Women's Volleyball | 10/22/2012 3:13:00 PM
TURNPIKE TUSSLE PART TWO
Emporia State hosts #3 Washburn at White Auditorium Tuesday in the second edition of the Turnpike Tussle.
LAST TIME OUT
The Emporia State volleyball team’s return to White Auditorium ended with a 20-25, 25-19, 27-25, 25-20 win over Northwest Missouri on Saturday. Carly Spicer and Raney Okeson co-led the Hornets with 11 kills. Spicer made the most of her attacks, hitting .611 for the match. Meg Schwartz posted 28 digs to lead all players. The Emporia State volleyball team could not extend its six match winning streak as #7 Central Missouri defeated the Hornets in straight sets 25-19, 25-22, 25-22 at the Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg, Mo. on Wednesday. Katie Deutschmann led the Hornets in two categories, posting nine kills and 19 assists.
LAST TIME VS. WASHBURN
Morgan Buckner had nine kills on 15 attempts to lead Emporia State, but the Hornets were unable to come up with a win at #5 Washburn in the first Turnpike Tussle volleyball match of 2012 in Topeka, Kan on Sept. 11. Washburn defeated Emporia State in three sets 25-12, 25-12, 25-19. Emporia State out-blocked and out-dug the Lady Blues with a 6-4 advantage in blocks and a 37-36 advantage in digs. Buckner’s nine kills were her highest total of the season and hit a team-best .467. Meg Schwartz led the Hornets with 12 digs, Katie Deutschmann was the assist leader with 14.
SERIES RECORDS
Emporia State holds a 63-27 all-time series lead over Washburn. The Hornets last win over the Lady Blues was a five set triumph in 2009, in Emporia.
THE?COACHES
Bing Xu is 187-70 in his eighth year as head coach at Emporia State. Xu has led the Hornets to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament in five of the last seven seasons. In 2008 he led Emporia State to its first MIAA Championship.
Chris Herron is in his 11th season with Washburn. His career record is 234-56.
SCOUTING?THE OPPONENTS
Third-ranked Washburn won both its matches over the weekend, defeating Northwest Missouri on Friday and Missouri Western on Saturday, both in three sets. Jessica Fey leads the MIAA with a .411 hitting percentage and averages 3.35 kills per set. As a team, Washburn leads the MIAA with a .267 hitting percentage. Hillary Hughes currently leads the MIAA in service aces with 34 on the year. Defensively, Courtney Churchman leads Washburn averaging 3.68 digs per set.
SPICER ON FIRE
Carly Spicer was the Hornets top hitter last week, totaling 18 kills on 31 attempts committing only one error, resulting in a .548 hitting percentage. Spicer also led the team with two services aces.
EVERYBODY SWING!
Five Emporia State hitters are averaging better than 2.00 kills per set, led by Brianna Kaiser’s 2.57 mark. Morgan Buckner (2.39), Paige Vanderpool (2.38), Katie Deutschmann (2.14), and Carly Spicer (2.09) are the others. As a team, Emporia State is averaging 13.81 kills per set, good for fourth in the MIAA.
UNBEATEN AT HOME
Emporia State has won all three of its matches at White Auditorium this season, only dropping one set, defeating opponents by an average of 7.0 points per set.
ANOTHER EPIC SHOWDOWN?
Washburn’s last visit to White Auditorium on Nov. 11 was a back and forth affair with 43 ties and 14 lead changes, before Washburn pulled out the win with an epic 35-33 decision in game four. Meg Schwartz had a season-high 37 digs, and five players recorded double-doubles for the Hornets.
UP?NEXT
Emporia State takes on #5 Nebraska-Kearney at White Auditorium on October 30 for Dig Pink Night. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
