Joplin, Mo. – The Missouri Southern volleyball team will be back at it this weekend as the Lions travel to Texas Woman's University to compete in the Denton Volleyfest.
The Lions open play against Texas Woman's at 1 pm on Friday and then play East Central at 7 pm later that evening. Saturday's matches start with Midwestern State at 10 am and then Eastern New Mexico at 4 pm.
Southern (3-1) was just two points from going 4-0 on its opening weekend as the Green and Gold picked up wins against Southwestern Oklahoma, Truman State and Northwestern Oklahoma before falling to William Jewell in the tournament finale.
Abbie Casper was named the MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week this past week after she averaged 4.70 digs per set while also posting five aces and a .989 return percentage. Casper collected 29 digs in the opening match against Southwestern Oklahoma and then totaled 18 digs against Truman, 25 against Northwestern Oklahoma and 22 against William Jewell.
Fernanda Canedo averaged 3.75 kills per set and 2.85 digs, while
Irina Alekseeva hit .275 and had 2.40 kills on the weekend.
Amelia Neels hit .402, while averaging 2.25 kills and 0.80 blocks per set and
Kierson Maydew averaged 0.75 blocks per set, while hitting .275.
The setter duo of
Hannah Allick and
Sophie Mader dished out 11.95 assists per set as a team this past weekend with Mader posting 143 assists and Allick 68. Allick led the team with eight service aces and Mader had seven.
TWU opened up play last weekend and the Pioneers went 1-3 to start the season. They were picked 12
th in the Lone Star Conference Poll. Eastern New Mexico has started the season 3-w and the Greyhounds were picked 13
th in the LSC Preseason Poll. Midwestern State has started the season 1-3 and were picked 15
th in the LSC Preseason Poll. East Central was picked to finish sixth in the Great American Conference Preseason Poll and the Tigers are 0-5 in the early season.
Live video (for a fee) and live stats will be available for each match and links to both can be found in the story links section above.
Southern will jump into MIAA play after this as the Lions travel to Newman on September 9 and Central Oklahoma on September 10.
