Women's Volleyball | 2/23/2021 11:20:00 AM

February 23, 2021-Emporia State volleyball will make their 2021 White Auditorium debut on Thursday when they play host to Pittsburg State followed with a Friday night match against Missouri Southern.

These will be the first home matches for Emporia State since playing Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State on November 8-9, 2019.  In those matches 15 months ago, the Hornets defeated the Lions 3-2 and fell 3-2 to the Gorillas.

Emporia State opened the spring season on Sunday with two matches at Fort Hays State. The Hornets fell in their first match 3-0 to the host Tigers.  Emporia State then took on Neb.-Kearney in the second match and fell 3-0 to the defending MIAA champion and national runners-up from 2019.

Pitt State opened the spring season on Sunday with a 3-1 loss to Washburn and a 3-0 loss to Northwest Missouri at home. Missouri Southern also played in Pittsburg on Sunday, falling 3-0 to both Northwest Missouri and Washburn.

Attendance in White Auditorium will be limited to 250 with all tickets sales at the main entrance off of Sixth Avenue.  Fans will need to adhere to social distancing and mask guidelines as well as go through the temperature scanners upon entry. Tickets will cost $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children K-12 while Emporia State students will be admitted free with their valid student ID.

Due to the cancellation of the 2020 fall NCAA Division II National Championships and the ensuing cancellation of the fall MIAA season, the league coaches made the decision to play a shortened schedule in the spring. In addition, the coaches agreed each match has to have only one official, line judges do not have to be certified, a scorekeeper or libero tracker need not be present and official statistics do not be recorded.

The Hornets are currently slated to compete in 15 matches this spring before playing in the MIAA postseason tournament April 16-17. The conference was split into two divisions, with teams playing an eight match schedule in their own division. Emporia State is in the South Division with Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Missouri Southern, Newman and Pittsburg State. Teams were then provided flexibility in scheduling additional matches that best fit their needs.

The Hornets will play each division rival home and home and have picked up additional matches against Fort Hays State, Neb.-Kearney, Missouri Western and Washburn from the North Division.