Women's Volleyball | 10/12/2023 7:15:00 PM
Game 18
Emporia State Hornets (8-9, 2-7 MIAA)
vs. Newman Jets (0-16, 0-8 MIAA)
Friday, Oct. 14 • 7:00 p.m. • White Auditorium • Emporia, Kan.
Series Record: ESU leads 9-4 •
Last Meeting: NU 3, ESU 1 (10/21/22)
Up Next: at Fort Hays State
Tuesday, Oct. 17 • Hays, Kan.
SATURDAY NIGHT AT WHITE
Emporia State will take on Newman on Saturday night from White Auditorium.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hornets hosted the Turnpike Tussle and #20 Washburn from White Auditorium on Tuesday night. Emporia State nearly took set two before falling in three sets.
THE COACHES
Ken Murczek is 8-9 in his first season at ESU. Murczek is coming off great success at NAIA Oregon Tech where he brought the Owls to their first National Tournament in school history. Murczek is no stranger to the big stage, as he has coached at the NCAA I level, with head coaching tenures at Wake Forest and North Texas, along with multiple assistant positions including the University of Kansas.
Marisa Compton is 8-38 in her second season at NU. He is 2-0 against the Hornets.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 8-9 this season and 2-7 in the MIAA. The eight wins for Emporia State are the most in a season since 2018 as they look to increase that total. As a team, Emporia State ranks sixth in the MIAA in hitting percentage. and seventh in total kills and blocks this season. The Hornet attack is led by
Sandora Sasaki who has 260 kills with 4.33 kills per set. Sasaki is coming off her second MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week honor and leads the MIAA in both kills and kills per set.
McKenya Sorrells also has nearly two kills per set with 103 total kills and 1.94 per set.
Brailee Bogle has made a strong impact in her first season with the Hornets as she has 553 assists with 9.22 assists per set which ranks fifth in the MIAA this season.
SCOUTING THE JETS
Newman is 0-16 on the season and are coming off an 8-22 season in 2022. In attack, Makenna Reinert leads the way with 101 kills. Ozioma Ajekwu has added 87 kills and has a team-high 2.07 kills per set and .227 hitting percentage. Mckinzie Weaver and Avery Dempsey run the setter position and have combined for 8.35 assists per set. Natalie Meyer has posted a team-high 32 blocks this season and Natalie Morales has 214 digs, a mark which ranks in the top 10 in the MIAA.
SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State leads the all-time series 9-4 over Newman.
LAST TIME VS. THE JETS
Emporia State hosted Newman from White Auditorium with the Hornets and Jets splititng the first two sets. Newman was able to take set three and four as they Hornets were held below .100 hitting in the final two sets.
UP NEXT
The Hornets will hit the road for their second consecutive midweek matchup, this time against Fort Hays State. It will be the second meeting between the Hornets and Tigers this season as Emporia State took the first matchup 3-0. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, October 17 at 6:00 p.m.
