Women's Volleyball | 9/25/2014 5:22:00 PM
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Emporia State makes their first appearance on Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium in two and a half weeks when they play host to #16 Central Missouri on Friday. They will follow the meeting with the Jennies with a match against Lindenwood on Saturday afternoon.
LAST TIME OUT
Emporia State fell in three sets at #5 Neb.-Kearney on Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center in Kearney, Neb.
The Hornets never led in the first set as the Lopers rolled to a 25-9 win. Emporia State battled back in the second set forcing 13 ties and five lead changes before falling 25-23. The Hornets were tied at 19 in the third set after eight ties and three lead changes, but the Lopers ended the match on a 6-2 run for the 25-21 win and 3-0 sweep.
Carly Spicer and Josie Williams each had six kills to pace the Hornets while Kelly Holden had 18 digs in the three sets.
THE COACHES
Bing Xu is 215-91 in his tenth year as the head coach at Emporia State. He has led the Hornets to five NCAA Tournament appearances and has won at least 18 matches in each of the last seven seasons. He is 4-11 against Central Missouri and 2-0 against Lindenwood.
Flip Piontek is 162-29 in his sixth season at Central Missouri. He is 7-2 against Emporia State.
Ron Young is 337-157 in his 13th year at Lindenwood. He is 0-2 against Emporia State.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 4-5 on the season, having dropped their last five matches. They have not lost six straight matches since the 2001 season. Four of the Hornets nine matches this year have gone five sets with Emporia State going 2-2 in those four matches. Only three of the Hornets eight matches have been sweeps, a 3-0 win over Ohio Valley and a 3-0 losses at nationally ranked Washburn and Neb.-Kearney.
Carly Spicer is second in the MIAA in the latest conference rankings in kills at 4.03 per set. She has at least ten kills eight of nine matches this season and has recorded double-doubles in five matches in her first year playing the full rotation. 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 is the only player in the MIAA with at least two 20 kill matches this season.
Kelly Holden is tenth in the MIAA in digs at 3.76 per set. After getting nine digs in the first match of the year, she has recorded at least ten in the last eight matches with a career high 21 against William Jewell.
SCOUTING THE JENNIES
Central Missouri is 7-5 on the year, 4-0 in the MIAA and are ranked #16 in this week's AVCA National Poll. Two of the Jennies five losses have come against teams ranked in the top five of the nation at the time. They have swept their last four matches, all in MIAA play.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Lindenwood is 4-8 on the year, 1-30 in the MIAA. Two of the Jennies five losses have come against teams ranked in the top five of the nation at the time. Like Emporia State they have played four matches to five sets, also going 2-2.
SERIES HISTORIES
This will be the 51st meeting between Emporia State and Central Missouri. The Jennies lead the all-time series 44-6. Four of the six Hornet wins have come under Bing Xu.
This will be the third meeting between Emporia State and Lindenwood. The Hornets have won each of the previous meetings.
LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL MISSOURI
Emporia State had 19.0 blocks to dominate at the net in a 20-25, 25-20, 25-22, 30-28 win over #3 Central Missouri in MIAA Volleyball action in White Auditorium.
It was a competitive match from the beginning. The first set saw ten ties and three lead changes in the first 22 points before the Jennies took control with an 8-2 run to take a 19-13 lead.
The Hornets never trailed in the second set and used a 9-2 run to take an 18-10 lead. UCM closed to within 22-20 before Emporia State closed with three straight points to even the match at one set apiece.
The Jennies jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the third set and led 10-4 before the Hornets started their comeback. A 10-2 run that included three blocks from Courtney Haring gave Emporia State a 14-12 lead. With the score tied a 16, Central Missouri scored three straight to take a 19-16 lead. After a kill by Katie Deutschmann the Hornets scored four more on Brianna Kaiser's serve to take 21-19 lead. Emporia State scored three of the final four points capped by a block from Carly Spicer and Haring.
The fourth set saw the Hornets get on top early taking leads of 8-3 and 15-8 before the Jennies started a comeback of their own. A 9-2 run tied the score at 17 and neither team would gain more than a two point lead the rest of the set. There were nine ties and four lead changes the rest of the way as each team fought off multiple set points. The Hornets fought off two set points before taking a 30-28 win and securing their first win over a nationally ranked team since a 3-1 win over then #13 Truman in the first round of the 2012 MIAA Tournament.
Haring led the Hornets with 11 kills on .500 hitting with nine blocks. She had 11 kills on 22 attempts with no errors. She was joined in double figures by Paige Vanderpool with ten kills, 20 digs and four blocks. Spicer and Kaiser each added nine kills with Spicer recording seven blocks and Kaiser getting ten digs. Kelly Holden matched Vanderpool with 20 digs. Sydney Hartman had 21 assists as the Hornets outhit the Jennies .213 to .136 on the night.
LAST TIME AGAINST LINDENWOOD
Seniors Paige Vanderpool and Brianna Kaiser each had a double-double in their final regular season match. Both seniors finished with 10 kills and 13 digs in Emporia State's 25-21, 25-23, 25-18 victory over Lindenwood in St. Charles, Mo.
NEXT SERVE
Emporia State continues the four match home stand next Friday, October 3 against Missouri Southern. First serve from Slaymaker Court at White Auditorium is set for 7:00 p.m.
