EMPORIA STATE VOLLEYBALL EMBARKS ON FINAL ROAD TRIP OF SEASON

WINDING DOWN
The Emporia State volleyball team takes their final road trip of the season this weekend, playing at Missouri Southern on Friday and Central Oklahoma on Saturday.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State fell to #10 Washburn in a match that was much closer than the 3-0 score indicates as there were 37 ties and 17 lead changes in the three sets. Two of the three sets went to extra points including a 31-29 final in the third set.
The first set had 16 ties and seven lead changes. The Hornets fought off four set points in the opener and had one of their own before the Ichabods prevailed 29-27.  Neither team had more than a one point lead through the first 23 points of the second set before Washburn took control with a 6-0 run to take a 17-11 lead. The lead would grow to eight before the Ichabods took the set 25-18. 
Washburn jumped out to a 6-2 lead and led 18-13 in the third set before the Hornets mounted a comeback. Emporia State went on an 8-1 run to take a 21-20 lead on a Carly Spicer kill. Back to back blocks from Katie Deutschmann and Courtney Haring gave the Hornets set point at 24-22.  Washburn battled back and fought off three set points before getting their first match point at 26-25. It was Emporia State's turn to fight off three set points and kills from Shayla Cotman and Spicer gave the Hornets a 29-28 lead.  The Ichabods would score the final three points to secure the 31-29 win and sweep of the match.
Torie Rupe had ten kills on .562 hitting to lead the Hornets.  Katie Deutschmann had nine kills and five blocks.

THE COACHES
Bing Xu is 222-96 in his tenth year as the head coach at Emporia State.  He has led the Hornets to five NCAA Tournament. He is 17-2 against Missouri Southern and 7-4 against Central Oklahoma.
John Napier is 6-18 in his first season at Missouri Southern. He is 0-1 against Emporia State.
Edgar Miraku is 60-32 in his third year at Central Oklahoma. He is 4-2 against Emporia State.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 11-10 on the season, 6-9 in the MIAA and have won four of their last six matches.  Eight of the Hornets 21 matches this year have gone five sets with Emporia State going 4-4 in those matches.  Only eight of the Hornets 21 matches have been sweeps and there has been at least one set go to extra points in four of the eight.
Carly Spicer is sixth in the MIAA in the latest conference rankings at 3.61 kills per set.  She has at least ten kills 16 of 21 matches this season and has recorded double-doubles in 13 matches in her first year playing the full rotation. She had a career high 25 digs to go with 17 kills and three blocks at Pittsburg State. She tied her career high with 21 kills and added 18 digs at Northwest Missouri, her second match this season with at least 20 kills and 15 digs. She has failed to reach double figures in either kills or digs in just two matches this season.
Courtney Haring is averaging 1.15 blocks per set to rank fifth in the MIAA. She is the Emporia State record holder in block assists with 398 and her 486 total blocks are second all-time for the Hornets. She is also averaging 2.10 kills per set on a team best .262 hitting percentage. She had 11 kills and nine blocks, with four of them solo, in the Hornets win at Central Missouri.
Kelly Holden is sixth in the MIAA in digs and is averaging 4.60 per set. After getting nine digs in the first match of the year, she recorded at least ten in 19 matches until being held to eight against Washburn. She had a career high 25 in four sets at Southwest Baptist, again against Missouri Western in five sets and then last weekend in the five set win at Central Missouri. She has at least 20 digs in nine of her last 13 matches.
Kimberly Bell is averaging 5.92 assists and Sydney Hartman 4.27 assists per set in the Hornets two-setter system.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Missouri Southern is 6-18 on the year, 3-13 in the MIAA. The Lions attack is led by Katie Politte who is averaging 3.10 kills per set and Callie Whetstone who leads the nation with 1.43 blocks per set. Primary setter Abby Finder is averaging a team best 8.75 assists per set. On the return Katie Weile leads the way with 3.72 digs per set.
  
LAST TIME AGAINST MISSOURI SOUTHERN
Emporia State battled back from a 2-0 deficit to take their third win in a five set match this season. The Hornets had four players in double figure kills and with double figure digs.
Emporia State seemed to be in control of the first match with a 24-21 lead when Mo. Southern fought off six set points before scoring the final three points for a 29-27 win. The Hornets had leads of 12-8 and 16-13 in the second set before the Lions went on a 4-0 run to take a 17-16 lead.  Emporia State tied the score back at 18 but Mo. Southern used a 7-3 closing run to win 25-21.
After a Lion score out of the break the Hornets rolled to a 10-4 lead and would not trail after that for a 25-18 win in set three.  Emporia State started off the fourth set with a 4-1 lead and again never trailed in a 25-17 win.  The fifth set saw six ties and four lead changes before the Hornets closed out the match on a 7-1 run for a 15-11 win.
Carly Spicer and Josie Williams each had double-doubles in kills and digs. Spicer had 16 kills and 18 digs while Williams had 14 kills and 19 digs.  They were joined in double figure kills by Courtney Haring with 15 and Shayla Cotman with 13 kills.  Kelly Holden had a career high 24 digs while Kimberly Bell had a double-double with 33 assists and 13 digs.  Sydney Hartman added 20 assists and eight digs.  The Hornets had 12.0 total blocks with Cotman, Haring and Katie Deutschmann all getting a part of six each..
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 75th meeting between Emporia State and Missouri Southern with the Hornets holding a 44-30 lead in the all-time series.

SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS
Central Oklahoma is 21-4 on the year, 12-4 in the MIAA. The Bronchos are led by MIAA Hitter of the Week Barbara Jackson who is averaging 3.99 kills per set. MIAA Specialist of the Week Juliette Smith is the team's primary setter averaging 11.72 assists per set. On the return they are led by Whitney Gifford who is averaging 5.56 digs per set and Juliette Smith who is averaging 1.30 blocks per set.
  
LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Carly Spicer had 18 kills and 11 digs for her seventh double-double in 13 matches, but it was not enough as Emporia State fell in four sets to Central Oklahoma.  The Bronchos won 25-18, 18-25, 25-18, 25-17 in White Auditorium.
Central Oklahoma jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start the match and Emporia State would not get closer than three points the rest of the way in 25-18 loss in the first set.  The Hornets had the quick start in the second set, also getting out to a 5-1 lead and not letting the Bronchos get closer than three point on their way to a 25-18 win and a split going into the intermission.
The third set was the most competitive of the night with eight ties and four lead changes. The last tie was at 18-18 before UCO ran off the final seven points for another 25-18 win.  Emporia State led 7-4 in the fourth set after back to back to back blocks by Shayla Cottman and Katie Deutschmann.  The Bronchos answered with a 6-1 run to take the lead for good on the way to a 25-17 clinching win.
Spicer had 18 kills on .235 hitting to go with her 11 digs.  She was the only Hornet in double figures in kills although Cotman had eight kills on .33 hitting with five blocks while Deutschmann had nine kills on .400 hitting with three blocks. Kelly Holden added 19 digs and Kimberly Bell had a team high 30 assists..
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the 17th meeting between Emporia State and Central Oklahoma.  The Hornets have a 10-6 advantage in the all-time series.

NEXT SERVE
The Hornets will end the season with four matches in White Auditorium starting November 7 against Southwest Baptist