Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern volleyball team will play host to William Jewell on Friday and Central Missouri on Saturday this weekend with both matches happening inside Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium.
Friday's match with the Cardinals will start at 6 pm, with Saturday's match against the fifth-ranked Jennies set to start at 7 pm.
The Lions (3-9, 0-3 MIAA) are coming off a loss at home to Central Oklahoma where the team was right there with the Bronchos in every stat category. A pair of freshmen dominated the box score as
Armyni Perales had 20 kills and
Bonnie Hegarty added 15. Both numbers were career-highs for the duo.
CC Pollard leads the Lions this year with 3.14 kills per set, while Hegarty is averaging 2.56.
Sophie Mader is averaging 8.68 assists per set, while
Brooklynn McCain is averaging 3.63 digs per set.
Southern ranks second in the MIAA in aces per set and third in total aces. Mader is seventh in assists per set, while Pollard ranks third in attacks per set.
William Jewell (4-9, 0-5 GLVC) comes into the match, having lost five in a row, including matches this past weekend at Missouri-St. Louis and Quincy, as well as a Tuesday match against Southwest Baptist.
The Cardinals are led by Lily Johnson who averages 2.25 kills per set, while multiple different setters are averaging just over 4.00 assists per set. Jordan Collard is leading the team with 3.71 digs per set, while Johnson also leads the team with 40 total blocks.
Central Missouri is ranked fifth nationally and the Jennies have won five of their last six matches, but are coming off a loss at home to No. 1 ranked Washburn.
The Jennies are led by a pair of players at 3.17 kills per set as both Audrey Fisher and Kersti Nix have 130 kills in 41 sets played. Ally Offerdahl leads the team with 10.39 assists per set, while Rylie Barnum has a team-high 4.63 digs per set. Hannah Engelken is averaging 1.20 blocks per set.
Both matches will be streamed live on the MIAA Digital Network and live stats will also be available. Links to both can be found in the story links section above.
Southern will be back on the road next week as the Lions will play on Tuesday at Missouri Western in a re-scheduled match from last weekend, and then will head to Washburn on Friday and Emporia State on Saturday.
