Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team will get back to work as the Lions play host to Pittsburg State tomorrow night. First serve from the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center is set for 6 pm.
The Lions (8-8, 3-4 MIAA) bring a three-game win streak into the match with the Gorillas having defeated Missouri Western, No. 8 Washburn and Emporia State last week.
Last week,
Amelia Neels averaged 2.79 kills per set and 0.86 blocks per set while hitting .405 and posting 3.46 points per set. The sophomore totaled ten kills against Missouri Western and followed that up with 11 kills and seven blocks against the Ichabods. Neels finished the week with 18 kills, hitting .548 and adding three blocks against Emporia State. Defensively,
Abbie Casper averaged 6.64 digs per set, while also posting five aces. She had 39 digs against Western and followed up with 20 digs against Washburn. Casper finished the week with a career-high 43 digs against Emporia State.
Sophie Mader helped to direct the Southern offense as the senior averaged 11.29 assists per game, dishing out 158 over the course of three matches. In the opener with the Griffons, the senior collected 47 assists, nine digs and nine kills. In MSSU's 3-1 victory over the eighth-ranked Ichabods, Mader had 51 assists and eight digs. She finished the weekend with 60 assists in a five-set thriller against the Hornets.
PSU (11-7, 5-4 MIAA) comes into the match having won three of its last four matches. The Gorillas are led offensively by Meg Auten who averages 3.17 kills per set. Brianna Richard dishes out 10.58 assists per set and has a team-high 19 service aces. Marissa Bates leads the Gorillas with 5.33 digs per set, while Phoenix Bailey and Kate Bandre have 44 and 36 blocks, respectively.
Live stats for the match, as well as live video will be available and links to each can be found in the story links section above.
After this match, the Lions will play host to Fort Hays State at 6 pm on Friday evening this week and will host No. 5 ranked Nebraska-Kearney at 7 pm on Saturday.
