Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern Volleyball team will head to Emporia State on Wednesday and Washburn on Thursday as the Lions wind down the regular season.
 
First serve from Emporia State's White Auditorium is set for 6 pm on Wednesday with first serve from No. 14 ranked Washburn's Lee Arena is set for 6 pm on Thursday. The Lions defeated both the Hornets and Ichabods earlier in in the season.
 
The Lions (10-14, 5-10 MIAA) had a solid week last week where Southern swept No. 19 ranked Central Oklahoma and then took a set off No. 13 Northwest Missouri.
 
On the week, Sophie Mader averaged 11.14 assists per set and 5.14 digs per set, while posting four service aces. Fernanda Canedo had 3.86 kills per set and 3.57 digs per set, while Abbie Casper posted 5.71 digs per set. Amelia Neels had a team-high 1.29 blocks per set last week.
 
On the season, Canedo is averaging 3.07 kills per set, while Mader is dishing out 9.10 assists and Casper has 5.58 digs per set. Mader has a team-high 31 service aces, while Kierson Madew has a team-high 79 blocks and Neels has 76 of her own.
 
ESU (4-21, 1-15 MIAA) is led by Lea Mach who averages 2.60 kills per set, while the duo of Riley Bernskoetter (4.42 a/s) and Ainslee Stepp (3.93 a/s) dish out the assists. Megan Stretton has a team-high 4.01 digs per set, while Winny Harris has a team-high 44 blocks.
 
Washburn (19-5, 11-5 MIAA) is led offensively by Jayln Stevenson who averages 3.03 kills per set. The duo of Corinna McMullen (6.58 a/s) and Sydney Conner (4.67 a/s) direct the offense, while Sophie McMullen has a team-high 3.91 digs per set. Kassidy Pfeiffer has a team-high 67 blocks on the season.
 
Live stats and video will be available for each match and links to them both can be found in the story links section above.
 
After this week, the Lions will host Central Missouri on Tuesday, November 1, before ending the regular season at Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State that weekend.