Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team will open up an important final stretch to the regular season as the Lions head out on the road to take on Emporia State and No. 3 ranked Washburn this Friday and Saturday. 

Southern (13-13, 6-10 MIAA) is in 8th place in the MIAA standings and sit four games in front of Emporia State with four left to play. A win by the Lions on Friday at Emporia would give the Lions the final spot in the 2019 MIAA Volleyball Tournament in Kansas City on November 21-23. 

The Lions currently rank 32nd nationally in total blocks and lead the MIAA in that category. The team ranks 18th nationally in digs and third in the MIAA. Southern is second in the MIAA in blocks per set and fourth in kills, while ranking 48th in D-2 in kills. In conference matches only, the Lions rank fifth in aces and second in blocks per set. 

Individually, Morgan Nash has six triple-double's this season, ranking third nationally in that category. Alicia Pickett leads the MIAA in blocks per set and total blocks, while Janelle Brehm rank sixth in kills per set. Nash is third in the MIAA in service aces.

Brehm leads the way for the Lions, averaging 3.12 kills per set and 3.56 digs per set. The Lions have utilized a multiple setter setup this season and average 11.02 assists per set, with Kylee Kaaihue (7.75), Makenzie Fa'amausili-Cacoulidis (4.98) and Nash (4.50) running the offense. Pickett leads the MIAA with 100 blocks and 1.05 blocks per set, while Alyssa Diaz is right behind at 75 blocks and 0.77 per set. Defensively, Brooklynn McCain (3.92), Emalee Lowe (3.40) and Brehm (3.56) all average over 3.00 digs per set. 

Emporia State (6-18, 2-14 MIAA) is led by Yuchen Du with 3.02 kills per set. Emma Dixon averages 7.48 assists per set, while Rylie Fornelli has a team-high 3.97 digs per set. Mikayla Simons is averaging a team-high 0.58 blocks per set. 

Washburn (22-2, 14-2 MIAA) is led by Genna Berg who averages 3.72 kills per set. Allison Sadler is dishing out 11.01 assists per set, while Faith Rottinghaus has a team-high 5.40 digs per set. 

Live stats and live video will be available for each match this weekend and can be found in the story links above. 

Southern will conclude the regular season next weekend as the Lions head to Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State.