter Lily Kurz has the third-most blocks in the conference with 37, blocking 1.16 shots per set.
- With 65 solo blocks in her career, senior outside hitter Danielle Moje is now second all-time in Griffon history, tied with Amanda Boender (2011-14). Moje needs 15 to tie Ali Tauchen's total of 80 (2017-21).
- Saturday's win was the 50th of Jessica Fey's head-coaching career.
9/19 - SCOUTING NO. 24 NORTHWEST (5-5. 0-2 MIAA) | 6 PM
The Bearcats are down after three straight losses, dropping their first two conference matches. Northwest lost 3-0 to Oklahoma Baptist in its final game at the Washburn Invitational on Sept. 9, following up with a 3-2 loss to Southern last Friday and another 3-2 defeat against Central Missouri on Saturday in Maryville, Missouri. The Bearcats are technically 1-1 on the road this season, falling 3-2 to Rockhurst on Sept. 1 and defeating William Jewell 3-2 the next day.
Who to Watch
Offensively, the Bearcats are led by junior middle hitter Abby Brunssen with 92 kills, the 14th most in the league right behind Moje. Redshirt freshman setter Ella Caffery spearheads Northwest's serving game with a conference-best 19 aces. Caffrey has also collected the eighth-most assists in the MIAA with 292 thus far. The Griffons will have to find a way to break down junior defensive specialist Kyrah Luhring, who has the second most digs in the MIAA with 171.
Head Coach
Amy Woerth is in her 11th season as Northwest's head coach, compiling a 190-127 overall record while going 112-79 in MIAA play. A 2018 and 2022 MIAA Coach of the Year Award recipient, she is 12-9 vs. MWSU since taking over the program in 2012.
Rivalry Record Rabbit Hole
The Griffs are 66-34 all-time vs. Northwest but have yet to win in eight matches since a 3-2 victory back on Oct. 24, 2017. Northwest has swept the last three outings, winning nine straight sets dating back to Oct. 12, 2021. The Griffons are 27-12 all-time when hosting the Bearcats at home.
Pack the Stands Night
A limited number of Gold Rush T-shirts will be available for MWSU students on Tuesday night. Fans are encouraged to wear all gold at the match.
9/21 - SCOUTING NEWMAN (0-9, 0-2 MIAA) | 6 PM
Newman has yet to win this season, dropping 3-0 matches to Pittsburg and No. 25 Central Oklahoma on the road last Tuesday and Thursday. Dating back to 2022, the Jets have lost 14 straight. This fall, Newman has only gone past three sets twice.
Who to Watch
The offense starts with senior setter Mckinzie Weaver, who leads the team with 132 assists. She's complemented by junior outside hitter Makenna Reinart and her team-high 66 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Natalie Meyer is 18th in the conference with nine service aces.
Head Coach
Marisa Compton is in her second season with Newman, totaling an 8-31 record overall and a record of 3-19 in the MIAA. She is 0-2 vs. MWSU, losing both matches in 2022.
Rivalry Record Rabbit Hole
The Griffons are 11-1 all-time vs. Newman, with their only loss occurring on Oct. 21, 2021, in Wichita, Kansas. Missouri Western is 4-0 when hosting the Jets at the MWSU Fieldhouse.
ON THESE DAYS IN GRIFFON VOLLEYBALL HISTORY
Sept. 19 | Box Score | Video Recap
Back in 2014, the Griffons made short work of Emporia State in straight sets. Jessie Thorup led MWSU with 17 kills, tied for the second most in a three-set Griffon match. Jordan Chohon led the Griffs with 37 assists, and Lindsey Partridge totaled four blocks.
Sept. 21 | Box Score
Like 2014, the 2018 Griffons were perfect on this day, sweeping Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Missouri. Shelby Taylor led the Griffs with 10 kills, Liv Winker led them with 30 assists and Audrey Keim had a team-high 10 digs.
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