Women's Volleyball | 9/10/2012 3:57:00 PM
TURNPIKE TUSSLE
Emporia State faces #7 Washburn in the Turnpike Tussle on Sept. 11 from Topeka, Kan. The Hornets and Lady Blues have split the season series in four of the last six seasons. ESU’s last win at Washburn came during the 2006 season.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State spent last weekend at the Middle of Everywhere Classic in Rolla, Mo. The Hornets went 1-1 on the first day of the tournament, defeating Missouri- St. Louis in straight sets and falling to Northern Michigan in five sets. The Hornets began day two with a loss to #3 Southwest Minnesota State, and dropped a five set match to Upper Iowa later in the day, resulting in a 1-3 record for the tournament.
LAST TIME VS. WASHBURN
Emporia State and Washburn last met on Nov. 11, 2011, a 3-1 victory by the then #4 Lady Blues at White Auditorium. The match 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 in the Hornets. The last trip to Topeka went to five sets with Washburn winning the fifth 15-12. Katie Deutschmann recorded a triple-double with 13 kills, 22 assists, and 12 digs.
SERIES RECORD
Emporia State has played Washburn in volleyball more than any other opponent. This will be the 90th meeting between the two teams with the Hornets holding a 63-26 overall advantage. Four of the last six meetings have gone five games. The last sweep in the series was a 25-7, 25-21, 28-26 Hornet win in front of 2,432 in White Auditorium on Nov. 14, 2008. ESU’s last win in Lee Arena came during the 2006 season.
THE COACHES
Bing Xu is 178-66 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 319-55 in his 11th season with Washburn.
SCOUTING THE LADY BLUES
The Lady Blues enter their conference season with a record of 8-0. Washburn spent last weekend at the Southwest Baptist Bearcat Challenge in Bolivar, Mo., defeating Christian Brothers, Texas A&M- Kingsville, Rockhurst, and NW Oklahoma State without dropping a set. Senior Hillary Hughes leads the Lady Blues offensively, averaging 4.00 kills per set. Senior Jessica Fey is hitting .428, and is averaging 3.46 kills per set. Setter Abby Wittman is averaging 8.73 assists per set and 3.68 digs per set, and has 11 services aces to her credit. Libero Courtney Churchman is averaging 3.68 digs per set.
HORNET HISTORY
The last time Emporia State opened its MIAA schedule at Washburn was in 2002, a match won by the Lady Blues in three sets. Emporia State and Washburn also opened MIAA play against each other in 2001, won by the Hornets in three sets at White Auditorium.
I’LL HAVE A DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Brianna Kaiser led the Hornets with three double-doubles at the Middle Everywhere Classic. Kaiser had 11 kills, 13 digs vs. Northern Michigan, 14 kills and 15 digs vs. UMSL, and 14 kills, 21 digs vs. Upper Iowa. Paige Vanderpool recorded her second double-double of the season vs. NMU with 12 kills and 17 digs. Katie Deutschmann recorded a double-double vs. NMU recording 13 kills and 21 assists and had a triple-double with 10 kills, 19 digs, and 25 assists vs. Upper Iowa.
STELLAR SCHWARTZ
Meg Schwartz averaged 5.88 digs per set over the weekend with 96 in 16 sets in addition to a team-high six service aces. Schwartz is averaging 5.38 digs per set with 156 digs in 29 sets overall.
A RECORD SETTING NINE SETS
The Hornets set a number of season-highs during last season’s encounters with Washburn. The team set a season-high with 95 digs in the five set match in Emporia, led by Meg Schwartz’s 37. Courtney Haring set a season high with nine total blocks in the match in Emporia, and eight during the match in Topeka. The two matches produced Emporia State’s third and fourth highest attack totals, with 209 attempts in Topeka and 203 attacks in Emporia, the highest versus MIAA opposition.
UP NEXT
Emporia State continues its conference schedule on the road at Missouri Western. The match is scheduled to start at noon on Saturday in St. Joseph, Mo.
